Ezra, the fintech company that partners with financial service providers to offer credit solutions to financially underserved consumers and SMEs, has appointed Erwan Gelebart as its new CEO to drive its agenda for growth.

Built upon 12 years of success, Ezra was born from TransferTo Group along with leading Fintech companies including DTOne and Thunes. Gelebart now leads a 100-strong team which operates across three offices in Dubai, Nairobi and Singapore.

Ezra is committed to providing embedded lending solutions which promote sustainable economic growth, particularly in emerging markets and with a focus on individuals and SMEs. Its partners include mobile wallets, banks, network operators, utility companies and e-commerce platforms. To date, Ezra has partnered with leading organisations across Africa and Asia, including Airtel, Vodacom, mpesa, Access Bank and Interswitch, and it services 35 million users each month in more than 20 countries. And, with more than $1.6 billion worth of loans provided last year, Ezra is set to build upon its track record for industry success with more exciting and innovative partnerships to be announced shortly that will accelerate financial inclusion in more markets than ever.

Gelebart says:

“At Ezra, we work hard to financially empower people who have historically been denied access to basic financial services, to uplift their lives and businesses. I am delighted to be part of an exceptional team which is committed to improving financial inclusion across emerging markets. We take pride in our ability to deliver fully managed products, tailored to each beneficiary, end-to-end in just a few weeks. I look forward to building upon Ezra’s global reputation for excellence”.

Gelebart brings 14 years of experience in digital financial services to Ezra, and he has worked extensively across Africa and Asia for companies such as Orange Money, JazzCash and Grameenphone. After graduating with a Masters degree in Management from SKEMA Business School and an MBA from the Asian Institute of Technology, he began his career in strategic consulting. He oversaw the launch of one of Africa’s first mobile money products in 2008 and went on to lead mobile money business units and subsidiaries, as well as several successful digital lending products.

Gelebart grew up in Africa, where he experienced first-hand the difficulties that many faces in gaining access to essential financial services. He cites Ezra’s mission, of providing access to credit for more people in more places, as a driving factor in his decision to join the Ezra team.

His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Ezra’s continued expansion in emerging markets, particularly across Africa. Digital services have quickly become one of the most popular means of depositing, borrowing and investing on a continent where many have previously been excluded from accessing traditional banking and credit solutions.