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Work Background
Astara TechCEO and Founding Partner
Oct. 2024Kampala, Central Region, UgandaResponsible for creating, training and implementing digital transformation strategies in small and medium financial services organisations, I work with the existing teams to design and co-create the future evolution plans for their organisations with a focus on technology, data-driven decisioning, operational efficiencies through process automation, change management and new ways of working through Agile Project Management. As the Strategic partner, I also help these organisations identify ideal talent and vendor partners to execute their strategy. Specifically, I have worked with:
• Pride Bank (formerly Pride Microfinance): Worked with their Executive Committee team to design their Digital Transformation Strategy.
• Exim Bank: Trained the Sales team on how to implement an effective Digital Transformation strategy that is future proof and can be used to boost their sales.
• ICEA LION Life Assurance: Trained the Innovation team on Agile Project Management to enhance the effectiveness of their Innovation projects and reduce time to market for new solutions.
dfcu BankChief Change and Innovation Officer
Dec. 2020 - Aug. 2024UgandaResponsible for driving the Digital Transformation of the Bank to reach its strategic aspirations in line with the creation and execution of the overarching Bank Strategy. As the Lead for Innovation and Change Management, I have worked with the Commercial, Operations, IT, Risk and Credit teams to adopt novel methodologies (Agile, Lean etc) to drive smooth execution of tech and multi-disciplinary projects. Specifically, I have:
• Championed the creation and execution of the Bank’s 5-year strategy with a focus on modernising with technology and incorporating digital data analytics to guide business decisions. • Driven Digital Commercialisation by creating an entirely new revenue stream (revenue growth of 540%) for the organisation through MobiLoan: a micro-credit solution allowing customers to access credit and repay over a 30-day cycle. • Grown the digital revenue upwards of 270% through the introduction of new products (e.g., Investment Club and Quick Banking enhancements etc.) driving a 93% transactional volume increase from 2021 to 2024 and over 180% growth in value
• Championed the Agile delivery of the 3-year bank architecture modernisation project to enhance obsolete bank technology. Specifically, delivered the bank-wide upgrade of the Card and Payment systems and the ATM switch upgrade for 76 ATMs across Uganda. This increased the ATM uptime from 88% to 94% and revenue by 83%.
• Enhanced Cyber security to reduce incidences of fraud on Mobile and Online banking (with the introduction of multi-factor authentication and 3D secure for Online eCommerce transactions).
• Provided strategic guidance to transform the Human Capital Function to ensure key strategic aspects of HR support the bank’s transformation agenda. Through this, the team’s employee engagement score grew from 75% to 85% during my tenure.
• Refined over 50 back-end processes across the bank, automating them where possible, to increase efficiencies and reduce customer Turnaround time.
ICEA LION GroupGroup Head, Digital Innovation
Feb. 2019 - Dec. 2020Nairobi, KenyaTransforming the face of Insurance and Investments across the Group (Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania), as inaugural Group Head, Digital Innovation, I championed the business growth through the implementation of User Experience, Customer Journey Mapping, which was perfectly enhanced by Data Analytics and Digital Marketing. Specifically I :
• Implemented a Business Culture transformation project as the test bed for launching innovative solutions for our customers.
• Created the Group’s 5-year Digital Transformation & Data Strategy – and implemented it. • Implemented an Online Self-Service portal to allow our customers manage their Online and Mobile Loans, Insurance, Investment, Pension and Trust portfolios across East Africa - particularly useful during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Supported Kenyan Regulatory Authority with the inception of an Innovation sandbox that all fintech’s, financial services etc. could use to inform digital and technology innovation and regulation co-creation.
• Created an entirely new revenue stream for the organisation through DigiTrust: a Money Market investment solution (available on both the App, WhatsApp Chabot, Online and USSD). 78% and 56% respectively of all money market acquisition (volume and value) is through the newly created DigiTrust channels. 280% growth in number of transactions across the new channels (USSD, WhatsApp chatbot and online) year 1 collections.
