Portfolio governance & PMO models
Stand up intake, prioritization and PMO operating models that scale across a group portfolio.
Programme & Portfolio Leadership
Basir Mukhtar
Programme & Portfolio Manager, Group-Level PMO, Agile/SAFe Delivery & Digital TransformationPortfolio governance and scaled-agile delivery for founders and senior leadership, turning complex, multi-team programmes into predictable outcomes.
About
Where strategy meets execution.
I'm a programme and portfolio leader with 14+ years of experience turning complex, multi-workstream initiatives into structured, predictable delivery. I operate at group level within the FirstTech / IHC ecosystem, governing the portfolio of digital, technology, and business initiatives on behalf of senior leadership and founders.
My work sits where strategy meets execution: I own portfolio governance and prioritization, run programme delivery across concurrent workstreams, manage cross-programme dependencies and RAID, and give executives the dashboards and decision logs they need to steer with confidence. I bring scaled-agile cadence to delivery, including PI planning, and have launched new markets and products from scratch, led portfolios worth tens of millions, and modernized manual operations through enterprise platforms. I'm equally comfortable in regulated and government-facing environments where audit and approval rigor are essential.
14+
Years across delivery & PMO
$50M+
Technical initiatives coordinated
~30%
Faster go-to-market & change
200%
Portfolio growth driven
What I Do
Expertise across governance, delivery & transformation.
From portfolio operating models to scaled-agile delivery and executive reporting, the disciplines that keep complex initiatives predictable.
Programme delivery
Run delivery across concurrent, multi-team workstreams to a single, predictable plan.
Scaled-agile delivery
PI planning and Agile Release Train coordination that bring cadence to delivery.
Dependency, RAID & change
One cross-programme RAID and change-control system, kept current and visible to leadership.
Executive & founder reporting
Portfolio dashboards and decision logs that let founders and executives steer with confidence.
Digital transformation
Modernize manual operations through enterprise platform delivery, end to end.
Stakeholder management
Align business, technology and vendor stakeholders around one delivery plan.
Tooling
Jira & Power BI for delivery flow and portfolio insight.
Selected Achievements
Measurable outcomes at portfolio scale.
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Governed group-level portfolio delivery, launching a new market and 5 products from scratch within an IHC-group InsurTech.
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Established delivery governance and reporting frameworks that cut go-to-market and change timelines by ~30%.
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Strengthened portfolio governance and leadership alignment, contributing to ~40% cost reduction and avoidance of critical delivery risks.
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Led 7+ large-scale, $30M+ programmes and coordinated $50M+ in technical initiatives across 6 business verticals.
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Drove 200% growth in an internal project & technology portfolio through disciplined delivery governance.
Experience
A delivery career across the Gulf.
Programme & Portfolio Manager (official title: Project Manager), Group-Level PMO - Shory (FirstTech / IHC)
Aug 2024 - PresentAbu Dhabi, UAE
Group-level PMO: portfolio governance, programme delivery across concurrent workstreams, RAID & dependency management, founder/executive reporting, scaled-agile cadence including PI planning.
Project Manager, Aether
Mar 2021 - Jul 2024Dubai, UAE
Led 7+ large-scale ($30M+) AI-driven programmes; coordinated $50M+ in technical initiatives across 6 business verticals.
Projects & Tech Coordinator, AAAGENCY
Apr 2015 - Mar 2021Dubai, UAE
Directed 100+ projects and 10+ programmes for multinational clients (Meraas, CBRE, Informa); weekly C-suite reporting.
Project Coordinator, Speed Groups
Sep 2013 - Mar 2015Dubai, UAE
Delivered 50+ web/mobile projects; partnered with Ajman Government on paperless digitization; drove ISO 9001 adoption.
Software Engineering & Team Lead roles
2011 - 2013Pakistan
Earlier engineering and team leadership roles that grounded a delivery career in hands-on technical execution.
Education
Academic foundation.
MSc, Computer Software Engineering
SZABIST, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science & Technology
Dubai, UAE · 2018 - 2020
BSc, Computer Science (BSCS)
Virtual University of Pakistan
2010 - 2014
Certifications
Credentials & continuous learning.
Practical Application of Gen AI for Project Managers
PMI · 2025
Scrum Fundamentals Certified (SFC)
VMEdu
Strategic Thinking
Google Analytics (Advanced)
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Formal training completed
SAFe Agilist (SA) / RTE
Currently pursuing
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Who is Basir Mukhtar?
Basir Mukhtar is a Programme & Portfolio Manager based in Abu Dhabi with 14+ years of experience. He leads group-level PMO and portfolio governance within the FirstTech / IHC ecosystem, turning complex, multi-workstream initiatives into structured, predictable delivery across InsurTech, enterprise platforms and government-facing programmes.
What does Basir Mukhtar do as a Programme & Portfolio Manager?
His work spans portfolio governance and prioritization, programme delivery across concurrent workstreams, cross-programme dependency and RAID management, scaled-agile cadence (SAFe and PI planning), and executive- and founder-level reporting through portfolio dashboards and decision logs.
What is his experience with SAFe and PI planning?
Basir brings scaled-agile cadence to delivery, including PI planning and Agile Release Train coordination across concurrent product squads. He has completed formal PMP training and is currently pursuing the SAFe Agilist (SA) / RTE certification.
What industries and clients has he worked with?
He has delivered across InsurTech, enterprise platforms and government-facing environments, including group-level work at Shory (FirstTech / IHC), and earlier programmes for clients such as Meraas, CBRE, Informa and Ajman Government.
What roles is Basir Mukhtar open to?
Basir is open to senior Programme Manager, Portfolio Manager and Head of PMO roles in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE.
How can I contact or hire Basir Mukhtar?
You can email [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn. He is based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and typically replies within one business day.
Let's talk
Open to senior Programme & Portfolio leadership roles in Abu Dhabi.
Open to Programme Manager, Portfolio Manager, and Head of PMO roles in Abu Dhabi. If you're building a portfolio that needs structured, predictable delivery, let's talk.
Abu Dhabi / UAE-based · open to roles across the UAE · typically replies within one business day.