👋 Based in Arusha, Tanzania

Mustafa
Pirbhai

Regional IT Leader  ·  Cloud Architect  ·  Co-Founder

15+ years driving IT strategy, cloud governance, and digital transformation across East Africa.

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About

The person behind the infrastructure

I'm a regional IT leader with over 15 years of experience building, securing, and scaling technology across East Africa. Currently serving as Head of IT for Sub-Saharan Africa at Rijk Zwaan, I'm accountable for IT strategy, risk posture, and service reliability across five countries supporting 200+ users.

My remit spans Microsoft 365 and Azure governance, identity and access management, endpoint standardisation, and infrastructure resilience — with direct reporting to HQ in the Netherlands.

In parallel, through Kipimo Solutions LLP, I design and implement digital systems for NGOs, impact investors, and social enterprises — bridging enterprise IT governance with real-world deployment realities across the region.

15+
Years of experience
5
Countries covered
200+
Users supported
$250K+
Annual IT budget owned
Experience

Where I've made an impact

2017 – Present

Head of Information Technology – Sub-Saharan Africa

Rijk Zwaan · Arusha, Tanzania
  • Lead regional IT across five countries in a hybrid cloud and on-prem environment
  • Microsoft 365 and Azure governance, SailPoint identity management, Intune/Autopilot endpoint standardisation
  • Cybersecurity incident response using Microsoft Defender and Fortinet
  • Own regional IT budget exceeding $250K annually
  • Quarterly strategic reporting to Netherlands HQ
2020 – Present

CTO / IT Solutions Architect / Co-Founder

Kipimo Solutions LLP · UK / Tanzania
  • Design and delivery of digital systems for NGOs and impact-driven organisations
  • Full lifecycle ownership: requirements, architecture, deployment, and training
  • AI-enabled workflows and MEL platforms for social enterprises
2016 – 2017

General Manager – Software Division

CATS Tanzania Ltd. · Dar es Salaam
  • Led software department of up to 12 staff
  • ERP and HR software sales and implementation
  • Standardised development processes and delivery discipline
2011 – 2015

IT Operations Manager

Ongeza Tanzania Ltd. · Arusha
  • Designed and implemented a custom MIS aligned to operational needs
  • Managed servers, networks, and endpoint infrastructure
2007 – 2011

Founder – Technology & Security Systems

TGH Solutions · Tanzania
  • Delivered end-to-end infrastructure and security system projects
  • Managed subcontractors and client relationships
Skills

Technical exposure

Microsoft 365 Azure AWS SailPoint Intune Autopilot Microsoft Defender Fortinet Veeam Azure Automation Python Bash PowerShell JavaScript PostgreSQL Docker Kubernetes Jira GitHub
Education

Academic background

2021 – 2023

MSc (Distinction), Computer Science — Data Science

University of Sunderland · UK
2002 – 2007

Bachelor of Science, Electronics Engineering

University of Alabama in Huntsville · USA
Contact

Let's connect

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