In this article, I discuss on who Natalie Payida Jabangwe is. Many of you know her as the Chief Executive Officer of EcoCash Zimbabwe. She has held that position since 2014. She did start as Head of Business and Market Development before becoming the CEO. Her profile is quite impressive especially considering how she is regarded as one of the youngest chief executives in Africa. She was born in 1983 in the UK but moved back to Zimbabwe when she was aged 1; later, after high school, she moved back again to the UK.

Academic Profile

She attended her primary school at Dudley Hall in Norton. She then did her high school at Chinhoyi High School. It is worth noting that she was captain of the hockey team and also a prefect. Upon completion of her high school, she moved back to the UK. From then on she pursued her tertiary education. She now holds honours degrees in Information Technology and Computer Sciences from Spelman College and Middlesex University. She also holds an Executive MBA from Imperial College and a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford.

An Overview Of Natalie Jabangwe’s Profile

She briefly describes herself on LinkedIn as:

“Chief Executive Officer EcoCash, a “mass” banking operation and mobile financial service, the second-largest mobile financial service in Africa after M-PESA in Kenya & largest financial service operation for the leading Telecoms corporate in Zimbabwe. Driving $200M+ revenue per annum, have an end to end oversight on a business processing an annual value of $16bn, equivalent to 70%+ of Zimbabwe’s GDP with direct reporting to the board. Equipped with widespread experience in financial technology services, spanning across Europe, the US, ME & Africa from positions at top tier global investment and retail banks, Fortune 500 Fintech firm’ to having executive responsibility for Zimbabwe’s largest financial services operation.

Over 11 years of experience in financial services and technology. Five years of experience attained with the world’s largest provider of Fintech solutions (NCR Corporation) to the retail banking industry. Promoted internally to develop NCRs position in mobile financial services across 52 markets, reporting to the board via a direct reporting line the CTO. Imperial College EMBA with specialization in hi-tech strategy and corporate turnaround. Innovated an NFC centric mobile wallet proposition for the college as part of the programme, the concept was featured at the London Olympics Business programme 2012.”

Recognized By The World Economic Forum (WEF)

If you know about the WEF then you would know how iconic it is to be profiled by them. On the WEF site yet another overview that paints a picture of the great influence Natalie Jabangwe has. WEF has this to say about her:

“Ms Jabangwe is currently the youngest chief executive to run a mobile money business in Africa, EcoCash. EcoCash is Zimbabwe’s leading and fastest-growing mobile money service in Africa of telecoms giant, Econet Wireless and was the 2017 Corporate recipient of the Mobile World Congress “Best Mobile Payment Solution”, Glomo Awards. With over 11 years of experience in FinTech, she began her career as a software engineer, eventually moving to Investment banking and retail banking sectors, across the EMEA region.

Before joining EcoCash, she was a Senior Mobile Financial Services Consultant at a Fortune 500 company, NCR Corporation, where she developed NCR’s digital financial service strategy across 52 countries. She is a seasoned researcher and enthusiastic digital strategist with deep financial services and technology development experience. Natalie holds a BSc Information Technology and an Executive M.B.A. (Specialisation in Hi-tech Strategy and Corporate Turnaround) from Imperial College London, UK. She is a 2017 Oxford University Tutu Fellow. In 2017, Ms Jabangwe became a member of YPO Africa.”

Notable Milestones Of Her Reign At EcoCash

  • Heading more than 200 employees
  • Managing interactions with at least 50000 partners
  • Has been responsible for attaining revenues of over US$200 million every year
  • Overseeing an enterprise that processes over US$16 billion per year

Notable Accomplishments

  • Ambassador for the U.N. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
  • World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2018)
  • One of the Top Budding African Economic Leaders (Choiseul 100)
  • She was a member of the inaugural U.N. Secretary General’s Digital Financing Taskforce

Natalie Jabangwe has an impeccable profile and I believe women and men alike can derive so much inspiration from her. She is a thought leader in the fields of financial assets development, account management, management consultancy, business development, and information technology, amongst several other specialist areas.