Available for Senior Technology Leadership Roles
Cape Town, South Africa · Open to Relocation
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Cape Town, South Africa

Senior Technology
Leader & Digital
Transformation
Strategist

Technology is at its most powerful when it enables business growth, strengthens resilience, and creates a competitive advantage. With 25+ years leading IT strategy, digital transformation, and cybersecurity across banking and financial services — I bridge the gap between technology and business outcomes.

Contact Me See My Experience
25+
Years
3+
Degrees
5+
Major Banks
MBA
4.00 GPA
Distinguished Credential
One of South Africa's first three Certified Data Centre Experts (CDCE)
Craig Skinner — Technology Leader, Cape Town
Craig Skinner
Technology Leader · IT Strategy · Cybersecurity
About

Technology leadership built on
25 years of real delivery

Craig Skinner is a senior Technology Leader with over 25 years of experience leading enterprise technology operations, service delivery, governance, and digital transformation initiatives across banking, financial services, and complex multi-site corporate environments.

His focus has always been on aligning technology investments with business objectives — delivering operational excellence, security, governance, and scalability. He has led cross-functional teams, managed vendor ecosystems, overseen enterprise service delivery, and implemented governance frameworks that improve efficiency, strengthen resilience, and support business continuity.

Holding a Bachelor of Commerce (Regent Business School), an MBA, and a Master of Science in Digital Transformation — both from Nexford University — Craig bridges the gap between technical teams and executive stakeholders, translating complex technology challenges into practical business outcomes.

He is currently available for senior leadership roles — Technology Director, Head of IT, or CTO — where deep expertise in IT strategy, digital transformation, and cybersecurity can drive measurable business value.

Business-First Technology
Every technology decision evaluated against business outcomes — growth, resilience, and competitive advantage
Governance & Compliance
Deep expertise in regulated financial services — POPIA, SARB, ITIL, TOGAF, ISO and banking-specific frameworks
Executive Stakeholder Management
Experienced vCIO — presenting technology strategy at board level and translating complexity into clear business decisions
Open to Opportunities
Technology Leader · Available Now
Seeking a Technology Director, Head of IT, or CTO role where 25+ years of IT strategy, digital transformation, and cybersecurity leadership can drive measurable impact.
BCom · MBA · MSc Digital Transformation
Nexford University · GPA 3.92 & 4.00
Three degrees combining commerce fundamentals, strategic business leadership, and deep digital transformation expertise — plus a specialist Advanced AI & Robotics certificate.
CDCE — Certified Data Centre Expert
One of South Africa's First Three
A rare and distinguished credential recognising specialist expertise in data centre design, operations, and resilience at the highest professional level.
Cape Town, South Africa
National Scope · Open to Relocation
Cape Town-based with deep knowledge of POPIA, SARB regulatory frameworks, and the South African financial services technology landscape. Open to relocation for the right opportunity.
Career History

25 Years of Progressive
Technology Leadership

From data centre architecture at Africa's leading colocation provider to Group Head of IT across complex multi-site operations — a career built on consistent delivery in regulated, high-stakes environments.

