Talent and Skills

Carmelle M. Cadet is the Founder and CEO of EMTECH, a technology company working with central banks around the world to make their financial infrastructures inclusive and resilient by design.  At EMTECH, Carmelle leads the vision of developing the next generation central banking infrastructure to drive financial inclusion, economic development and modernization of regulatory environments. From Digital Regulatory Sandbox to Digital Cash Platform (Central Bank Digital Currency), Carmelle and her highly experienced team of former regulators and experienced engineers, present groundbreaking and actionable tech solutions to solve current economic challenges. 

A thought leader and public speaker in fintech and regulatory innovation, Carmelle also advises other women, minority fintech entrepreneurs. She has won and has been nominated for several awards for her leadership and trailblazing work.

In her previous life, Carmelle was the Deputy CFO for IBM Blockchain where she spearheaded the global product commercialization and financial management strategy. With clients like Walmart, JPM Chase, Softbank, Carmelle oversaw the launch of several groundbreaking technologies that drove better food safety, strong cybersecurity and supply chain digitization. She joined the company as a Financial Analyst, and when Carmelle took over as Product CFO she helped lead a highly successful product launch that created 200+ jobs while driving strong revenue growth to over $100M in 3 years. 

Carmelle earned her Executive .M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business with specializations in Leadership and Global Business, and her B.A. from Florida Atlantic University.  She is originally from Haiti, but now lives in NYC with her husband and son.

Christian is Co-Founder & CEO of Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences. Before founded Vivy, a personal health record and assistant for 20mio people, helped to build N26, a unicorn Bank as MD, was CTO at Parship, created award winning apps like ShareTheMeal for the UN World Food Programme and helped Awin to become a global affiliate network. Christian is Advisor to the GreenTech Alliance, Member of the board of advisors to Sprk Global and Tomorrow Bank. He supports startup’s as a mentor and angel investor. Christian was born in Austria and studied business and information science.

Ms. Djiba DIALLO is the Senior Fintech Advisor for Ecobank. Her mission is to raise Ecobank’s support for the fintech sector by growing the bank’s flagship annual fintech initiative – the Ecobank Fintech Challenge and Ecobank Fintech Fellowship and implement the overall Bank strategy around Fintech’s.

She is technology and Innovation enthusiast with more than twenty years of experience in the ICT industry with companies such as Alstom as a software developer, and Microsoft where she was leading the Microsoft4Afrika initiatives for Startups. 

She has a software developer background and is a graduate from Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris 6), and an Advanced Finance Program Certificate from Stanford University (USA).

Esselina Macome - Associate Professor at the Eduardo Mondlane University. She holds a Doctors Degree (PhD), in Information .Esselina Macome - Associate Professor at the Eduardo Mondlane University. She holds a Doctors Degree (PhD), in Information Technologies by University of Pretoria, in South Africa in 2003; she also has a Masters Degree (MSc) in Analysis, Design and Management of Information System by London School of Economics and Political Science of the University of London, in 1992. Dr. Macome also has a Bachelor Honors Degree in Mathematics Teaching by Paedagogische Hochshule Dresden- Germany, in 1987. In 2016, she concluded an international certification in Leadership for Financial Inclusion offered by Fletcher School. She successfully completed the courses on Digital Money, Leading Markets: A Global Tour,  Leading for Frontiers,  Bitcoin: Back to the Future,  Gender, regulating Fintechs, Humanitarian payment, product management  all offered by the Digital Frontiers Institute  in  partnership with Fletcher School as part of the  certified  digital finance practitioner, a 3 years program,  which she successfully concluded in September 2020.  In 2018-2019 she participated successfully in the Africa Board Fellowship   programme organized by the Centre of Financial Inclusion Accion (2018-2019). She participated in a course on Strategic Leadership in inclusive finance offered by Hardvard Bussiness School (March / April 2019). She is also a Certified Gender Equality Changmaker, by Digital Frontiers Institute since 2022

