Moderator: Menekse Gencer, mPay Connect
Menekse Gencer assists financial institutions, mobile network operators, third party platforms, development agencies, merchants, and governments seeking to launch mobile financial services. She was a key driver of go-to-market strategy and business development that helped PayPal Mobile and bKash launch their services, becoming two of the three largest mobile payments systems in the world. Her market expertise extends from developed, banked markets such as the U.S. and Kuwait to emerging, unbanked markets in South Asia, Africa, and The Carribbean. Prior to founding mPay Connect, Menekse led PayPal Mobile’s Business Development efforts in North America for two years during which time she closed PayPal’s first mobile network operator deal to launch PayPal Send Money on Sprint’s mobile wallet in 2007-2008. Since then, her clients have included three of the top four US Banks, international banks, a global payments network provider, mobile network operators, bKash, The Inter-American Development Bank, two central banks, The World Economic Forum, and a Consumer Package Goods company.
Menekse has an MBA from Wharton and a BA in Economics from Harvard University. She is a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Technology Partner. Menekse has over 21 years of experience as a consultant and industry leader in emerging technology and innovation in the financial services, mobile, and technology sectors.