Phyllis Migwi Leaves Microsoft Kenya After Leading AI, Cloud and Digital Skills Expansion
Phyllis Migwi, Microsoft Kenya’s country general manager, will leave her role in February, concluding a three-and-a-half-year tenure overseeing the company’s operations in Kenya. Migwi announced the move in a LinkedIn post, without disclosing her next position.
Phyllis Migwi joined Microsoft Kenya in July 2022 and led the company’s engagement with government, businesses, and developer communities during a period of accelerated digital adoption. She focused on identifying opportunities for digital solutions tailored to customer needs and advanced diversity and inclusion initiatives within the organization.
“After an enriching 3.5 years, I am excited to share that I’ll be transitioning from my role this February. As I prepare to transition into my next chapter, I find myself looking back at this period with immense pride, it has been a profound honor to lead this work, but the time has come for me to pass the Baton. I am genuinely excited to see who will take the lead next and build upon the foundation we have laid.” Migwi wrote in her post.
Before joining Microsoft, Migwi worked at IBM in multiple roles, including Regional Head of Africa Growth Market, Hybrid Cloud, and AI, and had a stint at Google.
During her tenure, Phyllis Migwi oversaw the largest Artificial Intelligence conference in Africa in Nairobi, held as part of Microsoft’s Global AI Tour. She led a $1 billion partnership with G42 to deliver advanced AI solutions and high-speed cloud infrastructure across Kenya.
Microsoft Kenya also expanded digital skills programs, launching Microsoft Elevate to advance AI capabilities nationwide, training one million Kenyans in AI and cybersecurity, and partnering with the Ministry of Education to provide learning materials to 16 million students while training over 350,000 teachers.
The company increased internet connectivity through its Airband Initiative, also known as Project Mawingu, reaching 31 counties and approximately 9.7 million people. The program extended support to health clinics, schools, and small businesses.
Strategic partnerships with government agencies included a memorandum of understanding with the ICT Authority to support the government’s “Cloud-First” strategy and improve e-government services.
Migwi also focused on retaining engineering talent within Kenya, strengthening the Microsoft Africa Development Centre to prevent the outflow of high-tier talent and positioning Africa as a central hub in global digital innovation.
In her post, Migwi emphasized the ongoing importance of Microsoft’s work in the region and expressed confidence in her successor to build on the initiatives she put in place.
Jefferson Wachira is a writer at Africa Digest News, specializing in banking and finance trends, and their impact on African economies.
