Before becoming VP of Cloud at Angani, Ang Mukili was just a young tech enthusiast with a passion for science and a curiosity about how things work. As a child, she was the type of person who loved taking things apart and figuring out how to put them back together. That curiosity followed her to college, where she earned a degree in telecommunications engineering. At the time, I imagined that I would eventually end up working in GSM networks for companies like Safaricom and Airtel.
But life had other plans.
“I did my first internship at Angani, and that one opportunity changed everything. I discovered cloud technology and immediately knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” says Ann.
Eight years later, Ann now leads one of Kenya’s most respected local cloud companies, helping clients across industries manage their infrastructure, deploy services, and adopt new technologies. Her journey is more than just a personal success story, it’s a case study of what’s possible when technical passion meets opportunity, guidance, and purpose.
As she reflected on her journey from intern to VP, Anne became increasingly focused on something bigger: developing the next generation of women leaders in technology and shaping a future where Africa not only consumes but builds digital infrastructure.
A career born of curiosity
Anne describes herself as a technology enthusiast without hesitation. Her path to the cloud wasn’t intentional at first. After graduating with a degree in telecommunications engineering, she joined the communications industry. But then I got an internship at Angani (a little-known startup in the cloud space at the time), and that internship turned into a career.
“When I started, very few people even knew what cloud technology was,” she recalls. “We were just a small team delivering infrastructure as a service.”
Angani did not remain small for long. Anne played a direct role in the company’s growth, particularly in shaping the way Angani interacts with its customers.
“I started a service delivery department,” she says. “It was all about being close to the customer, understanding their needs, designing a solution, and seeing it through to completion. That process of building something with the customer and making it work. That’s where I thrived.”
Anne’s role today as VP of Cloud is part technical, part operational, and very people-focused. Her days are busy with check-ins across departments, support, service delivery, and infrastructure, as well as external meetings with clients, suppliers, and technology partners.
“I like staying in touch with my customers,” she says. “We check to see if the solution we provide is working for them. Does it need improvement? Are there new technologies that can solve current pain points?”
This is a hands-on leadership style rooted in responsiveness and collaboration. And it’s backed by a deep understanding of the challenges that Kenyan businesses in particular face when tackling digital infrastructure.
Angani’s model is simple. Deliver the cloud as a service, but tailor it to local needs.
“Hyperscalers have developed great products, but they were built for the US and Europe,” says Ang. “Who’s building for Kenya? For Africa? That’s what we’re doing.”
The company started by offering only virtual machines. We now offer a wide range of services, from voice solutions such as SIP trunks and PABX, to email hosting, ERP implementation, CCTV analysis and data backup.
“As our CEO likes to say, we built a cloud supermarket,” she explains. “Whether you’re a startup or a large company, you come in and get what you need, and we meet you where you are. Our support has also evolved, and now we offer 24/7 personal support, because let’s be honest, when your VMs are down, you don’t need a bot. You need a real human.”
hold on to talent and let it go
When asked about challenges, Anne did not point out any technical failures or project roadblocks. Even more striking is the challenge of retaining talent.
“There’s something bittersweet about training an engineer from scratch, watching them grow, and then watching them get scooped up by a major company,” she says.
Of course, that’s flattery. Working at Angani is now a badge of honor, a sign of being well trained and exposed to real challenges. But it also means constant hiring, mentoring, and reinvention.
“We can’t always match big companies in terms of pay,” she admits. “But what we can offer is impact: to be part of something meaningful, to help build the African cloud, and to be seen and valued as individuals.”
women in technology
When Angani joined Angani, she was one of only two women in the department. Currently, the support team is evenly divided and most of the administrative staff are women. She is proud to have witnessed this change and helped shape it.
“There are so many young women coming now,” she says. “And the amazing thing is, when you give them a challenge, they rise to it.”
Throughout her journey, Ann has been blessed with mentors who pushed her, encouraged her, and helped her see her potential. Interestingly, most of them were men – not by choice, but by convenience.
“Our CEO Riyaz has had a huge impact on my career,” she says. “He gave me a chance before I was eligible. He believed in me, so I believed in myself.”
Now, Ann is in a leadership role and does the same for others. She speaks passionately about the rapidly rising women within Angani, including Omaira, head of service delivery, and Susan, head of support.
“You will always find someone who has commitment,” she says. “And you do your best to give them room to grow.”
She also challenges the common belief that women need a male sponsor to succeed in the tech industry.
“I think we say that because historically men have held most of the positions of power. But that’s changing. There are now female-led technology companies, and women are increasingly occupying space in boardrooms and server rooms as well.”
Why Africa needs its own cloud
Anne is passionate about building a cloud ecosystem tailored for Africa. She talks about how price changes in global products such as VMware are making them inaccessible to small and medium-sized businesses in Africa. She talks about the gaps in local customization, support, and user understanding that global platforms can’t fill.
“I take pride in building things for people,” she says. “Look at Mpesa. It’s Kenya. It’s ours. Why can’t we have Angani in every country in Africa, built here, by us, for us?”
That ambition is what drives her every day. That’s also why she stayed with Angani for eight years, where she has spent her entire life in the tech industry.
“As long as the work is challenging and meaningful, I will stay here,” she says.
AI, innovation, and what’s next
Like many people in the technology industry, Ann is fascinated by AI. But while others focus on the hype and risks, she’s more interested in the applications.
“Everyone is talking about AI,” she says. “But how do you use it to improve your customers’ workflows? How do you build a product based on that that solves real problems? That’s what I want to understand.”
She doesn’t see AI as a threat. “It’s not scary. It’s a tool, it’s a model. We still need humans to train and refine it. So we need to learn how to work with it, rather than resist it.”
Leadership rooted in purpose
Anne Mukili’s story is one of passion, tenacity, and purpose. She entered the cloud industry at a time when few people in Kenya even knew what it was. She was promoted not because someone gave her a title, but because she proved time and time again that she could build, lead, and lift others as she rose.
Her story also reminds us of what leadership in Africa’s technology industry should look like. It means being locally rooted, globally aware and relentlessly focused on people.
Whether she’s mentoring young engineers, building new cloud products, or advocating for an inclusive workplace, Ann is part of a quiet revolution. African women are not just participating in technology; They’re the ones driving it.
And with leaders like her at the helm, Africa’s digital future looks a little more powerful, a little more personal, and a little more possible.
24 hours a day
Outside of work, Anne describes herself as “very introverted.” Her down time is quiet and intentional, whether it’s spending time with close friends and family, reading, singing, or going for a drive to explore something new.
“I love learning about other cultures by seeing how people live and think. Even long drives can open your mind in unexpected ways.”
