Shaik - CTO

Technology Executive driving Digital Transformation, Financial Innovation, AI Adoption & Business Growth across Banking, FinTech, Mobile Money, Insurance & Digital Payments

25+ YEARS OF LEADERSHIP

🇺🇸 New Jersey, USA 🇬🇧 London, UK 🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🇦🇪 Dubai, UAE 🇸🇬 Singapore 🇩🇪 Nuremberg, Germany 🇲🇿 Maputo, Mozambique 🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Chief Technology Officer and Technology Executive with 25+ years of experience driving technology strategy, digital transformation, innovation, and enterprise modernization across Banking, FinTech, Digital Payments, Mobile Money, Insurance, and Financial Services. Throughout my career, I have successfully transformed technology organizations into strategic business enablers by aligning innovation, operations, cybersecurity, governance, and digital capabilities with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and long-term growth strategies.

My experience spans Digital Banking Platforms, Mobile Money Wallets, Payment Gateways, Merchant Ecosystems, Super Apps, Lending Platforms, Insurance Systems, Enterprise Integration Platforms, Open Banking APIs, Cloud Transformation, Cybersecurity, Data Platforms, Artificial Intelligence, and large-scale financial technology ecosystems. I have led the development, modernization, stabilization, and scaling of mission-critical platforms serving millions of customers, agents, merchants, and enterprise users across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

As a Board-facing technology leader, I work closely with Boards, CEOs, Regulators, Auditors, Investors, and Executive Leadership Teams to define technology vision, enterprise architecture, governance frameworks, cybersecurity strategies, digital transformation roadmaps, investment priorities, risk management approaches, and innovation agendas. I have successfully led multi-million-dollar technology portfolios, enterprise-wide modernization programs, operational turnaround initiatives, platform stabilization efforts, and strategic vendor partnerships that delivered measurable business outcomes, accelerated digital adoption, strengthened regulatory compliance, enhanced operational resilience, and enabled sustainable business growth.

My leadership experience includes driving the transformation of digital payment ecosystems, mobile money platforms, digital banking solutions, insurance technology platforms, and financial inclusion initiatives. I have successfully led the design and implementation of Digital Banking Platforms, Mobile Wallets, Payment Gateways, Merchant Acquiring Solutions, Agency Banking, Cross-Border Payments, Lending Platforms, Insurance Systems, Digital KYC, Video KYC, AI-powered Credit Engines, Decision Engines, Enterprise Data Platforms, Customer Self-Service Ecosystems, and API-driven digital platforms.

I possess extensive expertise in Enterprise Architecture, Cloud & Infrastructure Strategy, Cybersecurity, DevSecOps, Software Engineering, Technology Operations, NOC & SOC Management, Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Technology Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, Vendor Management, and Large-Scale Transformation Program Delivery. I have built and led high-performing technology organizations comprising software engineering, infrastructure, cybersecurity, architecture, DevOps, QA, product delivery, and operations teams while managing multi-million-dollar budgets and complex technology ecosystems.

I have successfully led organizations through governance, quality, security, and compliance initiatives aligned with ISO standards, audit and regulatory frameworks, cybersecurity assessments, operational resilience programs, and CMMI maturity practices. My experience includes establishing governance structures, strengthening internal controls, improving audit readiness, standardizing delivery processes, implementing risk management frameworks, and driving continuous improvement initiatives that enhanced operational excellence and organizational maturity.

I am passionate about leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI, Machine Learning, Intelligent Automation, Data Analytics, and Emerging Technologies to improve customer experience, strengthen fraud prevention, optimize risk management, automate operations, accelerate innovation, and unlock new business opportunities. My focus is on transforming technology into a strategic growth engine that enables financial inclusion, operational excellence, customer trust, regulatory compliance, and long-term enterprise value creation.

Partnering with Boards, CEOs, Regulators, Auditors, and Executive Leadership Teams to drive technology strategy, governance, innovation, cybersecurity, and business transformation — building secure, scalable, resilient, AI-powered, and future-ready technology organizations that drive business growth, support digital economies, accelerate innovation, and create lasting enterprise impact.

Executive leadership & domain strategy — recognized by executive recruiters and Board-level stakeholders for delivering enterprise-wide transformation outcomes.

