Zero-downtime global identity transformation
30K users · 9.8K CA servers · 13 PB
Led BMW CA Naming NIS→LDAP modernisation with multi-region replication, Ansible automation, and full observability — business continuity preserved.
Nicky Sanasey
Infrastructure · HPC · AI · Global Platforms

Senior Infrastructure, Cloud & AI Engineering Leader
Senior Infrastructure · Platform / SRE · AI Infra · Identity · Capital Markets
Senior infrastructure leader who delivers Fortune-scale outcomes: BMW identity migration (30K users, 9.8K CA servers, 13 PB, zero downtime across 7 countries), JSE microsecond trading platforms, and greenfield A2X exchange build. Rare dual profile — senior technical leadership with deep hands-on Linux, HPC, automation, and AI infrastructure. Target: senior infrastructure / platform / AI infra roles, Principal Engineer tracks, and high-impact SA leadership seats. Relocation-ready · remote global · open to senior opportunities.
Nicky OS
Fit engine · client brief · search one-pager — verified CV only
Interactive Digital CV
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Career Focus
Senior infrastructure, platform, and AI leadership — globally and in South Africa.
I help global and South African enterprises modernise mission-critical infrastructure — without drama, without downtime, and with measurable executive outcomes. At BMW IT Hub South Africa I lead HPC & CA-Naming as OE Deputy: multi-region identity platforms, Ansible automation, multi-cloud architecture, and AI platform readiness. Signature delivery — CA Naming NIS→LDAP transformation: 30,000 users, 9,800 CA servers, 3,400 shares, 120 filers, 13 PB data, 35,000 automounter entries across seven countries with zero business interruption. In capital markets I built and operated tier-1 exchange infrastructure at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (Millennium Exchange, colocation, low-latency HFT stacks) and stood up A2X Markets greenfield exchange (Prod + DR). NVIDIA & Google AI Infrastructure certified. BMW AI Champion. What headhunters and hiring leaders get: a senior leader who can own complex delivery, still go deep on architecture, and move for the right international or SA senior mandate.
I turn high-risk, legacy infrastructure into automated, observable, secure platforms — at Fortune-scale identity estates and microsecond trading environments. Headhunters and hiring leaders get a rare dual profile: senior technical leadership with deep hands-on engineering credibility across BMW Group, JSE, and A2X.
Leadership level
OE Deputy / Senior Infrastructure Lead
Senior delivery ownership with global stakeholders
Scope & scale
7 countries · 30K users · 13 PB
9.8K CA servers, 3.4K shares, 120 filers, 35K automounter — zero downtime
Brand pedigree
BMW · JSE · A2X
Automotive global services + tier-1 capital markets infrastructure
Mobility
Relocation-ready · Remote global
Open to EU, UK, US, Nordics, UAE, Canada, and SA executive seats
AI premium
BMW AI Champion
NVIDIA & Google AI Infrastructure certified — platform + GPU readiness
Risk profile
Mission-critical only
HFT microsecond systems and identity migrations where failure is not an option
30K users · 9.8K CA servers · 13 PB
Led BMW CA Naming NIS→LDAP modernisation with multi-region replication, Ansible automation, and full observability — business continuity preserved.
Microsecond HFT · Millennium Exchange
Delivered JSE trading platform modernisation and colocation-class low-latency stacks (Solarflare/Onload) with production DR discipline.
A2X Markets · Prod + DR
Stood up full exchange IT from scratch for South Africa’s alternative listing venue on Aquis technology — end-to-end ownership.
BMW AI Champion · NVIDIA/Google certs
Bridges classic infrastructure excellence with AI/ML platform readiness — the profile Fortune 500 search firms prioritise for AI infra and MLOps leadership.
Automotive, capital markets, cloud-native enterprises, and AI platform companies needing leaders who can own multi-region infrastructure, identity, and GPU/AI readiness.
High-value SA seats in banking, exchanges, mining majors, telecoms, and growth tech — where senior infrastructure and platform leadership roles command strong packages.
Open to permanent, principal tracks, and fixed-term transformation leadership. Prefer mission-critical infrastructure, platform, identity, and AI-infra mandates.
BMW IT Hub South Africa
2025 – Present
A full-stack view of enterprise AI: Training vs Inference, GPU vs CPU economics, accelerated compute, InfiniBand networking, parallel storage, and the MLOps layer that turns hardware into ROI.
Bridging Linux infrastructure and modern AI — Hugging Face CLI gives engineers access to 430,000+ pre-trained models with a native terminal workflow built for speed, automation, and control.
Exploring AI capabilities in n8n for workflow automation — intelligent orchestration without sacrificing the operational rigour infrastructure teams demand.
Editor, Designer and Publisher · Kidzcatchup (PTY) Ltd
October 2011
View publicationPark Primary School · Education
Mar 2015 – Mar 2018
Governance, policy development, and stakeholder engagement — promoting the best interests of the school community across admissions, finance, and strategic planning.
Love to solve problems. Enjoy analyzing symptoms, identifying issues, and finding solutions. Excel at troubleshooting complex technical and operational challenges.
Have a great deal of stamina and work hard. Take great satisfaction from being busy and productive. Driven to accomplish tasks and achieve measurable results.
Inspired by the future and what could be. Energized by visions of tomorrow and strategic roadmaps. Anticipate future trends and needs.
Enjoy close relationships with others. Find deep satisfaction working hard with colleagues to achieve goals. Value genuine connections and trust.
Have a great desire to learn and continuously improve. The process of learning energizes. Thrive on acquiring new skills and knowledge.
Create alternative ways to proceed. Quickly spot relevant patterns and issues. Sort through clutter and find the best route.
This combination creates a leader who excels at solving complex technical challenges while building trusted relationships. Strategic vision, relentless achievement drive, and continuous learning enable both innovation and practical implementation — particularly effective in technology leadership roles.
“Nicky is a new recruit in my team and he is performing all the tasks required of him admirbly. He has not shired away from even the most complex cases.”
“It is a distinct pleasure to recommend my esteemed colleague and long time friend Nicky. In my capacity as Senior Technical Support Agent at Dell I worked closely with Nicky for more than 2 years. Nicky has always understood the old axiom that we rise or fall together and he made teamwork with others a priority. Nicky has a zest for life and has a variety of interests. He can relate to people in many ways and on many levels. I could continue on with more glowing accounts of Nicky, but will instead simply say that I really do respect him greatly as a team player. I would without any reservation recommend Nicky to you. He would be a tremendous asset in any company.”
“Nicky is very technically competent. He is able to quickly determine solutions to complex customer problems through his superior listening and problem-solving skills. Nicky goes over and above the norm to ensure superior Customer Experience.”
“Nicky is a very experienced Unix and Linux professional , I have worked with him in a high frequency trading system implementation , his exceptional Linux skills was key for the success of the trading system implementation. Nicky is a friendly team player and an assert to the organization.”
“Nicky was a fantastic person to manage. Proactive, energetic and perfectly organized. Brilliant Senior Linux Server Analyst. Nicky provided outstanding results for JSE Limited. He showed a high level of Linux , Leadership technical skills and was a valuable contributor to our projects. Nicky possesses a winning combination of solid tech skills and business sense. He took on every challenge with a smile. Absolutely worth recommending”
Hands-on cybersecurity experience demonstrated through interactive learning platforms