General Manager IT
Al Shirawi Group Of Companies
Total years of experience :13 years, 4 Months
Al Shirawi Group is a Conglomerate with 12, 000 employees and 52 businesses in the GCC ranging from Construction, Printing, Services, Manufacturing, Engineering, Trading, Solar and Schools. Responsible for driving the IT strategy and IT programs within the Group and working directly with the CEO's to transform the businesses.
• Directed Digital transformation Journey across the Group, including Robotic Processing Automation, Chatbots, IoT and Artificial Intelligence, bringing Transparency, Automation and efficiencies estimated at $8M.
• Cut IT staffing costs by 25% over two years by automating support functions and shifting to an on-site/offshore model.
• Reduced on-premises datacentre activities and saved over $500K by driving developments to Microsoft Azure & Google Cloud Platform adopting the cloud-first policy.
• Headed HR Systems transformation by agreeing on the HR systems approach, vendor selections and move to the Cloud with Mobility, bringing the best User Experience to all staff and workers.
• I implemented a Group-wide OCR, scanning and document management solution bringing automation, efficiency and an environmentally sound approach to the organisation reducing 50 FTE's and removing 10M documents.
• Developed, agreed and completed 100% of the IT Strategic plan in the first two years.
• Transformed the IT organisation to ensure closer alignment with the business priorities and updated IT policies to bring Agility and Enhanced Support to the User community.
• Drove OMNI Channel Marketing through Websites, SEO/SEM, E-Commerce, Social Media, Google Adds to increment revenue outcomes by $10M through new avenues.
• Agreed Digital Desktop strategy including Lenovo Laptops, move from Lotus Notes to G-Suite enabling the Cloud and Mobility experience for the Group and saving $3M on Microsoft products.
• Led implementation of VAT systems, ensuring all compliance with FTA regulations. Provided direction, guidance and course corrections as necessary to successfully deliver VAT systems in time to meet a legal deadline.
Established an appropriate and cost effective IT strategy and associated Roadmaps (over a 3-5-year timeframe to support the business strategy).
•Successfully secured through strong business justifications, capital funding for16 projects totalling over 75M AED & Implemented processes and procedures for a Quarterly Operationally IT work program managing budgets over 55M AED each year.
•Led digital desktop programs including roll-out of O365 to 75, 000 users, Windows 10 to 30, 000 plus devices, remediated over 300 applications for Chrome, IE11, Skype for Business IP Telephony and Remote Access Management Solution Implementation.
•Ensured successful delivery of all IT infrastructure, Security, software platforms and devices to new Emirates Aviation University.
•Led VAT Impact assessment team and proposed approach, timetable, team model to meet compliance timeframes.
•Managed team for Recruitment, Learning Management, Time & Attendance capital projects and delivered on time and within budget.
•Led Payment Gateway renewal project for Emirates.com and dnata.com sites.
•Successfully managed and supported the implementation of Cyber Security Strategy including the delivery and setup of a Cyber Security Operations and Monitoring team and Office.
•Supported capabilities and development initiatives for IoT (Internet of Things) and Innovation office initiatives to productionised applications.
•Business Continuity Planning, Management and Resilience for all critical applications including resilience testing and disaster recover.
•Initiated and managed the move of over 250 environments to Cloud services using Amazon Web Services.
•Responsibilities
•Single point of accountability for all IT related matters to the assigned business units.
•Work with Service Management and Supplier/Partner management for optimisation of supplier relationship to support the business IT strategy, to deliver the services and products required and for financial planning of the business IT budget relating to Suppliers.
•Promote close collaboration and integration within all other IT departments.
•Ensure delivery of the IT work programme, ensuring that the projects are approved and initiated as planned and delivered within agreed cost and timescales, in accordance with IT standards and industry best practice, to meet and ideally exceed customer satisfaction.
•Drive Service Management to ensure the effective delivery of all IT systems and services into the business ensuring that relevant and achievable service levels are agreed with the business.
•Ensure IT employees fully understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations from a business perspective
•Provides direction and guidance to employees by clarifying goals and priorities and helping employees understand how they can contribute
Reporting to Corporate Program Executive, assigned as the lead Program Director for Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi IT Program contracted to IBM to deliver the Scope of defined work. Maintain relationships Internally and Externally to 'C' Level. Champion new technology solution introductions to enterprise architect and work with business managers to define business requirements to manage solutions delivery. Manage third party contracts and avail of IBM contracting abilities.
• I managed five critical solutions streams for 2500 users and a solutions team of 90 to deliver End-User experience solutions, enterprise security solutions, applications design and infrastructure solutions, Contact Centre solutions and Internet/Intranet portals solutions services to the New Hospital.
• Negotiated and closed $32M of contracts with Cisco, Microsoft, VMWare, Lenovo and 36 other software vendors; saved 11% of the budget and ensured Scope of work defined, SLA tracked and services provided as contracted.
• Agreed the hosting infrastructure solutions and testing strategy for monitoring, high availability and failover modes with infrastructure teams including Servers, Storage, Security, Monitoring and Networks to ensure 99.999% 24X7 service availability for Hospital systems.
Reported to Venture Capital Head about various key performance indicators. Provided $40m to De-Merge Treasury and Core Banking Risk Business. Served as Head of IT and established as new separate legal entity globally; oversaw all IT Services and management of team spread across 7 regional offices. Managed change and all IT communications throughout the organisation in alignment with marketing and communications agenda. Engaged Marketing and external vendors to setup new company website.
• Conceptualised and defined IT strategy and 18-month projects roadmap for new Global IT organisation spread globally including enterprise applications (ERP Workday, O365), enterprise architecture (network, datacentres, Security) regional streams; Delegated tasks to regional project teams to deliver identified streams.
• Consolidated and rationalised solutions and services from 42 offices locations and 900+ servers to 3 regional data centres including AIX, Sun Solaris and x86 technologies.
• Negotiated, procured and Implemented network, hardware, software and services from 3rd party vendors including Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft, IBM, HP, Cisco, SingTel, Verizon, BT, SAP and 22 other vendors.
• Led solutions delivery of agreed applications and infrastructure as per approved Business/IT project governance and agreed roadmap. Ensured all streams/projects supported mobility and remote accessibility.
• Represented IT & VC in 14 program streams including Finance, Facilities, HR and others for de-merger activities with ThomsonReuters.
HNC