Enterprise Solutions Architecture

Technology With Purpose

I design enterprise platforms that actually work. Scalable, secure, and built to last beyond the project phase.

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Who I Am

23+ Years of Building What Matters

I'm Lee Nicholson - a Solutions Architect based in the Netherlands with over two decades of hands-on experience designing, modernising, and running enterprise-scale platforms across cloud, data, and infrastructure.

I help teams turn complex integration landscapes into clear, secure, and supportable solutions. My work typically starts with documentation review and gap analysis and finishes with an actionable plan and hands-on delivery. I've always believed the best architecture isn't the most complex - it's the one that actually works in the real world.

Before going independent, I held senior technical leadership roles at NetApp, advising enterprise and hyperscale customers across EMEA on hybrid cloud, AWS integrations, and large-scale data platforms. My background spans both pre-sales and post-sales delivery, which means I understand the full picture - from business strategy to deep technical execution.

23+
Years Experience
EMEA
Global Reach
5
Azure & AWS Certs
Current Engagement

Lead Solutions Architect - CAEVES Technology

Since May 2025, I've been leading solution architecture for CAEVES, working on intelligent data platforms, cloud migration initiatives, automation frameworks, and enterprise governance models - supporting customers through complex digital and AI-driven transformations.

The work centres on building scalable and reliable enterprise platforms that integrate modern cloud technologies with existing enterprise systems, with a strong focus on making AI capabilities genuinely useful rather than just shiny.

Intelligent Data Platforms Cloud Transformation Automation Frameworks Enterprise Governance AI Integration
What I Do

Core Expertise

Every engagement starts with understanding what you actually need - not what a sales deck says you should buy. Here's where I add the most value.

Integration Architecture

Integration Architecture

Mapping interfaces, data flows, owners, and SLAs - then building a roadmap that balances quick wins with strategic steps.

  • Integration discovery & mapping
  • API design & lifecycle (REST/JSON)
  • Middleware patterns & governance
  • End-to-end solution design
Cloud & Hybrid Architecture

Cloud & Hybrid Architecture

Designing cloud strategies that actually align with how your business operates - not just lifting and shifting for the sake of it.

  • Azure & AWS architecture
  • Landing-zone design & governance
  • Cost & performance optimisation
  • Hybrid & multi-cloud strategy
AI & Intelligent Platforms

AI & Intelligent Platforms

Integrating AI where it genuinely adds value - not chasing hype, but solving real problems with smart, sustainable implementations.

  • AI-ready data architectures
  • Intelligent data platform design
  • Ethical AI readiness assessment
  • Strategic AI integration
Security & Governance

Security & Governance

Building frameworks that keep things secure and compliant without turning your teams' daily work into an obstacle course.

  • Identity & access control (RBAC)
  • Zero-trust security frameworks
  • Architecture governance standards
  • Monitoring & automation guardrails
Data & Platform Modernisation

Data & Platform Modernisation

Transforming structured and unstructured data workloads to cloud-native architectures that are ready for what comes next.

  • Data centralisation strategies
  • Legacy system modernisation
  • Content management architecture
  • DR/continuity design & testing
Stakeholder & Delivery

Stakeholder & Delivery

Translating business questions into concrete technical decisions. I speak both languages fluently - boardroom and terminal.

  • Discovery workshops & facilitation
  • Gap analysis & action planning
  • Technical documentation & runbooks
  • Pre-sales & post-sales delivery
Credentials

Certifications

I keep my certifications current because the landscape changes fast. These aren't just badges - they represent genuine, hard-earned competence.

Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Azure AI Engineer Associate
Azure Administrator Associate
Solutions Architect - Associate
Cloud Practitioner
NetApp Hybrid Cloud Engineer
ITIL Foundation
MCSE: Productivity
How I Work

My Approach

Every engagement is different, but the discipline never changes: understand first, design with intent, and stay until it works.

01

Discover & Understand

I start by reviewing what exists - documentation, interfaces, data flows, pain points. I run discovery workshops to get the full picture before writing a single line of spec.

02

Analyse & Map

Gap analysis, integration mapping, and honest assessment of what's working and what isn't. This is where quick wins get separated from strategic investments.

03

Design & Plan

Architecture that balances innovation with reliability. I design solutions that your teams can actually operate and maintain, not just admire on a whiteboard.

04

Deliver & Support

Hands-on delivery with proper documentation, runbooks, and knowledge transfer. I don't disappear after the design phase - I stay until it works in production.

Beyond the Office

When I'm Not Architecting Systems

I'm a wingsuit pilot, skydiver, and aerial cinematographer. The same discipline and risk management that keeps me safe at 15,000 feet shapes how I approach enterprise challenges.

Explore the Aerial Side
Get In Touch

Let's Talk Architecture

Every project is different, so every engagement is tailored to what you actually need. Whether it's a focused integration review, a full cloud strategy, or something in between - let's start with a conversation.

lee@thelanart.com
+31 681 222 526
linkedin.com/in/lnicholson2402
Voorhout, South Holland, NL

Available for remote, hybrid, and on-site project work across Europe and beyond.