• Implemented the Agile Methodology and Business process engineering Lean practices to ensure that we could remove waste and implement process automation to drive efficiency.
• Revamped the ICEA LION Group website across 3 countries (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) to allow for Revenue growth, Lead generation, responsiveness, and Customer engagement through the WhatsApp chatbot.
• Worked with the technical team to implement the automations and re-engineer these processes. Identified opportunities for Machine Learning and Robotic process automation in line with these data insights.
Stanbic Bank UgandaHead, Digital Banking
Apr. 2016 - Dec. 2018Kampala, Central Region, UgandaChampioned the launch of a plethora of innovative product offerings and services across the Bank’s Digital channels. With a focus on driving the Digital Business and sourcing for customer insights to inform new products, I grew the Bank’s business with a focus on SME customers and financial inclusion of the underserved using USSD solutions. Specifically I :
• Within my first two years, successfully launched the new Africa global Stanbic Bank Mobile App, Enterprise Online for SME customers, International Payments to allow forex transactions online, ATM recyclers. I also launched Cash Deposit Machines to receive bulk cash, revamped the existing Online Banking and enhanced the Mobile Banking (USSD)proposition in line with our promise to constantly respond to our customer’ requests.
• Worked to create an Online International Payments platform that facilitated instant forex payments online allowing the use or pre-negotiated rates.
• Introduced straight-through Instant Loans and Micro loans on the Online Banking platform increasing the digital revenue by 90% within the year of inception.
• Powered revenue growth across the Digital platforms in the excess of 900% increase in Channel Utilisation and Revenue in excess of Ugx 6Bn within six months of inception of Digital channel charges.
• Drove the Digital Strategy and cascaded it across the network, working to influence all Staff, Departments and Corporate functions to embrace the various Digital initiatives. Championed the implementation of SAFe Agile practices within the organisation.
• Conducted detailed product development to support the launch of Agent Banking within the industry as one of the fast movers.
• Worked with the regulatory bodies and government to inform and influence regulation around taxation of Mobile Money.
• Championed and influenced the roll out of the Inaugural digital pricing tariff for the Bank.
• Guided the Change Management to ensure staff adoption, utilization, and customer sensitization.
Grameen FoundationProgram Manager, Mobile Financial Services
Sep. 2014 - Mar. 2016Kampala, UgandaAs Program Manager of a multidisciplinary team consisting of Software Developers, Research & Design specialists, M&E specialists, and Commercial Analysts, I oversaw the execution of a USD 1.5M multi-stakeholder Mobile Financial Services project. The Barclays Innovation Project was focused on the development of sustainable mobile financial services and digital products that serve Uganda’s poor. This was focused on savings group development due to the enormous potential market and extreme need, developed products based on the Mobile Money platform and provided the link between Telcos and Financial Institutions. This helped to spearhead financial inclusion in Uganda. Specifically I :
• Managed overall execution and implementation of the various financial Loans and Savings products that were developed to link savings groups to the bank (Airtel Weza, Ledger Link and eKeys).
• Managed the Change Management aspect of the product roll-out to support our implementing partners, focusing on the absolute needs of the client.
• Supported Barclays Bank and airtel to create the airtel Weza USSD solution that supported the collection of credit information for savings groups. Ledger Link allowed us to use this information to support the provision of loans by the bank to the savings groups.
• Under Technical Business Development, ensured that the products we designed were constantly evolving to the user’s needs and stimulated innovation creation to further enhance the product suite.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)Systems Integration Engineer
Jul. 2013 - Aug. 2014Pretoria Area, South AfricaThe South African Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)’s ARTIST (Adaptive Real-Time Internet Streaming Technology) project was focused on developing an innovative mobile IPTV platform technology for low infrastructure regions (developing countries). This was in order to broadcast live video streams with minimum-delay and maximum quality over the Internet with improved perceived picture quality that was then possible with ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions. Our objective was to enable rural areas gain access to health and education services remotely (before the 2020 Covid19 pandemic). I was actively involved in this project right from its inception - with my Master’s Scholarship at the University of Cape Town (UCT) - through to its commercialization as a start-up technology firm. My specific contribution was to: • Design integral modules of the ARTIST technology to enhance the video streaming capabilities of the platform. Monitored the system status daily and performed resets once system failure was detected.
