CEO of Remitly
Q . DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AND YOUR JOURNEY INTO FINTECH . HOW DID YOU GET HERE ?
» My journey started just over ten years ago when I was Head of Mobile and Internet Banking Initiatives at Barclays Kenya . While in Kenya , I discovered how difficult it was for my close friends to send and receive money from loved ones in their home countries . I also saw firsthand how far these remittances went for basic necessities such as food and clothing once they finally did receive them . It was then that I felt like there was a need to transform the remittances space .
While working as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Highway 12 Ventures , I began laying the groundwork for Remitly . Remitly launched from Techstars Seattle , an accelerator program for startups , in 2011 , and since then , we have served 5mn + customers in 2,300 + corridors in more than 20 sending / origination countries worldwide . All of this has contributed to significant growth for the company , allowing us to continue to innovate and scale as a business that transforms the lives of immigrants across the globe .
imer
Q . WHO WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD HERO AND WHY ?
» I met Desmond Tutu in college , and even before then , his compassion and what he did to end apartheid in South Africa really made an impact on me . When I met him , he was so human and full of grace ; it felt like we truly connected . It felt like I was the only person in the world when I met him , even though he was such an iconic , impactful leader .