We caught up with Clintonchogo Kavai, Cloud Automation Lead, whose fascination with "why things work" led him to redefine mobile networks at Rakuten Symphony Deutschland.
Tell us about your journey to Rakuten Symphony.
Before I ever wrote a single line of production code, I was dismantling radios in Diani, Kenya. Not because they were broken, but because I needed to know why they worked. That same curiosity has guided me since. So, when Rakuten reached out in my final year of university, sharing their vision of a fully cloud-native mobile network, I didn’t hesitate. It sounded impossible. That’s how I knew it was worth chasing.
I joined just as Rakuten Mobile was preparing to launch its unique network. The energy was electric. We weren’t just deploying infrastructure; we were redefining what a mobile network could be. I worked on network automation with a small team of recent graduates, building a platform called RMOPs to handle backups, switchovers, health checks, and upgrades. The first time we watched a full maintenance window pass without anyone touching a terminal, just clean logs and a stable network, I felt the same thrill I had back in Diani, when a radio I had dismantled switched on. That same rush of bringing something to life.
In 2021, 1&1 picked Rakuten Symphony to build Germany’s fourth mobile - fully cloud-native across core, OSS, BSS and RAN. It sounded impossible, and that was all I needed to hear.
I moved to Germany with a backpack, a terminal, and a hunger for the unknown. Together, we build the tools that make it repeatable upgrades, drivers, audits. The things that should happen quietly, so others can focus on building. It’s not loud, but it lasts. And that, to me is art.
What has been the highlight of your time at Rakuten Symphony?
There’s a night I still carry with me. It was late in the night in Düsseldorf Office; the room was dim, lit by the soft glow of dashboards and tired eyes. Months of delays had brought us here, each one heavier than the last. The architecture was ambitious, maybe even overreaching. But now, finally, everything was in place. We held our breath as the final configurations rolled out across the clusters. For a long second, nothing moved. Then the logs danced. Traffic flowed. Real users. Real sessions. Real proof.
Someone leaned back and whispered, “Sugoi na...” like they couldn’t believe it had worked. Another muttered, “Bhai, this thing is alive,” almost afraid to say it too loud. We exchanged glances not big cheers, just quiet smiles, wide eyes, a few hushed laughs. I wasn’t a new grad anymore, but I felt the same electricity I had back in Tokyo when Rakuten Mobile first launched. The same awe. The same pride. I stepped outside into the cool winter air, hands still shaking slightly, and just stood there. The silence felt earned.
What is an advice or work ethic that you follow?
Curiosity is my compass. Own what you touch. If something repeats, automate it. When something breaks, fix it in a way that it never breaks the same way again. And always leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Good documentation isn't just helpful; it's an act of generosity.
I also believe in momentum. Shipping something small today creates space for something bold tomorrow. It’s not about chasing perfection; it’s about stacking progress.
What are some hobbies you enjoy in your downtime?
Travel has shaped me deeply. I’ve been to more than 30 countries, and every city, every culture, teaches me something new. In 2021, I tried skiing for the first time in Hakuba, Japan, and I haven’t looked back since. There’s something about studying the slope, choosing your line, adjusting in real time, and staying calm under pressure that feels a lot like solving problems in production.
When I’m not outdoors, I disappear into my home lab. It’s where I explore the Linux kernel, cryptographic protocols, RAG architectures, and low-level network internals. I build, break, test, and iterate. I also contribute to open source, sometimes with code and often through documentation or issue triage. It keeps my thinking sharp and reminds me that even the smallest contribution can ripple far.
What’s next for you?
I want to go deeper into automation, autonomy, and resilience. There’s a future where networks can adapt, scale, heal, and optimize in real time. I want to help bring that future closer.
At the same time, I want to give back. I had mentors who trusted me before I had all the answers. I want to be that person for the next generation of engineers. Whether the work happens in Kenya, Japan, or Germany, I want to keep building platforms that work globally and teams that grow together across borders.
What advice would you give to new joiners at Rakuten Symphony?
Ask “why” until silence turns into understanding. Don’t be afraid to break things in the name of learning but always take responsibility for putting them back together. Build fast but build with care. Automate the boring parts. Write things down like someone else’s 3 a.m. shift depends on it, because someday, it will.
Get to know your tools. Get to know your team even better. And above all, protect your curiosity. That spark you have right now is the most valuable thing you bring to this table. Don’t let anything dim it. Some networks connect devices. The best ones connect people, ideas, and ambition. I like to think I work on both.
