World Bank selects Michael Joseph to expand m-banking
The former CEO of Kenya’s Safaricom, Michael Joseph, has been appointed as the advisor for World Bank on mobile payment services. Safaricom effectively created the market for mobile banking services when it launched the hugely successful M-PESA platform, which has been imitated in many other countries since then.
Michael Joseph is joining the bank under its new fellowship program, which was set up to tap new expertise into its development work and strengthens its knowledge network.
The former Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom feels deeply honored to have been selected as the first fellow by the World Bank and is delighted to work with the leading development institution and be a part of the global effort to fight poverty.
As a World Bank Fellow, Joseph will provide strategic advice to the World Bank and governments beyond Africa on policy and regulatory issues to promote development of mobile banking and mobile payments.
According to Johannes Zutt, World Bank Country Director for Kenya, sharing knowledge on telecommunications innovations, including mobile money, can make an important contribution to Africa’s reform and development. Michael Joseph’s participation in the World Bank Fellows program will leverage the Bank’s interventions in technology and financial services in new frontiers in line with our new Africa Strategy.
