I'm Gavin Slater, and I build AI systems by understanding how they work from scratch.
Before diving into AI, I spent 30 years in risk management at major banks like Barclays and Deutsche Bank, leading transformations for 300+ person teams. As a Chief Operating Officer for Risk Management I have always been at the interface between risk managers and the crucial infrastructure required to support their decisions, both business operating models as well as technology.
My deep interest in technology started with ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers, coding in Basic and machine code. More recently I reconnected with this passion, building an 8-bit computer from logic gates on a breadboard. That project taught me something crucial: to build intelligent systems, you need to understand first principles. How electricity works. Every AND gate. Every register. Every clock cycle.
Now I'm applying that same approach to AI—building production systems that manage real operations, combining deep technical knowledge with business acumen that only comes from decades of risk management.
Mission
For 30 years, I watched business professionals—especially in risk management—depend on technologists to build their solutions. AI is changing that.
Help business professionals develop the deep technical understanding to build their own AI-powered solutions.
Telos*
Where I'm heading—life direction, purpose, and the problems I'm solving.
Business-Technology Divide — AI is dissolving barriers that kept business people dependent on technologists
The Bridge-Builder — 25 years between business and technology
* Telos is a concept designed by Daniel Miessler (github.com/danielmiessler/Telos) for articulating a person's personal context so that they, and AI, can better understand them and help them improve.
Two Ways to View My Career
A career isn't just a linear progression—it's a collection of stories, lessons, and transformations. Choose how you want to explore mine.
Linear Resume
If you want a traditional chronological view of my career—experience, skills, education—in the format you'd expect.
Story Navigator
Your career isn't one linear thing. Different stories provide insight into what sort of person you are and what experiences shaped you.
Projects
What I'm building, what I've built for passion, and what shaped my expertise.
Explore all projectsCurrent Work
Actively building as core mission
Risk Agents
AI-powered risk intelligence platform combining 30 years of CRO expertise with AI agents
Personal AI Infrastructure
15 specialized AI agents managing real operations through Universal File Context architecture
Credit Risk Workflow App
Python application for managing credit risk workflows - reduced processing time by 60%
Interests & Passions
Foundation supporters to mission
8-bit Computer
Built complete CPU from logic gates on breadboard - first principles learning
Home Assistant
Smart home system with custom SDR garage opener, Tasmota fleet, Zigbee network
Fitness & Running
284+ Parkrun events and counting - data-driven approach to fitness
Quantified Self & Data Tracking
Apple Health, location tracking, sleep analysis - Atomic Habits approach to self-improvement
3D Printing
Bambu Labs enthusiast - prototyping and creating
Previous Work
Shaped knowledge & experience
DataFusion
High-performance distributed data platform for enterprise data integration
Barings Investigation
Bank of England investigation into £827M collapse
Daiwa Investigation
NY Federal Reserve investigation into $1.1B fraud
Market Data Platform
Enterprise-wide instrument and market data consolidation at ICBC
Murex Migration
Led risk aspects of commodities trading migration to MX.3
Ideas
Things I'm thinking about but haven't yet fully formed. Early-stage concepts, experiments, and explorations that might become something more.
Blog
What I've thought about and written. Part of my Build → Write → Speak approach— extracting lessons from what I build and sharing them.
Content extracted from real projects and experiences
How Can I Help You?
Whether you're looking to navigate AI transformation or want to learn about risk intelligence, here's how we can work together.
Consulting
Help businesses—large or small—navigate AI transformation. Previously, we relied on hiring coders to build solutions. AI is changing that equation.
For Large Enterprises
IT will still build the “core” systems requiring hard-core engineering. But there's a gap where AI can make connections through your existing systems and data landscape to bring superpowers to day-to-day work. I can help business users build that scaffolding.
For Smaller Organizations
AI bridges the gap—you need to start using it now. I can help you get started with practical, production-ready implementations that deliver real value.
Risk Agents
Bringing together my expertise (Risk) and my passion (AI). Banks don't share enough—I'm building a platform to change that.
Skills Framework
100+ risk management capabilities codified for AI
Risk Intelligence
AI-powered insights from 30 years of CRO expertise
Community
Helping risk professionals seize the AI moment