Apr 2025 — Nov 2025 · Contract
National Infrastructure Manager
alBaraka Bank · Cape Town · 6-Month Contract
Six-month contract engagement overseeing enterprise IT infrastructure and service delivery strategy across a leading South African Islamic banking institution — acting in a vCIO capacity and aligning platforms with business, regulatory, and risk requirements.
Owned enterprise-wide IT infrastructure and service delivery strategy, aligning platforms with business, regulatory, and risk requirements
Acted as strategic advisor to business leadership (vCIO capacity), aligning IT initiatives with organisational objectives
Oversaw Microsoft 365 and cloud platforms — secure, scalable, optimised service delivery
Implemented proactive monitoring, automation, and capacity planning, improving availability and reducing operational risk
Led problem management and root cause analysis, reducing recurring incidents and improving system stability
Microsoft 365 Cloud Platforms vCIO IT Governance SLA Management
Aug 2023 — May 2025
Head of Group IT
Barrows Global
Full accountability for IT operations, service delivery, and technology strategy across the group. Operated an internal MSP model delivering services across multiple business units, while acting as primary technology advisor to executive leadership.
Operated an internal MSP model, delivering IT services across multiple business units with defined SLAs, KPIs, and performance standards
Acted as primary technology advisor to executives (vCIO function), driving IT roadmaps, budgeting, lifecycle planning, and risk management
Built and implemented standardised IT operating procedures (SOPs) across support, infrastructure, onboarding, and security
Led 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line support teams — structured, scalable, high-performing technical function
Established and governed incident, problem, and change management frameworks aligned to ITIL
Oversaw IT financials including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
IT Operations MSP Model ITIL IT Financials vCIO Service Delivery
Aug 2017 — Mar 2023
Pre-Sales Solutions Architect — Data Centres
Teraco · A Digital Realty Company
Led pre-sales technical engagements for enterprise and hyperscale clients at Africa's leading carrier-neutral data centre provider — translating complex business requirements into commercially viable, scalable data centre solutions.
Designed end-to-end data centre architectures — colocation, power, cooling, connectivity, and supporting IT infrastructure
Produced technical solution designs, proposals, and RFP/RFI responses aligned to client, operational, and commercial requirements
Developed capacity models across power, space, and cooling supporting long-term scalability
Applied TIA and ISO standards to ensure high availability, resilience, and compliance
Contributed to successful bid wins and client acquisitions through strong technical solution alignment
Data Centre Architecture Colocation Pre-Sales TIA Standards Capacity Planning
Jun 2008 — Aug 2017
Assistant Vice President — Global Data Centres
Barclays Africa · Multi-Country Operations
Senior leadership role overseeing governance, risk, and compliance frameworks across data centre operations spanning multiple countries — supporting critical banking systems with high availability, resilience, and regulatory alignment.
Led governance, risk, and compliance frameworks across data centre operations in multiple countries
Owned supplier governance and SLA performance across critical infrastructure services
Managed data centre operations, capacity planning, and operational readiness across regional environments
Directed risk mitigation, audit readiness, and control frameworks aligned to regulatory requirements
Contributed to data centre strategy, cost optimisation, and service resilience initiatives
Data Centre Operations GRC Banking Infrastructure Multi-Country Audit Readiness
1999 — 2008
Earlier Career — Financial Services & Technology
First National Bank · Standard Bank · JSE · Peresys (ISIS)
Foundational career across South Africa's leading financial institutions — building expertise in IT testing, systems analysis, banking operations, and technology service delivery that underpins 25+ years of progressive leadership.
First National Bank Standard Bank JSE IT Testing Banking Operations
Expertise

Key Areas of Leadership

12 domains of expertise built across 25 years at the intersection of enterprise technology and business leadership.

Technology Strategy & Leadership
Directing enterprise IT strategy, aligning technology investment to business objectives, and leading cross-functional teams in regulated environments.
Digital Transformation
Leading organisation-wide transformation — cloud adoption, process modernisation, and technology-enabled business change.
IT Governance & Risk Management
POPIA, SARB, ITIL, TOGAF, ISO-aligned governance frameworks and risk management structures in regulated financial services.
Cybersecurity Leadership
Building enterprise cybersecurity programmes, resilience frameworks, and governance structures in complex banking environments.
Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure
Microsoft 365, Azure, and hybrid architectures — governance, security, and cost optimisation frameworks across cloud and on-premises environments.
Data Centre Operations & Architecture
Deep specialist expertise in data centre operations, solution architecture, colocation design, and capacity planning at enterprise and hyperscale scale.
IT Operations Management
Full accountability for enterprise IT operations, service delivery frameworks, SLA management, and continuous service improvement.
Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
Designing BC/DR programmes with aggressive RTO/RPO objectives, tested regularly, supporting regulatory compliance and operational resilience.
Supplier & Contract Management
Managing vendor ecosystems, MSP governance, SLA enforcement, and IT financial management including budgeting and cost optimisation.
Banking & Financial Services IT
Deep expertise in banking IT — POPIA, SARB compliance, audit readiness, and governance frameworks across South African financial institutions.
IT Financial Management
Owning IT budgets, forecasting, lifecycle planning, and cost optimisation — translating technology investment into measurable business value.
Team Leadership & Development
Building and mentoring high-performing technology teams — cultures of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional growth.
Technology Stack

Platform & Technology Expertise

Hands-on proficiency across the critical platforms and technologies that power enterprise banking and multi-site corporate infrastructure.

