Birhanu Bekele is the Head of Defense Intelligence Department of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF). Bekele is/was the Chief Commander of the Republican Guard.

He was promoted from Maj. General to Lie. General in January 2022, and from Brig. General to Maj. General in January 2020. He was Promoted to from Colonel to Brig. General by former the President of Ethiopia, Mulatu Teshome, in February 2018.