Dr. Macome joined the Central Bank of Mozambique in 2005 as Executive Director and Member of the Board, position that she held until 2015. Presently, beside the academic activity, she also works at FSDMOç (Financial Sector Deepening Moçambique) as Chief Executive Officer since July 2017, and was also appointed as the Presidente of the Board of Directors of Standard Bank Mozambique since December 2022.. Her interests include the usage of Information, Communication Technology for development and financial inclusion with more focus to Digital financial services (DFS), green finance and Gender related issues.
 In 2016, she concluded an international certification in Leadership for Financial Inclusion offered by Fletcher School. She successfully completed the courses on Digital Money, Leading Markets: A Global Tour,  Leading for Frontiers,  Bitcoin: Back to the Future,  Gender, regulating Fintechs, Humanitarian payment, product management  all offered by the Digital Frontiers Institute  in  partnership with Fletcher School as part of the  certified  digital finance practitioner, a 3 years program,  which she successfully concluded in September 2020.  In 2018-2019 she participated successfully in the Africa Board Fellowship   programme organized by the Centre of Financial Inclusion Accion (2018-2019). She participated in a course on Strategic Leadership in inclusive finance offered by Hardvard Bussiness School (March / April 2019). She is also a Certified Gender Equality Changmaker, by Digital Frontiers Institute since 2022

Dr. Macome joined the Central Bank of Mozambique in 2005 as Executive Director and Member of the Board, position that she held until 2015. Presently, beside the academic activity, she also works at FSDMOç (Financial Sector Deepening Moçambique) as Chief Executive Officer since July 2017 and was also appointed as the Presidente of the Board of Directors of Standard Bank Mozambique since December 2022. Her interests include the usage of Information, Communication Technology for development and financial inclusion with more focus to Digital financial services (DFS), green finance and Gender related issues.

Expert in digital financial services with more than 15 year in IT strategy, banking and financial advisory, I’m now involved in strategic projects in digital lending impacting millions of users for financial inclusion in sub Africa.
Exited to join and share experiences during this forum.

Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja is a Presidential Advisor, Sri Lanka and a Visiting Senior Fellow ODI, UK (formerly the Overseas Development Institute). His other roles include: a member of an advisory committee at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on monetary policy and financial stability issues; Professorial Fellow in Economics and Trade at Gateway House, Board Member of the Geopolitical Cartographer, and a visiting appointment at the National University of Singapore. Previously, he was the Executive Director of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry think tank, the Director of Research at the ADB Institute, Advisor to the ADB Chief Economist, Visiting Scholar at the International Monetary Fund, Head of Competitiveness Strategy at Maxwell Stamp PLC, and Chief Programme Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Ganeshan holds a DPhil in economics from the University of Oxford and has published widely on macroeconomics, finance, technology, trade and regionalism. He led/co-wrote the first national e-commerce survey of users and business in Sri Lanka (2023). His books include: Technology and Enterprise Development: Ghana Under Structural Adjustment, Macmillan Press; SME Exports and Public Policy in Mauritius, Commonwealth Secretariat; Connecting Asia: Infrastructure for Integrating South and Southeast Asia, Edward Elgar; and Asia in 2025: Development Prospects and Challenges for Middle-Income Countries, ODI.

Jacqueline is a transformation specialist in Digital Financial Services (DFS), with several years of experience across Africa and Asia, supporting the deployment of inclusive digital financial systems for sustainable and economic growth. In her current role as Director, Advocacy & Capacity Development at AfricaNenda, she supports the acceleration of inclusive instant payment systems (IIPS), as a fundamental block for digital public infrastructure in Africa. 

Through her technical expertise, Jacqueline is:
 - Supporting data-backed policy and regulatory reforms to enable an open and level playing field for the scale of IIPS across Africa
 - Supporting DFS stakeholders on the improved inclusivity of instant payment system functionality and governance, to ensure low-cost, secure, and sustainable deployments
 - Supporting responsible finance by promoting robust consumer recourse mechanisms within instant payment systems to drive the adoption of digital payments across Africa

Her accumulated experience involves several achievements within the industry, including various widely referenced digital financial services publications. She is the former Programme Head for Digital Financial Services at EFInA, and formerly the principal consultant in DFS and Managing Director at Intermarc Consulting. In both institutions, Jacqueline was responsible for driving the scale of inclusive solutions within the fintech ecosystem in Nigeria. Jacqueline was also the former Senior Analyst in Digital Financial Services at MicroSave Consulting (Currently MSC) where she was responsible for the development of payment systems to accelerate financial inclusion across markets in Africa and Asia.

