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EcoCash general manager Natalie Payida Jabangwe, has been nominated among the 2018 World Economic Forum’s 100 Young Global Leaders (YGL), a platform where “the world’s brightest  under 40 and most promising” future leaders are groomed.

The YGL, which is strictly for people born after January 1, 1980, aims “to create a multi-stakeholder community of the world’s next-generation leaders to help inform and influence decision-making  through the contribution of new ideas, perspectives and energy.”

Ms Jabangwe is the current chief executive for Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile money platform, Ecocash and is among the 11 participants from Africa who will be selected this year to take part in the five-year mentorship programme.

“She runs the second largest mobile financial service in Africa, managing the operation and financial transactions for six million  customers,” the WEF said in its description of Natalie.

Other Africans chosen in the YGL Class of 2018 are from countries including Egypt, South Africa, Gabon Mali, Senegal Nigeria, Benin,  Ethiopia and Cote d’Ivoire.

Outside Africa, other participants will come from East Asia, South Asia, Europe, Greater China, Latin America, North America and the  Middle East.

Ms Jabangwe, who is a computer engineer, and has over a decade experience in financial technology, said in a terse response that she was  “humbled to be part of this team”.  Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Ms Jabangwe was head-hunted by the  Econet group to be part of its team over five years ago.

The WEF said the 100 young leaders “were nominated because of their ground-breaking work, creative approaches to problems and ability to build bridges across cultures and between business, Government and civil society.” —  New Ziana/HR.