Chien Hoang

With 20+ years of experience in software engineering, product development, and technology leadership, I’ve spent my career building scalable systems that solve complex real-world problems - from cloud infrastructure and DevSecOps to AI-native platforms and modern distributed architectures. Today, I’m the Co-founder & CEO of X-HR Labs, where we are building the next generation Smart WorkOS - an AI-native, open, and extensible platform designed to help organizations manage people, operations, and workflows more intelligently and efficiently. Our vision goes beyond traditional HR software. We believe the future of work requires flexible systems that adapt to how organizations actually operate - not rigid tools that force companies into predefined processes. That’s why we’re building a composable platform combining Core HR, Payroll, Workflows, AI Agents, and an open App Marketplace into one connected ecosystem. At X-HR, we focus heavily on: - AI that acts, not just chats - Workflow automation and operational efficiency - Open and extensible platform architecture - Developer-friendly ecosystems and integrations - Building software that adapts to organizations, not the other way around Previously, I held engineering leadership roles at and worked on building scalable products and high-performing engineering organizations across Europe, MENA, and Asia, with experience spanning companies such as Rocket Internet, Delivery Hero, and Tamara. I’m passionate about building products that create real value for businesses and empower people to do their best work. I also actively support founders, startups, and ambitious teams through advising and angel investing. I believe in “talk less, build more” - leading through execution, resilience, ownership, and continuous learning. Great products are built by teams willing to challenge assumptions, solve hard problems, a