End-to-End Technology Value Chain

My expertise spans the entire technology lifecycle—from establishing board-level IT strategy and enterprise architecture to overseeing rigorous software engineering, managing complex infrastructure operations, and ensuring uncompromising cybersecurity and regulatory compliance across global markets.

Career Journey

Work Experience

Chief Technology OfficerAug 2025 – Present

AzamPesa / AzamPay — Bakhresa Group · Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Driving evolution of AzamPesa into a One-Stop Digital Super App — wallet, merchant ecosystem, payment gateway, interoperability & digital financial services across Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda & Uganda.
Defined platform scalability roadmap targeting 1000+ TPS with zero-downtime via Blue-Green deployment and active-active DR architecture aligned with Central Bank requirements.
Established enterprise-wide technology strategy covering infrastructure, network, cybersecurity, software engineering, QA, and 24x7 NOC operations for a regulated Electronic Money Institution (EMI).
Strengthened infrastructure: VM clusters, Kafka, RabbitMQ, HAProxy; asynchronous microservices architecture improving platform performance and fault tolerance.
Implemented DevSecOps model integrating security scanning, code review & compliance validation within CI/CD; introduced QA automation and production release quality gates.
Designed third-tier Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity framework; automated reconciliation, settlement, transaction monitoring & fraud management.
Presented multi-million-dollar infrastructure & cybersecurity investment strategy to Board — secured full approval.
Led end-to-end architecture: Mobile Wallet, Payment Gateway, Merchant Payments, Agent Banking, Super App, Agent App & Enterprise Payment Gateway.
Managed multi-million-dollar technology budget and vendor ecosystem across multi-country operations.
Built and led cross-functional teams across infrastructure, network, cybersecurity, development, QA & NOC — Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda & Uganda.
Established engineering governance: coding standards, QA practices, release management, and production deployment controls.
Designed centralized monitoring across infrastructure, applications, network, and security layers using ELK, Grafana & Prometheus.
Implemented settlement automation, real-time fraud detection, and daily reconciliation pipelines reducing financial discrepancies.
Established highly resilient infrastructure architecture with clustered high availability, zero-downtime deployment, and automated failover mechanisms.
Designed enterprise network architecture with ISP redundancy, traffic load balancing, and secure connectivity for mission-critical payment platforms.
Implemented robust cybersecurity governance including VAPT programs, vulnerability scanning, fraud monitoring, and secure SDLC practices.
Led internal and external audit readiness including Central Bank compliance, security audits, and operational risk assessments.
Directed end-to-end software development lifecycle including architecture, development, QA automation, and release governance.
Established QA frameworks including automated testing, performance testing, and production release quality gates.
Built customer support and agent support applications improving operational efficiency and customer experience.
Led integration with banks, MNOs, payment switches, TIPS, card networks, and third-party ecosystems.
Established platform observability using New Relic, centralized logging, proactive monitoring, and automated incident response.

Head Software R&D / CTOMay 2025 – Jul 2025

Maximo Group · Maputo, Mozambique

Led bank technology modernization aligned with Central Bank policies — eKYC, open banking APIs, real-time payments, digital identity.
Established in-house software development function for digital banking products and mobile onboarding systems.
Oversaw hybrid infrastructure: on-premises data center + secure cloud for data sovereignty & regulatory compliance.
Rolled out enterprise DevOps, CI/CD, container orchestration; enhanced IAM, SIEM & endpoint protection posture.
Led integration with banks, MNOs, payment switches, TIPS, card networks; established observability with New Relic.
Developed a comprehensive IT governance framework, defining organization IT policies and embedding regulatory compliance, risk management, and audit readiness into the technology delivery lifecycle.
Actively coordinated with internal audit, compliance, and risk functions to ensure regulatory audit readiness and adherence to frameworks.
Led the enhancement of Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCP/DR) strategies ensuring continuity of critical services in line with regulatory resilience expectations.
Managed key technology vendor relationships and service contracts, ensuring third-party compliance, cost efficiency, and secure integration with internal systems.
Facilitated cross-functional collaboration with regulators, internal stakeholders, and fintech partners to support innovation while maintaining regulatory alignment.
Engaged with strategic technology vendors to evaluate and implement HR & Payroll and CRM platform solutions, enabling rapid deployment for workforce management and customer engagement.