Cloud Platforms
Microsoft Azure · M365
Microsoft Azure Microsoft 365 Azure AD / Entra ID Azure Security Centre Hybrid Cloud Cloud Governance FinOps
Infrastructure
DC · Virtualisation · Servers
Windows Server Active Directory VMware vSphere Colocation Data Centre Design Capacity Planning Power & Cooling
Networking
WAN · LAN · SD-WAN
WAN / MPLS LAN / VLAN VPN SD-WAN Cisco Network Architecture
Security & Governance
Frameworks · Compliance · Risk
Identity Management POPIA SARB Compliance ITIL TOGAF 9 ISO Standards Endpoint Protection Audit Readiness
Education

Academic Excellence &
Continuous Learning

Three degrees and a specialist AI certificate — a progressive academic journey from commerce fundamentals through to postgraduate mastery of digital transformation.

BCom
Bachelor of Commerce
Regent Business School · 2022
3.92
MBA GPA
Nexford University · 2023
4.00
MSc GPA — Perfect
Nexford University · 2024
AI+R
AI & Robotics Certificate
Nexford University · 2024
Master of Science
Digital Transformation
Nexford University · Washington DC
Graduated March 2024
GPA 4.00 / 4.00 — Perfect Score
A perfect GPA across 12 graduate-level modules spanning AI, robotics, data sciences, digital strategy, IoT, and corporate sustainability.
Master of Business Administration
MBA
Nexford University · Washington DC
Graduated June 2023 · Specialisation: Managing Hyperconnectivity
GPA 3.92 / 4.00
Strategic business leadership combining global business, financial decision-making, organisational strategy, and technology operations management.
Bachelor of Commerce
BCom
Regent Business School · Cape Town
Completed 2022
Undergraduate business foundation providing core competencies in commerce, management, and organisational strategy. Regent Business School is one of South Africa's leading private business schools.
Certifications & Professional Training
Certified Data Centre Expert (CDCE) — One of SA's first three
TOGAF 9 Foundation
Certified Data Centre Professional / Specialist (EPI)
ITIL Foundation
Advanced AI & Robotics Certificate — Nexford, 2024
Project Management — University of Stellenbosch, 2019
Management Development Programme — Regent, 2022
ISTQB Software Testing (Intermediate)
Risk Management Bootcamp
PC Engineering Diploma — Damelin, 1999
Leadership Philosophy

How I Think About
Technology Leadership

"

Technology is at its most powerful when it enables business growth, strengthens resilience, and creates a competitive advantage.

Craig brings a fundamentally business-first orientation to technology leadership. Over 25+ years, his focus has always been on aligning technology investments with business objectives — delivering operational excellence, security, governance, and scalability in equal measure.

He is particularly driven by opportunities to contribute at a strategic leadership level — helping organisations leverage technology to drive growth, improve operational efficiency, strengthen cybersecurity, and deliver measurable business value. This means bridging the gap between technical teams and executive stakeholders with confidence and clarity.

Technology as a Business Enabler
Every technology decision evaluated against business outcomes — growth, resilience, and competitive advantage.
Innovation Balanced with Governance
In regulated banking environments, innovation must be pursued within a rigorous governance framework calibrated to organisational risk appetite.
Building High-Performing Teams
Technical excellence is multiplied through strong teams. Investing in people consistently outperforms any single technology investment.
Operational Excellence First
The foundation of credibility is reliable operations. Rigorous change management, incident response, and proactive monitoring come before innovation.
Customer-Centric Technology
Infrastructure and security decisions evaluated through the lens of customer experience, data protection, and service availability.
Get in Touch

Let's Connect

Available for Technology Director, Head of IT, or CTO roles across South Africa's banking, financial services, and enterprise technology sectors. Open to permanent positions and strategic consulting engagements.

With over 25 years of technology leadership experience and a track record of delivering IT strategy, digital transformation, and cybersecurity programmes that create real business value — Craig is ready for his next challenge.

LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/craig-skinnersa
Email
craig.skinner1980@yahoo.com
Phone
+27 84 264 6555
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