JazzCash
, the Pakistan based mobile financial service provider now has a new addition to its executive team. As per announcement made by Veon Ltd, the Amsterdam headquartered multinational telecommunication service provider and parent firm of Jazz – Mr. Erwan Gelebart has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of mobile financial services unit of Pakistani mobile network and internet services provider. JazzCash is a popular app in Pakistan and provides mobile wallet, mobile payment and branchless banking services under this banner. JazzCash was created in 2012 when Jazz partnered with its subsidiary bank Mobilink Microfinance Bank riding the wave of emerging digital payment services on global scale. In his new role as head of the mobile financial services unit, Erwan Gelebart will be responsible for leading Pakistan’s leading digital wallet which had 7.3 million active at end of 2019.
While JazzCash is subsidiary of Jazz, Erwan will report directly to Mr. Sergi Herrero – the Co- Chief Executive Officer of Veon Ltd. The newly appointed head of JazzCash is a veteran with more than 15 years in financial services industry and is renowned for his efforts in launch and scaling-up of digital financial services in Bangladesh and several African countries such as Madagascar, Mali, and Ghana. The most notable firms he has served under include – EY Parthenon, Orange Money and Grameenphone. Mr. Gelebart holds multiple Masters degrees having graduated with an MBA from Asian Institute of Technology and Masters in Management from SKEMA Business School. It should be noted that this announcement comes shortly after update of former Veon CEO Mr. Alexander Torbakhov’s move to replace Mr. Vasyl Latsanych as CEO of Beeline Russia.
Commenting on his new role at the firm, Erwan said “I am excited to join VEON as it executes on a strategy of growing its connectivity business while building out digital services across all ten operating companies. JazzCash has never been more important in addressing Pakistan’s unbanked population and encouraging greater financial inclusion in an increasingly cashless world”.
Speaking about Erwan’s appointment as head of the unit, Sergi said “With 7.3 million active digital wallets, JazzCash has enormous potential in Pakistan – a country with a young, fast-growing population of more than 200 million. Erwan’s background of success and entrepreneurial spirit will play a crucial part in our growth plans for JazzCash over the coming period”.
