Introducing the DFI Ambassadors

Manal is a futuristic FinTech leader in Sudan with 10+ years of experience working in financial and telecom industries. She is a co-founder and General Manager of Shomoul FinTech Association as well, she established and led the FinTech unit in Sudatel Telecom Group and launched the first mobile money service in Sudan “Gorooshi”.

Manal is a Certified Digital Finance Practitioner (CDFP) from Digital Frontiers Institute and Tufts University and she holds a MBA from University of Khartoum, Certified Marketing Professional from CIM and Certified Project Manager from PMI. Manal graduated from University of Khartoum with first degree in Telecommunication Engineering.

Ophelia Ama Oni – Ghana

Ophelia Ama Oni has over 14 years combined experience in branch banking, ebanking, mobile money and financial inclusion. She is currently the Financial Inclusion Expert with Digital Disruptions, a US based consulting firm that focuses on strategy, design and product innovation. She was previously the Strategy and Business Development Manager for the Inclusive Banking unit of Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited with the responsibility of pursuing its financial inclusion agenda.

Ophelia is passionate about using technology as an enabler to develop solutions to reach the unbanked and underbanked to give them greater access to financial services. She is a founding member of the Financial Inclusion Forum Africa and a Certified Digital Finance Practitioner.

Indrakshi Banerjee – India

Indrakshi is a versatile banking professional, skilled in leading cross functional teams, managing client interface, implementing strategy and providing customer-centric solutions to governments, corporates and institutional client with focus on cash flow optimization.

She is currently on her CDFP journey and is passionate about Digital Identity and the impact on civil society. Indrakshi pursues opportunities that leverage off her experience in Digital Financial Services and focus on the end consumer.

Ian Mugisha is a Risk, Strategy Management and Digital Finance Consultant with a decade of experience in Private and Public sector. He has a track record working with MSMEs, Regional Financial Institutions and Construction in the Public sector. Ian’s education spans form various certifications and trainings in Leadership, Risk Management, Information Technology, Financial Services prior to which he earned a Bachelors in Business Administration from Sikkim Manipal University in India.

He is currently pursuing an MBA, from the University of South Wales UK and on fastrack to completion of DFI’s CDFP, with the General specialization and a twist to Regulation. Because of expertise, he has facilitated through speaker engagements, Trainings, Technical Committees and literature writings. He’s also the author of a book titled “UNCERTAIN- A Beginner’s Guide to Risk Management” .

In January of 2020, Ian joined the Board of Digital Frontiers Association (DFA) Uganda as a Director of Communication and Marketing. The association has since realized an increase in the effectiveness of communication amongst students and stakeholders. Ian enjoys literature and experiencing new cultures.

He’s also a member of the Rotary Club of Kampala South where he likes to participate in community development activities.

Maxime Lokossi – Benin

Maxime is a consultant in MSME and digital finance. He has a total of 17 years of professional experience mainly in the banking sector where he has held several management positions.

Maxime holds a Master’s degree in Development Economics and International Development from the University of Clermont-Auvergne. He is also a member of the 58th class of the Centre d’Etudes Financières Economiques et Bancaires (C.E.F.E.B) of the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement-AFD) Group based in Marseille, France.

He contributes to the development of DFI’s activities in the francophone community through various activities (webinars, knowledge sharing, etc.) and is also a CDFP student.

Kombe Kaponda – Zambia

Kombe Kaponda is a Financial Markets Infrastructure (FMI) Networks and Security Specialist, a Central Banker by career and a seasoned ICT Networks and Security Solutions Engineer by profession with over 19 years of ICT management and progressive experience in ICT financial markets Infrastructure management and cybersecurity. Kombe is a scholar for a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), holds a Master’s Degree in ICT Regulation, Policy and Management (MEng.), a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSc.) and a Chartered Digital Finance Practitioner (CDFP) certified by DFI with the Tufts University under the Fletcher School of Law and diplomacy, Certified financial Technologies (FinTech) specialist with the University of Hong Kong.

He is currently the Chairperson for the Central Bank of Zambia (BoZ) FinTech Working Group, a technology think tank working on monitoring and overseeing the development of FinTech and regulation of technology-enabled solutions through (Regtech) to improve overall financial inclusion. Kombe is a founding trustee of the Association for Digital Finance Practitioners in Zambia (ADFP), an association formed to promote digital finance products, Payments systems sensitization and oversight, consumer protection in digital financial services and services usage and improvement by offering technical advice in building the DFS ecosystem in the country. He is a keen follower of latest developments in the ICT use cases for development (ICTD), passion for the blockchain and cryptocurrencies, great interest in technology used to improve the lives of ordinary citizens around the globe, passionate about farming for food security and likes DIYing.