• Make business pitches to different investors to ensure continued sponsorship and eventual commercialisation of the product. The NHP Billiton award was handed in recognition of us being the first team to successfully commercialise a Research project and start to realise ZAR 1M revenue for the unit.
• Oversee the seamless integration and technical documentation of newly designed software into the existing ARTIST platform for 5 new business/corporate customers.
• Conduct system performance tests on integral components of the platform to ascertain viability, compatibility, and efficiency.
• Conduct training workshops for the on-site technical teams of clients that use the ARTIST platform to host their channels from remote locations.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)Electrical Engineer (Telecommunications & Research)
Dec. 2009 - Jun. 2013Pretoria Area, South AfricaIn this role, I covered numerous disciplines. These included: 1. Technical Operations: • Contributed to the installation, deployment and commissioning of integral components of the platform at our various customer locations
• Provided technical customer support by troubleshooting on-site hardware system failures and relaying software failures to the development team
• Monitored the system status daily and performed resets once system failure was detected
• Compiled a comprehensive ARTIST Commissioning and Deployment Manual used to train technical support teams on how to use the ARTIST platform
• Oversaw the daily operation of the team and conducted frequent progress team reviews 2. Software Development: • Designed integral parts of the ARTIST platform e.g. the timing filter used for timing incoming and outgoing video frames, the skewing filter used to enable audio and video synchronisation and the skipping filter used to skip frames in a video stream. This was all developed using C++ programming language over the DirectShow media platform of Windows OS
• Designed image enhancements (i.e. rotation, chromakeying, scaling capabilities) to enable manipulation of embedded advertising on the video stream 3. Design and Branding:
• Designed channel icons to be used to identify the different channels on the mobile IPTV app
• Oversaw the production and distribution of product brochures, pamphlets and advertising material
University of Cape TownChairperson Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) Student Branch 2009
Nov. 2008 - Nov. 2009City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa• Managed administrative activities for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Student Branch in University of Cape Town (UCT).
• Organized seminars and invited distinguished lecturers and technological experts to present their work to the students.
• Invited companies to recruit graduate students from the University.
• In collaboration with the project committee, launched the Engineering Project in Community Service (EPICS-High) in UCT for interaction between Engineering students and 10th grade high school learners.
• Presented motivational talks to female engineering students and high school learners at the LEAD Awareness Conference.
• Organized field trips outside the University to locations of interest to engineering students.
University of Cape TownResearch Assistant
Feb. 2008 - Dec. 2009Cape Town Area, South Africa• Collected, compiled research material and carried out research-related tasks for my thesis supervisor. The focus of this research was Real-time Multimedia applications and Adaptive bandwidth video broadcasting over the Internet
• Presented findings in form of reports, conference papers and PowerPoint presentations that were later utilised for the ARTIST project Research and Development (R&D) at the CSIR
MTN UgandaTrainee Engineer, Switch Planning Department
Dec. 2005 - Feb. 2006Kampala, Uganda• Conducted research & core network planning for operation of the existing GSM Network in Uganda • Monitored the network performance and identified congested location areas and those with no signal
• Honed experience in the fundamental basics of telecommunications, the operation and planning of a network, and maintenance of existing infrastructure
Multi-Konsults Engineering ConsultancyTrainee Engineer
Jan. 2004 - Feb. 2005Kampala, Uganda• Implemented wiring and electrical maintenance during construction of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBoS) building in Kampala
• Learned the basic process for drawing plans for new building designs and wiring
• Assisted with on-site supervision during construction of 2 floors of the building
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