Digital business strategy
Connect technology decisions to business growth.
Explore this serviceBUSINESS × TECHNOLOGY × PEOPLE
Hello, I’m Francis Mwakatumbula.
Francis Mwakatumbula, Business & technology consultant. Good ideas.
Built for
real impact.
I turn business ambition into digital products that work for people, connecting strategy, product and engineering.
Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaWorking across East Africa
EXPERIENCE ACROSS
Akeo
AkeoABOUT ME
Business thinking.
Technical depth.
A human perspective.
I’m a business and technology consultant helping financial services turn complex challenges into useful, scalable products.
My journey started with code: payment integrations, mobile apps, and systems that move money. It grew into leading products, teams, and digital businesses across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
From a savings group’s first digital contribution to an institution’s next stage of growth, I care about the same thing: making technology work for the people who use it.
Explore my journey8+Years in fintech & digital business
3East African markets
250+SACCOs engaged in requirements work
English & KiswahiliLocal understanding. Regional perspective.
HOW I CAN HELP
Services grounded
in work delivered.
Product design & delivery
Take a real customer need through to a working product.
Explore this servicePayments & integrations
Connect the services a financial product depends on.
Explore this serviceOperations & customer experience
Improve the way customers are onboarded and supported.
Explore this serviceResearch & market intelligence
Make product choices with evidence from the market.
Explore this serviceFractional technology leadership
Bring delivery experience into the leadership team.
Explore this serviceSELECTED WORK
Work. Execution.
Results.
The responsibility I took on, the actions I led, and what was delivered.
iTrust Finance2025 — 2026
Growing an investment business through digital channels
Head of Digital Business
- Work
- Connect digital products and customer journeys to the growth of an investment business.
- Execution
- Led digital strategy, mobile and web launches, customer-journey improvements, and bank and MNO partnerships.
- Results
- Customers grew from 2,300 to 30,000+; AUM increased from TZS 120B to TZS 510B during my tenure.
WakandiJuly 2024 — August 2025
Improving onboarding and customer operations
Operations Manager
- Work
- Improve onboarding, support, and customer operations across an East African financial-services platform.
- Execution
- Redesigned processes, led operations teams, coordinated partners, and used service data to guide improvements.
- Results
- 25% shorter onboarding time, 15% shorter process times, 20% higher satisfaction, and 10% higher retention.
Malipopay2017 — 2022
Connecting a fragmented payments ecosystem
Chief Technology Officer, Lockwood Technology
- Work
- Bring multiple payment partners and services into a unified gateway.
- Execution
- Directed architecture, led bank and mobile-money integrations, and coordinated development and vendor teams.
- Results
- Delivered Malipopay with bank, MNO, Mastercard, GePG, and TRA integrations.
Kikoba2017 — 2022
Bringing group savings onto mobile channels
Chief Technology Officer, Lockwood Technology
- Work
- Give Vikoba and VSLA groups a practical digital way to manage savings.
- Execution
- Led the mobile product, connected payment functions, and coordinated development from concept to delivery.
- Results
- Built and scaled a platform for digital contributions, lending, and group financial management.
MY APPROACH
A clear path.
From idea to impact.
Diagnose
Listen to stakeholders. Understand the customer, the market, and where value is being lost.
Design
Turn what we learn into a clear roadmap, customer journeys, and a solution the team can build.
Pilot
Test the important assumptions with real users. Learn through UAT and controlled pilots.
Scale
Roll out with confidence. Equip the team, track results, and keep improving the experience.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The role. The work.
The difference.
2026 — Present
Business and Technology Consultant
Independent · Dar es Salaam
I advise banks, asset managers, SACCOs, and fintechs on the connection between business strategy and technology delivery. The practice brings together my experience in engineering, business analysis, operations, and digital leadership to help clients define what to build and how to deliver it.
Work, execution & results2025 — 2026
Head of Digital Business
iTrust Finance Limited
I was responsible for connecting iTrust’s digital business strategy to customer growth and assets under management. The work covered the development and scaling of digital financial products, new mobile and web portals, customer onboarding, support, and self-service. It also involved building the team and partner relationships needed to deliver those services.
30,000+Customers, from 2,300
TZS 510BAUM, from TZS 120B
July 2024 — August 2025
Operations Manager
Wakandi Tanzania
I led the operational functions of Wakandi’s Tanzania team, including customer success, support, and onboarding. My responsibilities also included IT services supporting the wider business across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The challenge was to make service delivery more efficient while aligning operational processes and information-security practices with ISO 27001 standards.
25%Less onboarding time
15%Less process time
20%Higher satisfaction
10%Higher retention
March 2023 — July 2024
Business Analyst
Wakandi Tanzania
I joined Wakandi from Akeo, the company behind the platform, which Wakandi acquired and merged into its own team. I worked between SACCO stakeholders, business teams, and engineering to translate financial-services needs into implementable product requirements. The role involved understanding customer processes across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda and defining how those needs should be supported by Wakandi’s CAMS platform and its mobile, USSD, and web channels.
Work, execution & resultsMarch 2022 — March 2023
Senior Software Engineer
Akeo Tanzania / India (acquired by Wakandi)
My role combined hands-on software engineering with coordination of core banking development. I helped conceptualise, design, and improve the system while translating client needs into technical specifications. The work also required aligning a distributed development team with product, sales, and marketing colleagues. Akeo built and supported the core banking platform behind Wakandi Tanzania. Wakandi went on to acquire Akeo and merge the two teams, so the work continued on the same platform from inside Wakandi rather than ending here.
Work, execution & resultsNovember 2017 — February 2022
Chief Technology Officer
Lockwood Technology
I was responsible for Lockwood’s technology architecture, platform configuration, data-management approach, and delivery of digital products. The role combined hands-on integration work with leadership of multidisciplinary teams and coordination with clients, financial partners, and external vendors. The portfolio spanned payments, group savings, lending, education, and service-sector platforms.
Work, execution & resultsIN GOOD COMPANY
In their words.
“Working on Jikite’s digital platforms was a testament to seamless collaboration. The final products brilliantly forefront care, service, and domestic work. I’m impressed by the professionalism and dedication throughout the project.”
“The design and development of Ifakara Hub’s website exceeded expectations. The site reflects our mission and ethos perfectly, offering a user-friendly interface enhancing our community spirit.”
“The Mwendopesa app, with its dashboard and USSD feature, is a masterpiece. The platform now effectively aids bodaboda riders to access essential working capital. Thrilled with the outcome!”
WRITING & PERSPECTIVES
Ideas from the work.
Revolutionizing Microfinance: How Wakandi’s Partnership with TAMFI is Transforming Microfinance
How Wakandi Tanzania and TAMFI give microfinance institutions one integrated system, connected to NMB Bank, Airtel, Tigo, Vodacom and Sanlam loan insurance.
Pioneering Digital Insurance for SACCOs: A Personal Insight from Wakandi’s Technical Frontlines
A first-hand account of building digital insurance for SACCOs while moving between business analysis and engineering at Wakandi.
How to turn your skills into a business
Finding your services, marketing them, building a portfolio, and the myths that stop people from starting a freelance business.
KEEP THE DETAILS
Take a closer look.
Full résuméExperience, achievements & education · PDFHave a similar brief?
Let’s discuss the work and the outcomes that matter to you.