Vinod Sharma – A Kenya-based financial technology expert and innovator with a forward-thinking, blue ocean perspective on unexplored opportunities. With over 26 years of experience in the technology field, I adeptly manage my professional career. At my core, I am a design thinker and a visual communicator.
With over a decade of experience as a FinTech CTO, I am an active learner of theoretical physics and have a strong passion for landscape and architectural photography.
With 26 years of experience, including 16 years in the FinTech industry, I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary potential for unprecedented growth in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. From the trust and transparency enabled by blockchain to the transformative impact of AI and machine learning, and the profound connectivity and inclusivity fostered by IoT, each aspect contributes to a dynamic financial landscape. Additionally, data intelligence, advanced analytics, and the agility and scalability of cloud computing further enhance this transformative journey.
I have seen how intelligence becomes the cornerstone of innovation, shaping the future of financial technology. By navigating both traditional and modern technologies, I have acquired valuable skills and remain on track to achieve expertise in fintech business, product management, and software and platform engineering.
My work domain is Financial Technology. I leverage first principles and systems thinking to extract value from any technology stack—whether legacy (monolithic/microservices), Modern (cloud-native/microservices), Intelligent (AI/Blockchain, IoT), or emerging tech (CBDC / Neuromorphic). My focus: delivering scalable, secure financial solutions by bridging technical depth with business outcomes.
Current CTO of
- M-Pesa Africa, a Safaricom and Vodacom joint venture for FinTech.
Former CTO of
- Ascend Bit Company – Blockchain based FinTech company,
- Ascend Money (True Money) – Thailand’s first Fintech unicorn and the largest financial technology services company owned by CP Group
- EcoCash Zimbabwe, Southern Africa’s biggest Fintech.
I have extensive experience in various
- Payments domain, including money 4.0, Payments intelligence, merchant driven payments(pull payments). Common cashier page and smart payments.
- Mobile Money / FinTech core services
- Fintech based Financial services
- Revenue Generating Services – Remittances, Lending, Savings, Insurance, and Wealth Management etc.
- Revenue Boosting Services – Gamification services, blockchain based loyalty, Advanced Analytics and ML, e-commerce, and cross border remittances.
- Revenue Protecting Services – eKyc, Fraud Management, Recon Management, Risk Management and AML solution development for customer profiling, transaction monitoring and alert management.
- FinTech Channels and Integrations
I feel fortunate to have been part of the ‘Workers Team’ in the FinTech industry since 2008, when it was known as Mobile Money. I have worked extensively in FinTech, Mobile Money, and Mobile Financial Services, gaining global experience. My focus has always been on solving real-life problems for consumers and businesses.
I have successfully led start-ups and new business units at both local and international levels, combining hands-on engineering with business strategy. I prioritize creative ideas that emphasize information security, privacy, and an agile environment.
I have extensive experience at the senior management level in solution design and architecture, planning, technical operations, and software development. My work combines computer science with artificial intelligence and practical product design, while focusing on operational strategies to maintain high standards and facilitate executive decision-making. My experience spans various domains, including telecom, information technology, fintech, and on-demand value-added services, all centered around customer-focused solutions.
My currency isn’t capital; it’s conviction.
I don’t just mentor. I arm wrestle with ambition, refining pitches until they’re sharp enough to cut through skepticism. I’ve stood where they stand—torn between vision and payroll, between ‘What if?’ and ‘What’s next?’—and that’s why this work wrecks me in the best way. Idea is to turn their someday into Monday.
I live for the moment a young founder’s eyes light up—that split second when doubt dissolves into ‘Holy shit, this could work. I don’t write checks (yes time a small one) —I write fire in the margins of their business plans. My superpower? Seeing the raw, unpolished spark in someone and blowing oxygen on it until it roars. Because the world doesn’t need more critics. It needs more co-conspirators of ‘impossible’.
Throughout my career, I have mentored and supported over 2,000 talented individuals and supervised multiple projects involving software development, integrations, and AI-driven analytics. I specialize in traditional and mobile payments, fintech, e-commerce, fintech-based financial services, payment intelligence, and stored value products. Additionally, I have experience with both modern and conventional technology stacks, including machine learning, blockchain, and data science.
Projects Completed (Solution Designing & Architecture and Deployments)
- Led and developed the idea for customer profile scoring and financial transaction tracking system (AML) 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 for blockchain based assets and system. Brought to life from white board
- Implemented common Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure for CPG
- 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.
- Decades of hands-on experience on telecom Billing and Charging on 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 and aim to use technology to solve real-world problems, creating a positive impact for society and generating value. A solid understanding of the business world is essential for technology experts to develop products that lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. The adoption of new technologies can significantly enhance efficiency and increase revenue, while customer satisfaction serves as a testament to quality.
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.
