Former Africa Head for Airtel Money, Chidi Okpala, has joined Atlas Mara as Chief Digital Officer.
As the Chief Digital Officer, Chidi will be leading efforts around Innovation, Digital Financial Services and Financial Inclusion.
Atlas Mara was founded on November 28, 2013 by former Barclays Executive Bob Diamond and entrepreneur Ashish Thakkar through Atlas Merchant Capital LLC and Mara Group Holdings Limited as their investment vehicles respectively. Since its founding, the company has acquired, by way of four transactions, control of (or significant stakes in) banking operations in seven sub-Saharan African countries, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda and Nigeria, several of which rank amongst the fastest growing countries in the world.
Chidi is a tested and proven entrepreneur, strategic innovator and leader. He has a strong track record in Payments, Sales & Distribution, Retail & Consumer Banking; with a stint in FSI Strategy Consulting. He has successfully built and managed profit centres; and led transformations, working with a wide spectrum of people and issues.
A Chevening Scholar and 2007 Winner of the Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust Award for Emerging African Leaders, Chidi’s work experience spans across East, West, Central and Southern Africa.
