Microsoft has begun the process of appointing a new country manager for Kenya following the planned exit of Phyllis Migwi, who will step down from the role in February after three and a half years.
Migwi confirmed her departure in a LinkedIn post, describing her time at the company as deeply fulfilling and noting that Microsoft is positioned for a new phase of leadership.
In her message, Migwi highlighted the importance of Microsoft’s work across Kenya and the wider region, particularly in strengthening government partnerships and supporting businesses and communities.
She stressed that the company’s impact could be further expanded under vision-driven leadership as it enters its next growth stage.
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The leadership change comes at a pivotal moment for Microsoft in East Africa, as the company prepares to launch its Azure cloud region and local data centre.
With major investments already announced, the incoming country manager will oversee the transition from planning to operating live cloud infrastructure, alongside changes to workplace policies that will reshape how teams in Kenya operate.
Microsoft has already listed the Kenya country manager role publicly. During Migwi’s tenure, the company significantly elevated its presence in Kenya’s technology ecosystem, including hosting Africa’s largest Global AI Tour conference in Nairobi in March 2025.
She also championed the adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors such as healthcare, finance, and retail, while supporting rural connectivity through initiatives like the Airband broadband programme.
A key milestone under her leadership was the announcement of a $1 billion digital investment in partnership with UAE-based G42, anchored by a green data centre that will support the new East Africa Azure region.
Microsoft’s broader strategy in Kenya has focused on cloud infrastructure, AI and data capabilities, as well as large-scale digital skills and employability programmes for young Africans.
The transition coincides with Microsoft’s shift toward a stricter global workplace policy, including a mandatory three-days-in-office model that is expected to roll out across international offices by 2026, marking a departure from the flexible remote arrangements adopted after the pandemic.