FinTech Head IT — AVPDec 2020 – Apr 2025

Annapurna Finance

Built AnnapurnaPay (UPI Super App) — live on Play Store, driving 54% of total customer collections for lending & payments.
Led UPI, BBPS, eNACH, eMandate, Digital KYC, CKYC, TPAP/UPI Plug-In with NPCI & NSDL e-stamping, ensuring RBI compliance.
Designed digital lending platform (STP/Customer Self Journey) — automated loan application, approval & disbursement for MSME & MFI including Digital JIT Product.
Implemented AI/ML credit engine & decision engine; built AFPLOne internal staff super app for loan processing, payments & HR.
End-to-end AWS cloud: EC2, S3, IAM, Network Firewall, Container Security, Security Hub, Inspector, GuardDuty & WAF.
Led WhatsApp AI bots for automated loan processing, payment transactions & customer support.
Passed Big 4 audits: PCI-DSS, SOC2, AML/KYC, and GDPR compliance.
Implemented Bank Statement Analysis, e-Sign, e-Stamping, eNach, eMandate/UPI Mandate, NEFT, RTGS & CKYC integrations.
Led TPAP & UPI Plug-In with NPCI; collaborated with NSDL for secure e-stamping solutions.
Developed Group Lending Model (GLM) digital workflow automating field-officer disbursements for 500k+ MFI customers.
Managed cross-functional teams of 100+ across engineering, QA, DevOps, compliance, and product for all digital initiatives.
Implemented Digital JIT Product for MFI customers and STP/Customer Self-Journey for MSME loan automation end-to-end.
Directed IT operations for FinTech solutions, ensuring full adherence to RBI regulations and successfully passing internal and external audits with Big 4 audit firms.

Senior Project Manager – Head ITJun 2015 – Sep 2020

Jayam Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Delivered ERP (LOS, LMS, Digital Payments) for 23+ banking, fintech, NBFC & MFI clients.
Managed 60+ cross-functional teams through full SDLC; improved time-to-market by 25% via Agile.
Managed project scope, budgets, and timelines — delivering projects on time and within budget while optimizing processes for efficiency.
Established strong client relationships through regular communication, requirements gathering, and consultative problem-solving — resulting in repeat business and high customer satisfaction.
Managed risk assessment and issue resolution, proactively identifying and addressing technical, regulatory, and financial project risks to minimize delays and cost overruns.
Supervised and mentored junior project managers, fostering a high-performance culture and improving project delivery outcomes across the team.
Optimized databases to improve performance; created reporting (AS) for critical reports like PAR, Outstanding, and LIVE dashboards; delivered Mobile APP for collection and lead generation.

Senior PM – IT Head Offshore DeliveryApr 2013 – May 2015

GfK

Established the GfK Offshore Delivery Center from the ground up in India — set up the operating model, recruitment pipeline, infrastructure, governance, and engagement framework that grew into GfKOne, the company's global offshore arm.
Transitioned multiple business functions and applications from onsite locations (UK, US, Germany) to the new India offshore center — managing scope, timelines, knowledge transfer, and risk through the full transformation.
Managed enterprise application portfolio including SAP ABAP, SAP HR, SAP Accounting (FICO), and the company's in-house CRM system — supporting development, customization, integration, and L2/L3 support across modules.
Led GfK.com development and global support — delivering enhancements, releases, and 24x7 production support to GfK operations across the entire globe from the India offshore center.
Led 150+ distributed engineers across UK, US, Malaysia, Czech Republic & Germany; delivered GfK.com, GfKConnect & C3PO across full SDLC using Waterfall & Agile frameworks.
Cleared CMMI Level audits with Big 4 firms; led CRM, Datamart & SAP integration using BizTalk to streamline business processes and improve data flow across systems.
Collaborated with senior leadership to define and implement long-term technology strategies, aligning offshore teams with company goals.
Established global delivery models, knowledge management practices, and engineering governance — building a high-performing offshore team supporting the entire GfK enterprise.
Identified opportunities to improve customer experience and grow business from inception to fruition — developing market share, brand, and profits.
Assisted in planning and setting up shared services processes and transformation operations using offshore delivery procedures.