Matteo Rizzi is an unconventional entrepreneur with two decades of experience in Financial Services, constantly referred amongst the top executives in the industry. He spent 13 years at SWIFT - where he co-founded Innotribe, the innovation arm of the cooperative, launching the first global startup challenge. Since 2013, he has had a FinTech Investor and/or Venture Partner role with global VCs and CVCs (20+ deals, 5 exits). In 2015, he co-founded FinTechStage (now FTSGroup.eu) - a platform for Investors and Innovators to boost FinTech innovation globally. In 2019, Matteo founded Timepledge.org a global initiative to foster financial inclusion and entrepreneurship. The same year he launched Breaking Banks Europe (as the Executive Producer). He is the author of "The FinTech Revolution" and "Talents & Rebels" and is fluent in 5 languages. 

I am a highly experienced B2B business development professional with a track record of driving growth and revenue for organizations. With over 18 years of experience in data, market research, and investment consultancy, I have a deep understanding of the B2B landscape in Africa and a proven ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities within the continent. 
Currently, I am working with the  Data Science and Analytics team within @iLab Africa Research and Innovation Centre. I am currently engaged in project management for different Data Science projects, training, and customized programs.
I am also engaged in collaboration and partnerships with new, existing, and potential partners. I am working in communication through regular articles and op-eds on the use of Data Science, Analytics, and Cybersecurity. 
Besides my business development skills, I also have experience in communications and PR consulting, market research, business intelligence, and training. I have a strong background in developing and executing successful campaigns, conducting market analysis, and delivering engaging training sessions. Using the right tools and insights, I answer the ‘Whys and Wherefores’ across the breadth of the individual, team, or organization. 

Robert Bob Okello is the visionary founder and CEO of Maarifasasa Limited, a Pan-African tech company transforming education and employment opportunities for young Africans. Robert's journey began in Uganda, where he was the first in his village to own a laptop.

Despite almost dropping out of school after primary education due to financial hardships, he excelled academically, becoming one of Uganda's top students and winning scholarships for his entire educational journey. He later graduated from the University of Oklahoma, where he designed and earned a unique degree in African Development Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Maarifasasa, which means "Knowledgeable" in Swahili, started as a summer project in a family garage. Since its inception, the company has upskilled over 6,000 youths in digital skills and facilitated nearly 1,500 digital job placements for young Africans after the Covid-19 pandemic. By focusing on marginalized communities, Maarifasasa bridges the digital divide, ensuring that Africa’s youth have the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in the modern economy.

Under Robert's leadership, Maarifasasa is pioneering innovative solutions to empower Africa's next generation, leveraging technology to unlock earning opportunities and foster sustainable development. The company's impact continues to grow, making it a driving force in shaping a more prosperous and equitable future across the continent.

Through his dedication and vision, Robert Bob Okello is transforming lives and contributing significantly to Africa's digital evolution. 

Sopnendu Mohanty, currently the Chief Fintech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, is responsible for creating development strategies, public infrastructure, and policies around technology-driven innovation. Mohanty has over two decades of public and private sector experience in technology, operations, digital Finance, and investment strategies.

Mohanty extensively engages with global technology and financial services ecosystems and has championed notable collaborative public goods like API Exchange (APIX), Singapore Fintech Festival, Payment Rails, Data exchange platforms, and experimental programs like Project Ubin. In addition, Mohanty advises many international global advisory bodies on Fintech, Innovation and Inclusion. Within five years of his leadership, Singapore has become a leading global Fintech hub producing unicorns and home to many vibrant fintech companies.

He has co-authored several patented works in the application of digital technology in Finance and won many industry recognitions.