It’s always a great thing when Kenyans get recognized for their fantastic contributions around the world. One of our very own ladies Betty Mwangi of Safaricom has made the list of Africa’s powerful women in Tech 2013. Two other Kenyan Women recognized in the prestigious list
Safaricom’s General Manager of Financial Services Betty Mwangi Thuo has been named as one of Africa’s twenty most influential women in technology this year. IT News Africa, a Johannesburg-based technology news website, named Ms. Mwangi-Thuo alongside two other Kenyan women- the former InMobi’s Vice President and Managing Director for Africa Isis Nyong’o and Ory Okolloh, the co-founder & executive director of Ushahidi.
Each year South Africa celebrates National women’s day, a day set aside to pay tribute to women in South Africa and their role in development in the country. IT News Africa celebrated the day by listing and paying tribute to twenty women in the continent who have significantly contributed to the development in Information Technology.
“I would like to thank ITNews for bestowing upon me this great honour. Being named one of Africa’s top 20 most influential women in technology is to me a great endorsement of the great impact that M-PESA continues to have in the lives of millions of people in Kenya and beyond,” said Ms.Mwangi-Thuo.
Betty who has over 16 years’ experience in telecommunication sector, has been credited with spearheading Safaricom’s globally recognized and award winning mobile money transfer service M-PESA. She joined Safaricom in December 2007 as Head of Division charged with managing the New Products Division comprising M-PESA business and GSMA projects. She was promoted to Chief Officer New Products Division in October 2008 with the additional responsibility for Safaricom’s Value Added Service which championed product innovation and new product road map.
In December 2011, Betty was awarded the prestigious State honors “Moran Order of the Burning Spear” by the then president of Kenya his Excellency Hon. Mwai Kibaki in recognition of her contribution to Kenya’s Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector. In addition, she was featured by MCI (Mobile Communications International) as one of the top 10 women in mobile globally In June 2010.
Betty has an Engineering degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Victoria University of Manchester and an MBA from the University of Leicester. She is also a Chartered Marketer and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
