Ibtisam Ali

Data Driven Problem Solver

Head of Software Development at BRAVE Combat Federation. Leading digital transformation across OTT platforms, driving Agile adoption, and delivering scalable, secure solutions for millions of global users.

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Years Experience

Industry Awards

10+

Platforms Shipped

M+

Global Users

About

Entrepreneur and problem solver driving digital transformation at scale.

As Head of Software Development at BRAVE Combat Federation, I lead end-to-end digital transformation across OTT streaming platforms, web applications, mobile apps, and internal systems serving millions of global users during high-stakes live sporting events.

My expertise spans the full spectrum of modern software leadership: leading organizational transformation from traditional Waterfall methodologies (3-6 month release cycles) to Agile/Scrum practices with 2-week sprints, reducing time-to-market by 90%. I architect cloud-first solutions on AWS, implement robust CI/CD pipelines, and ensure platform reliability, low latency, and security for mission-critical applications. I build data-driven cultures through executive dashboards (Looker Studio, Google Analytics) that translate technical metrics into strategic business insights for board members.

With SANS cybersecurity training (SEC275, SEC401, SEC504), DevOps engineering certification, and hands-on experience building products from inception to scale, I bring a unique combination of technical depth, security awareness, and executive-level product thinking.

Beyond BRAVE, I've led digital transformation for luxury hospitality (Palavra Resort), founded award-winning startups (TowSwift), and delivered solutions across media, mobility, and enterprise technology. I thrive at the intersection of technology, business impact, and team leadership.

Technologies & Skills

ReactNext.jsNode.jsExpress.jsTypeScriptMongoDBPostgreSQLMySQLFlutterAWSDockerKubernetesCI/CDCybersecurityDevOpsPythonData AnalyticsLooker StudioGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleREST APIsSystem ArchitectureAgile/ScrumWaterfall

Expertise

Strategic capabilities that drive transformation and deliver measurable business impact

Digital Transformation

End-to-end modernization of OTT platforms, web applications, mobile apps, and internal systems.

Key Outcomes

•Migrated legacy Waterfall workflows to Agile and DevOps methodologies
•Delivered scalable platforms serving millions of global users
•Improved release velocity and system reliability

Cloud & DevOps

AWS infrastructure, CI/CD automation, monitoring, and disaster recovery for mission-critical applications.

Key Outcomes

•Designed cloud-first architectures on AWS (EC2, Load Balancers, CloudWatch)
•Implemented automated deployment pipelines and infrastructure as code
•Established monitoring, alerting, and DR processes for high-traffic events

Cybersecurity

Security-first engineering, infrastructure hardening, and incident readiness with SANS-trained expertise.

Key Outcomes

•SANS certified (SEC275, SEC401, SEC504)
•Implemented secure authentication, access controls, and data protection
•Conducted security audits and vulnerability assessments

Data & Analytics

Executive dashboards, data visualization, and analytics frameworks that translate technical metrics into strategic business insights.

Key Outcomes

•Built Looker Studio dashboards integrating Google Analytics, Search Console, and custom business metrics for board-level decision-making
•Created real-time KPI tracking: user acquisition, engagement, retention, revenue, SEO performance
•Applied data science techniques (Python, NumPy, Pandas, scikit-learn) for predictive analytics
•Empowered executives with data-driven insights, reducing decision latency by 80%

Product Engineering

API-driven architectures, system integrations, and scalable backend services for modern applications.

Key Outcomes

•Designed RESTful APIs for content delivery, user management, and subscriptions
•Integrated payment gateways, third-party services, and enterprise systems
•Delivered high-performance solutions with low latency and fault tolerance

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Experience

Track record of technical leadership and transformative impact

Head of Software Development

BRAVE Combat FederationCurrent

Riffa, Bahrain

May 2025 – Present

•Leading technical strategy and platform architecture for global OTT streaming platform serving millions of users
•Directing cross-functional engineering teams across web, mobile, and backend infrastructure
•Driving digital transformation initiatives from legacy Waterfall to modern Agile and DevOps practices
•Ensuring platform reliability, performance, and security for high-traffic live sporting events
•Acting as technical bridge between executive leadership and engineering teams

Senior Software Engineer

BRAVE Combat Federation

Riffa, Bahrain

Apr 2023 – May 2025

•Architected and delivered scalable backend services for OTT platform, user management, and subscription systems
•Implemented cloud-first infrastructure on AWS (EC2, Load Balancers, CloudWatch, AMIs)
•Established CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and disaster recovery processes for live events
•Led platform to #1 Trending on Play Store and multiple industry awards
•Improved release velocity while maintaining high availability during peak global traffic

Technology & Digital Transformation Consultant

Palavra Resort

Bahrain

Mar 2025 – Nov 2025

•Directed enterprise IT strategy for 5-star luxury hospitality property
•Led seamless PMS migration from Globres to STAAH with zero operational disruption
•Integrated OPERA PMS, channel manager, booking engines, and OTA platforms
•Redesigned website strategy focusing on luxury UX, SEO optimization, and direct bookings
•Implemented secure VPN infrastructure for management and vendor operations