Mr. Archie Hesse, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement System (GhIPSS), has been honored with the title of "Most Inspiring Payments Business Leader in West Africa." This accolade recognizes his exceptional contributions to the payments industry, his efforts to promote digital payment solutions, and his commitment to improving financial accessibility throughout West Africa.
The prestigious award was presented during the recent Africa Bank 4.0 Summit held in Lagos, Nigeria. The Africa Bank 4.0 Awards were established to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication of various organizations, associations, and service providers in the financial services sector. These awards aim to recognize pioneers and visionaries who go above and beyond to transform the Fintech industry, making access to finance in Africa more accessible, innovative, convenient, and affordable.
Mr. Hesse's journey with GhIPSS began when he assumed the role of General Manager in charge of Projects and Business Development shortly after its inception as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank of Ghana. Over the years, he ascended to the position of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding the company's first CEO, Mr. Fred France.
As CEO, Mr. Hesse has overseen the remarkable transformation of GhIPSS, collaborating closely with banks and non-bank financial institutions to introduce various electronic payment channels to the public. Some of the notable innovations include Mobile Money Interoperability, GhQR, and GhanaPay.
His primary focus has always been on advancing financial inclusion and expanding the range of instant electronic payment options available to the public. Under hisleadership, GhIPSS has achieved several industry firsts and has received global recognition for its achievements.
In response to receiving the award, Mr. Hesse expressed humility at the recognition and emphasized the importance of continually pushing the industry's boundaries. He extended his gratitude to the dedicated staff, management, and board of GhIPSS for their unwavering support, noting, "Without a great team, this wouldn't have been possible. So, I want to celebrate the staff, the management, and the board for their respective roles and particularly encourage the staff and management to aim to even exceed their current performance."
Currently, GhIPSS, in collaboration with various banks, is vigorously promoting the enrollment of more users onto the GhanaPay mobile money service. Registration is actively underway in different communities in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, and Western North regions, with plans to extend the initiative to other parts of the country throughout the year.