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Ebrahim Abdulla

Establish and maintain effective governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks

Passionate Professional with a Drive for Business Growth

Technical Expertise and Business Acumen that Earns Trust

Customer and Colleague Focus Sets Me Apart

Collaboration Key to Achieving Success

Proven Track Record of Building Strong Relationships

Expertise Across Various Industries

Creating Stretching Business Cases for Maximum Benefits

I am a highly motivated and committed professional with a passion for exploiting technology to drive business growth. With my solid technical knowledge and business acumen, I have earned the trust and respect of business executives as a valued senior leader.

What sets me apart is my relentless focus on the end customer and my colleagues. I understand that collaboration is key to achieving success, and my track record speaks for itself. I have a proven ability to build strong relationships across all departments and create a highly engaged team that is committed to delivering outstanding transformational change.

My expertise spans various industries such as Facilities Management, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Shipping. I believe in creating stretching business cases that push the boundaries and maximise the benefits realised. Currently preparing for my  CISM Exam.

  • Age: 44
  • Residence: Saudi Arabia
  • Phone: +966 535 064 284
  • E-mail: ebrahim@ealsinan.com
Experience
2021 - Present
IT Manager - MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Saudi / Medlog Saudi
IT Manager - MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Saudi / Medlog Saudi
  •  

    March 2021 – Present

    Strategic Leadership, Governance & Assurance

    • Developed and executed a multi-year IT roadmap aligned with MSC Group’s digital transformation strategy and regional business objectives.
    • Defined and enforced IT governance frameworks, driving policy standardisation, control implementation, and audit readiness in alignment with ISO 27001, ISO 22301, and GDPR.
    • Conduct regular internal audits and process reviews across all IT domains, identifying gaps, risks, and areas for improvement; prepare executive reports and present audit findings and actionable recommendations to senior leadership.
    • Established a risk-based compliance reporting cadence to ensure visibility into vulnerabilities, asset health, and regulatory alignment.
    • Championed a culture of accountability, initiating periodic reviews of operational IT controls, SOPS, and service delivery metrics.
    • Led formulation of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP), incorporating audit feedback and scenario testing results.

    🔷 Medlog Saudi – Greenfield IT Infrastructure & Digital Integration

    Facility Readiness & Security

    • Led the end-to-end planning and implementation of Medlog 1’s IT infrastructure including secure LAN/WAN architecture, enterprise CCTV, and access control systems.
    • Developed technical requirements and implementation blueprints for the upcoming Cold Store infrastructure, incorporating environmental monitoring and industrial IT systems.

    System Integration & EDI Enablement

    • Directed the successful delivery of multiple complex EDI integrations:
      • EDI 322 – Real-time reporting of equipment gate movements to MSC Agency systems.
      • COPRAR – Enabled equipment pickup processing from terminal discharge instructions.
      • DESTIM – Integrated automated repair request and completion flow with carrier systems.
      • COPARN – Received and enforced equipment allocation rules and detention flags, with plans to standardize across all depots.

    Governance & Quality Oversight

    • Established IT operational baselines and audit mechanisms specific to depot IT systems.
    • Regularly reviewed Medlog’s system performance, process adherence, and integration success rates; reported findings to the Medlog GM and MSC regional leadership.
    • Drafted and enforced documentation standards and compliance checklists for every new depot rollout.

    🔷 MSC Saudi – Digital Transformation, Compliance & IT Operations

    Enterprise IT Transformation

    • Led the Citrix migration, improving performance by 30% and reducing system downtime by 25%.
    • Migrated local CRM to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service; oversaw post-implementation support and user adoption.
    • Retired legacy infrastructure in favour of full Azure cloud migration, consolidating compute, storage, and identity workloads.

    Security & Identity Modernization

    • Transitioned to modern identity management via One Identity and Azure AD integration.
    • Deployed MFA, FIDO keys, Windows Hello, and centralized device management to support Zero Trust initiatives.
    • Conducted security audits of identity, endpoint, and access controls; reported posture improvements and residual risks to executive stakeholders.

    ITSM & Process Optimization

    • Implemented ServiceNow as the centralized ITSM platform; defined SLAs, workflows, and incident reporting standards.
    • Shifted to SharePoint Online for document control and eliminated single points of failure in file access.
    • Standardised and continuously reviewed EUC, networking, and firewall configurations in collaboration with MSC Global IT.

    Vendor & Budget Management

    • Led contract negotiations and vendor performance evaluations; achieved a 10% cost reduction in annual IT spending.
    • Developed a procurement assurance framework to verify compliance with technical requirements, SLAs, and financial controls.
    • Reviewed and audited vendor contract performance, asset inventories, and licensing status quarterly.

