Leon Kiptum, Fintech Exec Who Believed In People And Perform, Dies At 44

When Leon Kiptum left his perform at Flutterwave in June, his goodbye put up on LinkedIn didn’t be taught like the highest of a chapter; it felt like a fragile turning of the net web page. He wrote about slowing down, prioritising properly being, and reflecting on two intense years principal the East Africa enterprise for thought of one in all Africa’s most high-profile fintechs. 

“My time at Flutterwave,” he talked about, “has been extraordinarily insightful.” A month later, he was gone.

Kiptum handed away on August 3, aged 44, after an prolonged battle with most cancers. Data of his demise has hit the Kenyan fintech group laborious. Throughout the hours after it was launched, tributes poured in—from startup founders he mentored, former colleagues, board members, and buddies—each remembering a singular mannequin of the an identical man: calm, smart, generous alongside along with his time, and quietly daring.

“He was a good looking mentor to me initially of my banking career, always cheering me on and offering invaluable steering,” wrote Rosemary Muriungi, a purchaser relationship supervisor at Equity Monetary establishment. 

He joined Flutterwave in 2023, at a tough time for the company in Kenya. Regulators had started paying nearer consideration to the funds massive, as questions swirled spherical licensing and compliance. Collectively along with his banking background and standing, Kiptum was tapped to common the ship. 

He spent over a decade throughout the nation’s principal banks, rising by way of the ranks at Barclays (Absa), KCB Group, Credit score rating Monetary establishment, and Family Monetary establishment, sooner than principal digital banking at Sidian. 

He later shifted into fintech, principal Chipper Cash’s operations in Kenya. Then obtained right here a stint at Betway, the place he helped introduce on-line on line on line casino gaming to Kenya and ran native sports activities actions CSR campaigns.

However it was at Flutterwave that Kiptum confronted a number of of his most superior administration moments. As Senior Vice President and East Africa Regional Lead, he was tasked with not solely rising the enterprise however as well as navigating regulatory relationships, patching reputational gaps, and rebuilding perception with companions.

Administration technique

Kiptum’s administration technique was about developing environment friendly teams, as mirrored in his LinkedIn posts. 

“Purchaser-centricity is paramount. Innovation is a day-to-day grind. Your workforce is your largest asset. These aren’t merely ideas, they’re hard-earned truths,” Kiptum wrote in thought of one in all his remaining posts.

Colleagues and buddies say what made Kiptum completely totally different was his groundedness. In a world the place careers hinge on projection, he stood out by being deeply present, focused on the work, the people, and the intention.

Exterior his govt roles, Kiptum was a board member and deputy secretary fundamental on the Affiliation of Fintechs in Kenya (AFIK), the place he chaired partnerships and promoting and advertising and marketing. His fingerprints have been throughout the organisation’s further mature, unified posture in latest instances. 

At AFIK, he pushed for stronger enterprise illustration, greater engagement with policymakers, and additional honest conversations between startups and regulators.

“Leon was higher than a colleague; he was a transformative chief. His mission was to activate, encourage, and encourage all people spherical him to be their best selves,” AFIK wrote in a tribute. 

“His dedication to our fintech ecosystem extended previous his expert perform. As a Board Member of AFIK and advisor to fairly a number of tech startups, Leon believed deeply throughout the power of innovation to create optimistic societal have an effect on.”

Kiptum had merely begun a model new chapter at Rigour Africa, focused on serving to startups develop with intention. He wished to reshape how enterprise capital works for African founders, deepen educating ecosystems, and current the next know-how of leaders that it was okay to decelerate.

Kiptum is survived by his three children—two boys and a girl—whom he repeatedly described as his largest motivation.

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