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Cloud & Security Architect

Building secure clouds.
Breaking boundaries.

Senior Cloud & Security Architect with 25+ years of enterprise experience. Cloud, CCSP & CISM certified. Based in the UK, working globally. Also: traveller, astro-nerd, mentor, and aspiring helicopter owner.

Zulfikar Ali
Open to new engagements
Contract — UK, EU, Middle East
25+
Years enterprise IT
20+
Countries visited
40%
Cloud cost reduction
5k+
Users on AI rollout

What I do

Senior-level architecture and security consultancy across cloud platforms, identity, and AI — delivered through Xpress Net Ltd.

Cloud Architecture

Enterprise-scale platforms across Azure, AWS & GCP. Landing Zone design, FinOps, multi-cloud strategy.

AzureAWSGCPFinOps

Security Architecture

Zero Trust, threat modelling, pen test remediation, governance boards. CCSP & CISM certified.

Zero TrustNISTISO 27001

AI Security

Security architecture for LLM deployments. Azure OpenAI, AI Foundry, RAG patterns in regulated environments.

Azure OpenAIRAGAI Governance
CCSP — ISC2 CISM — ISACA Azure Solutions Architect AWS Solutions Architect
Mentoring

Giving back to those who need it most

I mentor young people who are trying to break into IT from the ground up — those with poor educational results, no industry connections, and no roadmap. People who are unemployed or working outside of tech but want to build a career in it.

It's practical, honest support — helping people find their direction, pass certifications, build a CV, prepare for interviews, and take their first real steps into the industry.

If you're early in your journey and don't know where to start, get in touch. If you think you're too far behind — you're not.

Book a free call
01

Direction & career planning

Helping you figure out which area of IT suits you and building a realistic path to get there.

02

Certification guidance

Which certs matter, in what order, and how to study for them without wasting money.

03

CV & job search support

Writing a CV that gets interviews when you have little experience to show yet.

04

Interview preparation

Mock interviews, honest feedback, and building the confidence to perform.

The most important people in my world

Proud father of three amazing daughters — my greatest achievement, full stop. Husband to Rahema, my long-distance running partner in crime, chief travel companion, and the reason I've stood at more race finish lines than I can count.

Life is richer, louder, and infinitely better for having them in it.

Visit rahema.co.uk
Famalam - blurred for privacy

Around the world

20+
Countries explored
5
Europe road trips
7
Marathon support runs
Miles still to go

From road-tripping across the UK and Europe to exploring the back streets of Lisbon and the history of Granada — travel is where I decompress, think clearly, and find perspective. Supporting my wife across finish lines in Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff, Edinburgh and beyond has taken me to some of Europe's finest cities.

PortugalSpainFranceGermanyBelgiumItalyTurkeyMoroccoUAESaudi ArabiaEgyptSri LankaMaldivesPakistan+ more
More photos →

Things I intend to do

Jump out of an airplane
Buy an Alpina
Buy more Grand Seikos
Go fast at the Nurburgring
Walk to K2 base camp
Hike the Hunza Valley
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway
Rush climb Ben Nevis
See the stars at the Atacama Desert
Drive the Bolivian salt flats
Walk with elephants
Sail Ha Long Bay
See the Victoria Falls
Walk to Table Mountain
Fly & own an AugustaWestland AW109
Save the world

Quirky facts

01

I love jumping out of airplanes but cannot bench press more than 20kg. Make of that what you will.

02

My dream is to fly — and own — an AugustaWestland AW109. The helicopter, not a metaphor.

03

I collect Grand Seikos. There is no upper limit on how many is too many.

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