Meet Awais Gill: The Tech-Savvy E-Commerce Specialist

Who is Awais Gill? There are several ways to answer the question, but let's start with his current gig, as a Shopify developer for Supernova, a global social e-commerce company headquartered in Singapore with clients worldwide. Shopify, in case you don't know, is a Canadian e-commerce powerhouse that offers its users tools for transactions, marketing, shipping, and customer engagement on its platform. It is Gill's job to know Shopify in and out, and in his role at Supernova, he works tirelessly to implement and refine functionalities to meet clients' needs.

To do this, Gill, a native of Lahore, Pakistan, relies on his expertise in Shopify open-source programming language Liquid, as well as JavaScript, as well as what is called "headless commerce," using Vercel's Next.js open-source web development framework. Headless commerce is an architecture where the front-end is decoupled from the back-end commerce functionality. This means it can be updated or edited without interfering with the back-end.

Simple right?

Not exactly. It takes dedication to keep abreast of the latest technologies and tools out there. But this is where Gill excels. And, as a developer, Gill works closely with his clients' user experience and user interface teams too. Customer satisfaction is his paramount objective.

"One of my unique talents as a Shopify developer is my expertise in integrating advanced technologies with e-commerce solutions," says Gill. "I specialize in Shopify headless architecture using React and Next.js, which allows for highly customizable and performant online stores."

This knack for learning and implementing the newest technologies has enabled Gill to thrive. The developer takes on high-impact projects, delivering solutions that keep his clients happy.

These talents have also given him an edge professionally, he acknowledges, fueling an inarguably successful career.

But how did it all start? Gill grew up in a middle-class family in Lahore, the second largest city in Pakistan, with a total population of 13 million people, making it larger than a lot of countries. Located in Pakistan's Punjab province, Lahore is considered to be the country's most socially liberal, progressive, and cosmopolitan cities. It was in this environment that Gill was raised.

"My parents focused on giving me a good education and a supportive environment," recalls Gill.

As a child, he loved to play cricket, traveling with his family, and also playing computer games. GTA Vice City, Need for Speed, and Tekken 3 were three favorites, and they influenced his interest in programming. Gill also cites Sir Hassan Nisar, a Pakistani IT Expert, with introducing him to programming.

"His guidance and passion for web development were crucial in keeping my interest alive and helping me develop my skills in this field," says Gill.

Gill went on to study computer science at Bahauddin Zakariya University, located in Multan in Punjab province, where he received a bachelor's degree six years ago. While there, he took an interest in web development and e-commerce, and in creating online e-commerce stores. After graduating in 2018, he began working as a WordPress Intern at Perfect Web Solutions in Lahore, where he gained more experience working in e-commerce. From there, he moved through a series of companies, joining TatbeeqSoft later in 2018 as a PHP developer, and then NextBridge in 2020, where he was employed as a software engineer. At NextBridge, he specialized in Shopify theme development and custom app creation.

"At NextBridge, I developed a custom Shopify public app that connected Shopify stores with ERP systems, improving data synchronization and operational efficiency for clients," he says.

Gill continued that work in his next role at Systems Limited, where he became the Islamabad company's Shopify consultant. In 2022, he was promoted to senior consultant at Systems Limited.

"This role not only recognized my technical expertise and leadership but also allowed me to take on more strategic responsibilities and mentor junior developers," he says.

Gill continues to work at Systems Limited, but in 2022 he also jumped at the chance to work with Singapore's Supernova as a contractor. Supernova also has offices in New York, London, Los Angeles, Berlin, and Neutral Bay, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

"This international role has broadened my experience and allowed me to contribute to high-impact projects on a global scale," says Gill. While at Supernova, Gill has worked on projects that required headless architecture using React.js, Next.js, and theme customization.

So what's next for the e-commerce whiz from Lahore? Well, he wants to go to New York, naturally. In New York, Gill imagines himself as the CEO of a software house that he wants to dub Arbify Solutions.

"I want this company to create opportunities for newcomers around the world and operate on a global scale, offering a full range of services," he envisions. "My vision is to lead a successful and innovative company that makes a significant impact in the tech industry," Gill remarks.

Of course, he will continue to improve his skills as the market demands. This can only be done by taking new courses and learning on the fly, getting regular feedback from colleagues and mentors, exploring the best new tools, and setting clear goals. If his career to date is any indication of where Gill is heading, it seems that Gill will get where he wants to go, eventually.

You can count on it.