Vadim Tkachenko Biography: Net Worth, Height, Ethnicity, Age, Parents, Siblings, Children

Vadim Tkachenko, commonly referred to as VADAK, is a Ukrainian-born technology expert and entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Percona, a leading provider of open-source database software and services.

Renowned for his expertise in LAMP performance and multi-threaded programming, he has significantly influenced MySQL and InnoDB optimization, with his source code patches integrated into mainstream Oracle products.

Profile

• Full Name: Vadim Tkachenko
• Stage Name: VADAK
• Born: 1971
• Age: 54 years old
• Birthplace: UkraineNationality: Ukrainian-American
• Occupation: Technology Expert, Entrepreneur, and Technology Fellow
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Mr. Tkachenko and Mrs. Tkachenko
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Unknown
• Children: 2
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $5 million to $10 million

Early Life and Education

Vadim Tkachenko was born in 1971 in Ukraine to parents referred to as Mr. Tkachenko and Mrs. Tkachenko, with no public details available about their names or any siblings. Growing up in Ukraine, he developed an early interest in technology and programming.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” between 1991 and 1996.

His academic background laid the foundation for his expertise in software development and database optimization, which would later define his career. His ethnicity is Ukrainian, and his religion is not publicly disclosed.

Career

Vadim Tkachenko began his career in Ukraine, founding a web development company that honed his skills in software engineering and performance optimization.

In the early 2000s, he joined MySQL AB as a Performance Engineer in the High-Performance Group, where he focused on optimizing MySQL and InnoDB internals for modern hardware. His source code patches were incorporated into Oracle’s mainstream MySQL and InnoDB products, showcasing his technical prowess.

In 2006, Tkachenko co-founded Percona with Peter Zaitsev, serving as CTO and leading the development of key products like Percona Server for MySQL, Percona XtraBackup, Percona XtraDB Cluster, and Percona Server for MongoDB.

His work at Percona CTO Labs emphasized real-world performance benchmarks for hardware, filesystems, and databases, setting industry standards.

As CTO, Tkachenko drove Percona’s innovation, consulting for Alexa’s Top 1000 web properties and launching the SSD Performance Blog to advance solid-state storage expertise.

He co-authored High-Performance MySQL: Optimization, Backups, and Replication (3rd Edition) with Peter Zaitsev and Baron Schwartz, a definitive guide for building robust MySQL systems.

His presentations, such as “Supercharge Your Analytics with ClickHouse” in 2017 with Altinity’s Alexander Zaitsev, highlighted his ability to integrate MySQL with analytical systems like ClickHouse.

Tkachenko’s benchmarks, often sponsored by vendors, provided transparent, ungimmicked performance evaluations published on the MySQL Performance Blog when permitted. His expertise in scalability and performance tuning earned him recognition as a thought leader in database technology.

In April 2024, Tkachenko transitioned from CTO to Technology

Fellow at Percona, focusing on emerging technologies like vector databases and the Linux Foundation’s Valkey Community.

This shift enabled him to explore innovative areas, such as AI-driven database solutions, while continuing to guide Percona’s technical direction.

His ongoing work includes mentoring teams and advancing open-source database initiatives, reinforcing his legacy as a pioneer in scalable analytics and database performance.

His influence extends through his contributions to Percona Everest, an open-source cloud-native database platform, and his advocacy for transparent, community-driven technology development.

Social Media

• Twitter Handle: @VadimTk

Personal Life

Vadim Tkachenko is married and has two children, though their names are not publicly disclosed. He relocated from Ukraine to California, where he currently resides, balancing his professional commitments with family life. Tkachenko maintains a low-profile personal life, focusing public attention on his technical contributions and industry leadership.

His passion for open-source technology is evident in his community engagement, which includes speaking at events such as Percona Live Europe and SFMySQL meetups. His Ukrainian roots inform his perspective, but he rarely shares personal anecdotes, preferring to let his work speak for itself.

Net Worth

Vadim Tkachenko’s estimated net worth is between $5 and USD 10 million. His wealth primarily derives from his role as co-founder and former CTO of Percona, supplemented by consulting for significant web properties, speaking engagements, and royalties from High-Performance MySQL.