FILIP BUNKENS

PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Bridging the gap between vision and execution by translating deep technical insights into scalable product strategies that deliver genuine business value.
I built this cv application to send personalized applications. The stack runs on Node.js & Docker and is hosted on my own VPS. The AI proxy uses a combination of gemini and RAG on my personal documents.

FILIP AI PROXY

Use your private key ("testme") to establish a secure connection with Filip's digital representative.

Expertise

"Bridging the gap between vision and execution by building and optimizing systems."

Contact

Tel: +32 486 36 29 61

Location: Jodoigne, België

E-mail: filip@bunkens.be

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/filipbunkens

Website: https://www.bunkens.be

GitHub: https://www.github.com/thebeardbe

Core Skills

Languages

Dutch (Native Speaker)
English (Full Professional)
French (Professional Working)

Professional Experience

Product Curator & Marketplace Strategist

June 2020 – present

TheBeard | België / Online

  • Product Lifecycle: Strategic sourcing and technical refurbishing of products to maximize lifespan and market value on international platforms.
  • Quality Assurance: Implementing technical inspection protocols to ensure functional integrity and customer satisfaction.
  • Supply Chain Management: End-to-end management of the chain: from procurement strategy and refurbishing to international logistics.
  • Growth Strategy: Optimizing pricing models and inventory management based on data-driven market analysis and trend forecasting.

Independent AI Research & Development

January 2024 – present

Independent AI Research & Development | België / Remote

E-sports Performance Coach (Fortnite)

July 2021 – January 2024

Freelance / E-sports | Remote

  • E-sports Mentorship: Guiding youth (ages 14-20) within the competitive Fortnite e-sports circuit.
  • Strategic Analysis: Analyzing meta-gameplay, rotations, and match statistics to optimize performance at the top level.
  • Competitive Discipline: Training mechanical skills and mental resilience in a high-stakes professional environment.

Co-founder: Brand Strategy & Community Development

February 2019 – April 2022

Annick & The Beard | Jodoigne / België

  • Product-Market Fit: As co-founder, developed a brand identity that resonates directly with the target audience by focusing on authentic connection.
  • User Community: Transforming a passive customer base into an active community of ambassadors contributing to organic growth.
  • Engagement Strategy: Developing loyalty programs and feedback loops to align the product vision with user needs.
  • Resource Optimization: Achieving maximum brand impact with limited budgets by focusing on high-leverage visual storytelling.

Product Founder & Technical Lead

June 2020 – May 2021

My comfort mask | Wereldwijd

  • MVP Development: Concept and launch of an innovative 'print on demand' platform, from prototype to scalable product.
  • Ecosystem Design: Designing the complete business architecture, including the technical stack, workflow automation, and UX.
  • Operational Excellence: Managing the entire product chain: from complex logistical flows to automated production control.
  • Go-to-Market: Defining the marketing and media strategy, including stakeholder management for national and international press relations.

Product Owner (areweinlockdown.com)

March 2020 – May 2021

areweinlockdown.com | Wereldwijd

  • Rapid Prototyping: Launched a working product in record time that addressed an urgent societal need (global COVID-19 tracker).
  • Data Integration: Aggregating and normalizing complex, inconsistent global data sources into a logical and usable dashboard.
  • User Value: Translating raw data into understandable insights for a massive international audience.

Photographer

July 2007 – September 2019

TheBeard.be | Jodoigne, België

  • Commercial Photography: Specialized in capturing large-scale events, international congresses, and promotional content.
  • Advertising Campaigns: Visual execution of major advertising campaigns in collaboration with agencies for clients including Startups.be, IMEC, Hack Belgium and Scania.
  • High-level Clients: Trusted partner for organizations such as Startups.be, IMEC, Hack Belgium, Pfizer and Scania.
  • Strategic Consulting: Consultancy regarding visual identity and brand positioning for corporate clients.

Product Lead & Project Recovery

April 2018 – September 2019

Reden coin | Wereldwijd

  • Turnaround Management: Appointed to restructure a stagnant tech project and provide it with a new roadmap and vision.
  • Governance & Standards: Introducing 'best practice' standards for project launches to minimize risks for stakeholders.
  • Stakeholder Alignment: Acting as the crucial link between investors, users, and technical core developers.
  • Technical Audit: Analyzing the existing codebase to set priorities for further development and risk management.

Contact Center Agent

January 2017 – December 2017

Harvest communication centres | Leuven, België

  • Customer Service: Provided support to four different clients, including 24-hour weekend shifts.

Maître d’hôtel

December 2004 – April 2005

Côtés Vacances | Les Orres, Frankrijk

  • Operational Management: Managing front-of-house service as Maître d’hôtel in a French-speaking high-altitude environment.
  • Customer Focus: Responsible for a high-quality dining experience for hotel guests, from reception to service.

Technical Product Support Specialist

September 2003 – May 2004

IP Globalnet | België

  • User Feedback Loop: Direct point of contact for complex technical issues, serving as input for product improvement.
  • Problem Definition: Analyzing and documenting the gap between product functionality and the end-user experience for B2B and residential customers.

Education

Applied Informatics

Rega KHL, 2002-2003

Bio-engineer

KU Leuven, 2000-2002

Mathematics - Sciences

Don Boscocollege Hechtel, 1992 – 2000

Projects

KABAAL – Full-stack Audio Dashboard System

PocketBase (Go/SQLite), Node.js, CSS3, Docker

A scalable soundboard platform with a 'Tron-inspired' aesthetic. Users manage personalized 'audio grids' via a desktop 'Manage Mode' and a mobile-optimized interface.

View Project

The Construct — Open Source CV Engine

Node.js, EJS, Puppeteer, Gemini AI, Docker

The engine that powers this very site. An open-source, multi-persona CV portfolio platform with AI-powered Q&A. Serves tailored résumés per employer using tag-based filtering, semantic RAG chat, PDF export, and multi-language support. Published on GitHub as cv-construct.

View Project

The Fixer Case: Offline Photo-Pipeline (National Lottery)

Python, Node.js, Raspberry Pi, WiFi-Camera, SMTP

A fully autonomous, battery-powered pipeline built for major festivals. WiFi-connected cameras feed a local server that auto-processes images, displays them on tablets, and delivers them via local SMTP—zero internet, zero mains power.

TrustUp Renovation Scoping Assistant — AI-Native Specifications

Claude Code, AI Agent Orchestration, Rules Engine, API-Native

A specification package designed to orchestrate AI coding agents in building a resilient, SaaS-ready module. Demonstrates strict Spec-Driven Development methodology.

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Autonomous Micro-Agency MVP (Capslock)

TypeScript, React, Gemini 3.1 Flash, Node.js

An autonomous performance marketing analysis tool. Automates the ingestion of Google Ads data, implements WoW aggregation logic, and generates AI-enhanced performance briefs using Gemini 3.1 Flash.

View Project