Building a Long-Term Payment Infrastructure in Africa That Removes Currency Friction and Accelerates Economic Growth with Elizabeth Rossiello

Jun 17, 2024

Elizabeth Rossiello, CEO of AZA Finance, discusses evolving payment infrastructure in Africa, role of technology in lowering costs, market maker in major African currencies, navigating regulatory landscapes, and talent challenges in the payments space.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 3min

Driving the Evolution of Payment Infrastructure in Africa

03:10 • 7min

Navigating Compliance Challenges in Emerging Markets

10:01 • 8min

Expansion Plans and Talent Retention Strategies in African Markets

17:59 • 3min

Fostering Respectful Culture and Team Efficiency During Growth

21:22 • 2min

Advantages of Having a Local Team and Future Outlook in the FinTech Industry

23:37 • 6min

Episode 127 with Elizabeth Rossiello, who is the CEO and founder of AZA Finance, an established provider of currency trading solutions that accelerate global access to frontier markets through innovative infrastructure. By leveraging cutting-edge technology in its flagship products, TransferZero and BFX, AZA is able to significantly lower the cost and increase the speed of business payments to and from frontier markets.

AZA is now a market maker in every major African currency and facilitates payments into G20 currencies directly. Elizabeth expanded the company from Nairobi, Kenya, to operations in 20 markets across Africa and Europe.

What We Discuss With Elizabeth

How has the payment infrastructure in Africa evolved since AZA Finance's inception in 2013?
What role has technology played in lowering costs and increasing the speed of your payments process?
Could you elaborate on AZA Finance's role as a market maker in major African currencies and how it impacts the facilitation of business payments to and from these markets?
How did you navigate the diverse regulatory landscapes across the African continent to establish AZA's presence in 20 markets?
How important has it been to address talent challenges within the payments space, particularly in retaining top talent in order to grow and expand the company?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How the Africa Oxford Initiative is Supporting African Research and Innovation Ecosystems? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn at Elizabeth Rossiello, and Twitter (X) @e_rossiello

Do you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group.

Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and bonus material - Unlocking Africa Newsletter