    Reporting & Executive Communication

    • Maintained and presented monthly IT performance dashboards, including KPIs, project status, incidents, and audit results.
    • Collaborated with Finance to reconcile vendor accounts, validate budget utilisation, and forecast future IT investments.
    • Provided senior management with insightful, risk-informed reporting based on audits, compliance reviews, and strategic assessments.
2019 - 2021
IT Manager - Matar Al-Baqmi & Sons Co.  ( Saudi Arabia )
IT Manager - Matar Al-Baqmi & Sons Co. ( Saudi Arabia )
  • Led the formulation of a comprehensive Cloud Disaster Recovery strategy, outlining a strategic roadmap with a meticulous timeline.
  • Successfully managed the entire programme lifecycle, covering initiation, planning, system selection, and implementation.
  • Orchestrated a seamless migration of messaging systems from Cpanel Domain to Exchange 365, implementing an Office 365 design and migration strategy.
  • Cultivated a service-oriented culture, integrating the ITIL framework to achieve operational excellence.
  • Pioneered the Company’s digital transformation initiative, achieving a 100% paperless environment.
  • Led the planning and implementation of 365 services, including Skype for Business, MS Teams, and an intranet.
  • Conducted employee training and orchestrated a migration plan from on-premises MS Dynamics AX 2012 to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.
  • Executed comprehensive IT operation management, overseeing infrastructure planning, optimisation, rationalisation, standardisation, and data centre management.
  • Successfully managed the migration from MS Dynamics AX 2012 to MS Dynamics 365 Operations and Finance.
  • Participated in cross-functional review of contracts with the proponent, Finance, and Law for different procurement situations.
  • Monitored and controlled IT contracts’ status for milestone schedules, deliverables, payments, and reported to management.
  • Participated with a team that counselled contractors for performance issues.
  • Supported the development, implementation, and monitoring of business continuity plans and IT change management plans to ensure organisational resilience.
  • Continuously monitored compliance with IT procedures and controls.
2015 - 2019
Senior IT Infrastructure Engineer - Cloudfm Group ( United Kingdom )
Senior IT Infrastructure Engineer - Cloudfm Group ( United Kingdom )
  • Received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise Innovation in 2019 as a recognition of the winning solution implemented.
  • Managed and maintained core IT infrastructure including Windows servers, Exchange 365, and Azure virtual environments.
  • Implemented Mobile Device Management (MDM) using Cisco Meraki and deployed OneDrive redirection and Azure-based 2FA solutions.
  • Coordinated DevOps automation scripts for scheduling, issuing, and prioritizing Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) tasks. Escalated issues to the Oprtations & Planning Manager in alignment with operational SLAs.
  • Governed and enhanced the CAFM system, ensuring seamless integration between asset lifecycle management and maintenance operations.
  • Maintained the accuracy of the Asset Register by ensuring timely updates on additions, deletions, and changes, particularly those resulting from new works or projects.
  • Planned and led the implementation of new system processes, configuration changes, and ongoing process improvements to streamline facilities and IT operations.
  • Worked collaboratively with stakeholders to identify change requirements, contributing actively to project groups and governance reviews.
  • Recommended system structure and functionality enhancements, working closely with third-party vendors to improve usability and performance of CAFM tools.
  • Led the CAFM Systems User Group to identify and resolve operational system issues, gather feedback for continuous improvement, and drive user-centric enhancements.
  • Delivered high-quality reports and dashboards to Account managers and Senior Management Teams, ensuring information delivery aligned with departmental timetables and strategic decision-making needs.
  • Supported the development and enforcement of IT governance policies, aligning CAFM operations with enterprise objectives and compliance frameworks.
2008 - 2015
Photojournalist, Gulf Daily News  ( Bahrain )
Photojournalist, Gulf Daily News ( Bahrain )

shooting various political and social events, as well as high-profile international events such as Formula One, The Bahrain International Air Show, Bahrain Boat Show, and Jewelry Arabia. He also travelled to Syria in November 2013 for joint photojournalism and humanitarian trip.

 

2004 - 2008
Network Engineer - Bahrain National Guard   ( Bahrain )
Network Engineer - Bahrain National Guard ( Bahrain )
  • Planned stringent cutovers in a concise period with a minimal amount of network downtime.Managing and Configuring Microsoft Exchange Email Servers, ISA Servers, Windows 2003 Servers, Cisco 7500, Cisco 2500, Cisco 2600, Frame Relay, Cisco IOS, IP Routing, TCP/IP, DNS.Manage connection, configuration and organisation of Cisco equipment in the IT architecture of the organisation. Configure IT LAN/WAN features. • Responsible for maintaining and monitoring the performance of the network. Provide first-level technical support, assisting users who have network problems.Perform high-level troubleshooting and diagnostics for networking problems.Support and provide solutions for network failures, making recommendations for possible fixes. Construct protocols for port security to prevent any unauthorised access to the network.Coordinate with team members to reduce technical complications and collaborate on projects. Enabling port fast, uplink fast, and backbone fast for fast convergence.
Education, Certificates, Conferences & Courses
2015 - 2018
Bachelor of Computing and IT ( Honours ) - Open University (United Kingdom)

Bachelor’s Degree in Computing and IT Open University (United Kingdom)

2015
CCNA Routing & Switching

CCNA Routing & Switching Cisco certification.
Cert No# CSCO12813645. CCNA is an information technology certification from Cisco

2016
ITIL v3 Foundation

the key elements, concepts, and terminology used in the ITIL service lifecycle, including the links between lifecycle stages, the processes used and their contribution to service management practices.

2013
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert ( MCSE )

Prove your ability to build innovative cloud and on-premises solutions.

2018
Managing Time & Pressure

Improve time management techniques, and refresh, re-examine and build on your knowledge of managing time and pressure with this interactive session.

2018
Problem Solving & Decision Making

Gain practical knowledge and insightful hints and tips of how to deal with problems, and learn how to make great decisions.

2018
Managers how to. Manage difficult conversations

Build my confidence to enable me to manage difficult conversations more effectively. The programme will also show me how to maintain effective control of my emotions, and how to
make the best choices, while acting with integrity and empathy.

2019
Introduction to Project Management

Learn the fundamental terminology and processes of leading a project on this workshop.

2017
Managers how to…Recruitment 101

Developed my interview techniques with an in-depth look at the recruitment process, and learn how to make sure that I hire the right person for the job.

Languages Skills
  • English
    95%
  • Arabic
    90%
Interests
Photography
Cycling
Reading