Project Manager – SW/ITJun 2004 – Mar 2013

Kantar ITP – TNS · Growth: Team Lead (2004–07) → PM (2008–13)

Led CRM Web portal for Kantar and facilitated development of system requirements and use cases (Visio); managed production servers (application and database) through the full deployment lifecycle.
Managed multiple flagship engagements simultaneously — Kantar Media, TNSInfo, and ERP system for Indian operations — delivering on time, within budget, and to client satisfaction.
Coordinated requirements, design, development, QA, UAT, and rollout for the Indian operations ERP covering finance, payroll, HR, and operations modules.
Managed offshore delivery teams of developers, QA engineers, business analysts, and UX designers across multiple parallel projects.
Engaged with global stakeholders for Kantar Media media intelligence platforms and TNSInfo research applications — gathering requirements, prioritizing backlog, demoing builds.
Developed Project Charter, Scope, SOW, Project Plan, Risk Register, Change Requests (CR), and Stakeholder Status Reports.
Maintained project reviews, technical designs, and functional design documents based on client meetings and CRs.
Drove SDLC governance — gating reviews, sign-off checkpoints, change management, and traceability across requirements through delivery.
Collected sign-offs from clients on various projects and submitted formal documents in SharePoint Content Management System (CMS).
Mentored and grew junior developers and team leads, building a high-performing delivery team and improving operational maturity.

Software EngineerJun 2003 – Mar 2004

ING – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Developed and maintained application code; performed peer code reviews ensuring quality, maintainability, and adherence to coding standards.
Wrote and reviewed database scripts; optimized SQL queries to improve application performance and reduce processing times.
Implemented data archiving strategies — archiving high-volume tables to historical data stores to manage database growth and improve query performance.
Performed database tuning — index optimization, query plan analysis, partitioning, and statistics refresh to keep transactional systems responsive.
Led data purging activities — purged obsolete records from production databases following defined retention policies and regulatory requirements.
Developed web applications using ASP/ASP.NET, HTML, JavaScript, and CSS — delivering customer-facing portals and internal business tools.
Designed and implemented database solutions — schema design, stored procedures, triggers, views, and ETL workflows on MS SQL Server and Oracle.
Built standalone solutions — desktop executables (.exe) and DLLs in VB / VB.NET for batch processing, file generation, and back-office utilities.
Created data migration scripts, automated reconciliation routines, and operational batch jobs for end-of-day banking processes.
Followed Waterfall SDLC with structured requirement analysis, design documentation, unit testing, system testing, and UAT support.
Collaborated with onshore business analysts and senior architects in a banking environment ensuring compliance with security and audit standards.

Software DeveloperDec 1999 – Mar 2000

Jayam Solutions – Hyderabad, India

Developed standalone and web-based applications using Visual Basic (VB), ASP, and MS SQL Server for business clients.
Worked as a full-stack developer responsible for both application development and database design — building UI screens, business logic, and backend data layers end-to-end.
Created executable (.exe) files and Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) for desktop deployment; packaged installers using InstallShield for client distribution.
Wrote complex SQL queries, stored procedures, triggers, and views; designed normalized database schemas and managed database integrity.
Followed Waterfall SDLC methodology — gathering requirements, preparing specs, design documents, unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance.
Built reports using Crystal Reports and Active Reports; integrated with Microsoft Office (Word/Excel automation via COM/OLE).
Implemented client-server architecture with ADO/RDO data access; deployed applications across Windows NT/2000 environments.
Participated in code reviews and knowledge sharing sessions; mentored fresh recruits on VB and SQL development best practices.

Chief Technology Officer

Technology Executive driving Digital Transformation, Financial Innovation, AI Adoption & Business Growth across Banking, FinTech, Mobile Money, Insurance & Digital Payments

End-to-End Technology Value Chain

Outcomes & Impact Delivered

Core domain expertise

Digital Banking Platforms

Mobile Money Wallets

Payment Gateways

Major Ecosystems

Cybersecurity & Compliance

Agency Banking & Interoperability

Insurance Technology

Financial Services & NBFC

AI/ML Credit & Decision Engines

Digital eKYC & eSign

Executive leadership & domain strategy

Business Impact Highlights

Enterprise Governance Frameworks

AI, GenAI & Intelligent Automation

Work Experience

Skills

Qualifications

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