The end of a Chapter

At the end of January I will sit at my desk at Fundamo/Visa in Cape Town for the last time. I have decided that it is the right time for me to start a new chapter in my life. One of the most important things in life, I believe, is to get your timing right. And now is the right time for me to leave, for me, for my family... but also for the company that I founded and that I care for so much.

Fundamo has now been incorporated into Visa, creating world-class capabilities to provide products and services to the under-served in emerging markets. The strategy going forward is clear, supported by the top executives in Visa. I leave Cape Town in the hands of an extremely capable management team, consisting of some of the most accomplished people in the industry. Their focus now is to deliver on the promise of a universal mobile payment eco-system for emerging markets in conjunction with and that will benefit all players.

I will remain passionate about the industry and bringing financial services to hundreds of millions of people that deserve better. It is impossible for me to not be after everything that I have seen and experienced. During the thirteen years with Fundamo, I have worked with hundreds of companies (both big and small), bringing innovative solutions to some of the most challenging markets. I have traveled to more than fifty countries and have met the most amazing people from very diverse cultures. I have had stimulating discussions with the most brilliant people on the planet, but have also been humbled by interactions with the poor and the under-served.

I will never forget having had the privilege of attending great events in the history of mobile (in Cannes, Barcelona, Davos, Cairo, Macau and many more), but I will also remember the amazing moments behind closed doors when we cracked complex problems, demonstrated a new feature to a client or negotiated key contracts. I have always thrived in teams and have fond memories working with others (from my investors to my clients and also my adversaries), but by far the most important: my colleagues from the early start on the sixth floor in Sanlam, through the many stages of growth and absolutely including the last phase in Visa.

I plan to take some time out to just reflect on life. I want to sleep more and travel less for a few months. During that time I am going to try and write more, learn a new language and re-learn to develop code. I want to re-connect with my family and re-discover the wine industry and cuisine of the Western Cape. I would love to stay in touch with all my friends and will try and attend a few conferences. I trust that God will lead me to my next challenge and I am looking forward to it.