Safaricom has appointed Sitoyo Lopokoiyit as the M-PESA Africa managing director, effective April 1, 2021. In his new role, Lopokoiyit will be responsible for growing M-PESA to a fully-fledged financial platform. He will now be in charge of New Business Ventures, Product Management and Development for both Consumer and Enterprise.
Lopokoiyit joined Safaricom in 1st April 2018, having previously served as M-Commerce Director at Vodacom Tanzania from October 2015. During his time at Vodacom, he oversaw the delivery of several transformative products and services; led the turnaround strategy and execution for M-PESA which has resulted in an accelerated growth of M-PESA in Tanzania. Prior to joining Vodacom Tanzania, he was the Head M-PESA Strategy and Business Development at Safaricom.
Some of the initiatives he led include delivery of G2 platform, M-PESA APP, interoperable transactions for both peer to peer transfers and merchant payments, Business to Business payments, M-PESA CVM and Merchant Payments.
Sitoyo has over 10 years’ senior managerial experience from different fields; oil and gas (Chevron and Total Kenya) and in the Retail industry with Uchumi supermarkets in Kenya. He has worked extensively in the East Africa Region as well as in Mauritius and Reunion.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree in marketing from the University of Nairobi (2000) and an MSc in Information Technology Management and Organizational Change from Lancaster University in UK. His vast experience in the telecommunications sector will be essential in executing labor in his new role.
CEO Peter Ndegwa said Safaricom will initiate the relevant talent sourcing processes to identify and appoint the next Financial Services leaders in due course.