Vinod Sharma – A Kenya-based financial technology expert and innovator with a forward-thinking perspective on unexplored opportunities. With over 26 years of expertise in the technology field, he adeptly manages a professional career. Having more than a decade of experience as a FinTech CTO, an active learner of theoretical physics and possesses a strong avocation in landscape and architectural photography.
Skilled and still on track to achieve expertise in software and platform engineering, fintech, cloud services, AI, and Blockchain. CTO of M-Pessa Africa, a Safaricom and Vodacom joint venture for FinTech.
Former CTO of True Money and Ascendbit Company, Thailand’s first Fintech unicorn, the largest financial technology services company owned by CP Group, and EcoCash Zimbabwe, Southern Africa’s biggest Fintech.
I have extensive experience in various payment domains, including payment intelligence, merchant driven payments, P2P, traditional, e-commerce, and cross-border remittances. Skilled in eKyc and AML solution development for customer profiling, transaction monitoring, and MFS. I always aim to solve real-life problems for consumers and businesses by incorporating physics and using AI, blockchain, and data science. Started in IT, transitioned to telecoms, then financial technology.
I have successfully led start-ups and new business units at local and international levels with hands-on engineering and business strategy. Brought forward creative ideas with information security, privacy, and an agile environment as first preferences. Strategies with C-level co-workers Coach, manage, and develop engineering teams. Develop new disaster recovery and business continuity plans on a continuous basis.
I feel blessed to have been exposed to and part of the “Workers Team” at FinTech since 2008. (called Mobile Financial Services then).
Have extensive experience at the senior management level in solution designing and architecture, planning, technical operations, software development, combining computer science with artificial intelligence and visual and practical product design, operating strategy to maintain high standards, and executive decision-making. My experience has mixed domains like telecom, information technology, fintech, and on-demand value-added services in all customer-focused services.
Throughout my career, I’ve mentored and supported 2000+ talented individuals and supervised multiple projects involving software development, integrations, and AI-driven analytics. Specializes in traditional and mobile payments, e-commerce, machine learning, blockchain, payment intelligence, and stored value products.
Projects Completed (Solution Designing & Architecture and Deployments)
- Led and developed the idea for customer profile scoring and financial transaction tracking system (Eagle) and brought to life from white board. In order to be developed once and used by 6 country operations.
- Led and developed the idea for international remittance system (Orbit) in order to be developed once and used by 6 country operations.
- Led and developed the idea for Merchant Management System (MMS) in order to be developed once and used by 6 country operations.
- Co – Created foundation for CP vision of having blockchain based assets and system. Brought to life from white board
- Implement common Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure for CPG
- 14 Mobile Financials Services projects deployed in different countries.
- Mentored team throughout for designing, developing and implementing Payment Gateway.
- AI, ML and Data Science for FinTech domain (Ask for details)
- International & Domestic Remittance Services on Mobile (Cash, Goods, and Payments)
- Subscriber spending, credit rating and their interaction with money.
- MasterCard Debit Card (International) linked with Mobile Money Wallet
- Electronic Recharge, Charging Proxies and OCS (IN) in Prepaid environment
- Data Centre Design & Implementation for banks and MNOs.
- Deployment & Operationalising Core Banking Systems (T-24) & Switches
Subject Matter Expertise / Core Skills
- Financial Services Product Designing & Implementation on mobile and non-mobile environment.
- Building cross border remittances, banking grade switches, and payment gateway platforms to deliver services via mobile & internet with innovation.
- Engineering strategy focused on technology brands in the area FinTech with data science, machine learning, deep learning and artificial neural networks at the backend.
- Lead other SME during complex HLD/LLD design activities
- Lead engineering /solution design, architecture, intelligence and capacity planning teams.
- Project Planning (CAPEX & OPEX), Program Management and Product Development.
- IT, AI, ML & Business Strategies for the cloud, standalone data-centers and centralise solutions environments
- Drive Technical Project/Program Management, Software development, and L3 Operations & maintenance teams.
- Hands-on decades of experience on Billing and Charging on CVBS, IN & OCS platform as solution designer & architect.
- E2E Performance Optimisation for Core, 2G, 3G, 4G, Mobile Data & VAS platforms.
Project details like name, locations, values, and startup names are available on request after mentioning specific reasons. I hold one bachelor’s degree in commerce (3 years full-time from Delhi University, 1993–1996) and another bachelor’s degree in computer applications (3 years part-time from 1997–2001). I also have a master’s degree in computer applications from IGNOU (2.5 years part-time, 2001–2003). I have completed a few professional certifications like CCNA, MCP, CCNP, MCSE, ITIL v3, Prince2, and PMP, and I am a self-certified Chief Data Scientist.
I am committed to lifelong learning. My goal is to use technology to solve real-world problems and create a positive impact for societies, generating value. Having a sound comprehension of the business world is pivotal for technology experts to develop products that result in mutually advantageous outcomes. The adoption of new technologies can greatly enhance effectiveness and increase income. Customer satisfaction serves as evidence of good quality.
In my free time, I enjoy photography, memory games, neuroscience and space science videos, and keeping up with technology through blogs.
My mom taught me, “The more humility, the more success. The more the pride, the more the fiasco”. Thus, I am trying to be humble, easy, and low.
