Meet the Fantastic Four at the Forefront of the Fulfilment of our Fiduciary Functions across East Africa!

(See what we did there…we know, we’re probably trying too hard with the pun, but you gerrit!) 😊  

International Women’s Month may be winding down in about 3 days from now, but here at #TheSwitch, we aren’t about to pause spotlighting amazing women raising the game and playing their vital parts towards actualizing our purpose of inspiring Africa to Greatness through innovation, value-creation, and excellence. 

Now to the fun-fact that’s inspired our latest #SwitchStory, an IWM Special in every sense of the word… 

Our East Africa Legal Group is (wo)manned by a close-knit, all-female team of talented and enthusiastic learned colleagues, and we thought it was fitting to shine some light on the amazing work they do here at Interswitch, the peculiarities and nuances of making the switch from ‘litigational to transactional lawyering’, and what gets them inspired to keep pushing the boundaries in a sensitive function within a dynamic, fast-paced and complex sector such as fintech/payments, exercising their duty of care for one of Africa’s most significant technology players. 

As you may have guessed already, Financial Technology is increasingly dynamic, fast- paced and technical essentially covering a vast (seemingly endless!) range of solutions including payment products, payment solution services, budget management services, digital assets, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding, banking, saving and deposit products, it goes on and on! Fintechs have particularly revolutionized the way solutions are provided for financial services, invariably disrupting traditional financial services model for faster, generally more secure, and indeed more expedient financial services. Legal and Compliance considerations are extremely fundamental and defining in such a sector, as they are at the very heart of the business structure for tech and fintech entities, incorporating a wide array of regulatory and licensing frameworks, data privacy and cybersecurity considerations and expert advisory as to how the business can navigate the often tricky challenges associated with the fintech industry.  

Furthermore, there’s of course, if we might add, the widely held perspective that Africa’s legal and regulatory environment ranks amongst the least business friendly in the world, supposedly characterized by ‘excessive’ business regulations, complicated permit procedures, and relatively opaque tax assessment rules being among the major business regulatory issues fintechs (and indeed businesses generally) have got to contend with!    These four phenomenal female legal professionals work as a close-knit team to essentially navigate this very interesting but challenging business backdrop - doing everything from working as trusted business partners, providing counsel to business leaders in the regions, to driving negotiations and advising across a vast array of commercial and legal issues, whilst playing pivotal roles in drafting out Interswitch’s commercial legal infrastructure across the EA region to support seamless scaling and operational efficiency that’s at pace with Interswitch’s fast-paced operations and business growth across the region – a day in the life for them incorporates a wide range of strategic and tactical interventions and deliverables – from  drafting and maintaining our contractual agreements and playbooks, to championing compliance and contributing projects to improve internal processes and operational efficiencies and interfacing with regulators to address concerns and ensure we’re consistently on the right side of the tracks in a highly regulated sector.

Now, meet Keziah Rutto (Regional Head for Legal and Company Secretariat, based in Nairobi), Edith Mukenya (Legal Counsel, Nairobi), Damaris Kariuki (Legal Counsel, Nairobi) and Annabel Mwesigye (Legal Counsel, Kampala), all of #TheSwitch…and together they form the Powerhouse that represents our Legal and Company Secretariat in the East Africa Region, working very closely with our General Counsel and the HQ Legal & Compliance Team to ensure Interswitch stays on the right side of the playing field across highly regulated operating landscapes across the continent.    We got them to speak to us about their career journeys, learnings and experiences as well as how they navigate the balance of demanding, fast-paced, sensitive work with living their best lives on the personal dimension. 

Q: It would be interesting to learn how you each found your paths into law/legal services/compliance…what was that journey like for you? 

Keziah: So, for me, It began with an escape from numbers. I really disliked math as I went through school and had to figure out a way of not pursuing a degree that had math (apparently, they ‘lied’ to me that such degrees exist). All along, I’d been pretty proficient at written prose, excelled in all languages, topped in all debates and moot court trials. That's just how I found my way into law (Not forgetting that someone whispered to me that the bonus was that it has no math!).   

I started off my career at a law firm and thereafter a whopping 7-year career in Banking (remember the numbers game?) which forced me to learn how to read Profit & Loss statements, dissect balance sheets and embrace how to put together business strategies.  

Well, what can I say… here we are now enjoying all those numbers… from the little to the big ones! 😊 

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Edith: From a young age, I always dreamed of becoming a lawyer, inspired by Senior Counsel Martha Karua, who embodied everything I wanted to emulate in my career. In my final year of high school, I developed a newfound passion for mathematics and briefly considered switching to statistics. However, my dad reminded me of my long-standing goal to pursue law and encouraged me not to abandon it. He held me accountable to my initial dream, and I’m grateful for his guidance. His reminder helped me stay focused on my true passion. Today, I’m thankful for his support, as it led me to where I am now, enjoying the fulfillment of a career I’ve always aspired to. 

Damaris: For me, it’s quite interesting because my journey into the legal field began with a deeply personal and painful experience. When I was just six years old, my maternal uncle, who was more like a best friend to me, found himself in a difficult situation with the police. What started as a simple encounter quickly escalated, leading to a case being filed against him. As the case dragged on, he was placed in remand, waiting for justice to unfold. 

But instead of finding a resolution, my uncle’s health began to deteriorate. Six months later, he tragically passed away while still in remand. It wasn’t until two years later that the case was finally concluded, and my uncle and his co-accused were found innocent. His co-accused were released, but it was too late for my uncle. 

We all knew he was innocent, and yet he had to endure so much for something he didn’t do. The injustice of it all hit me hard. I couldn’t help but feel that if he had been granted bail, or if justice had been swift, he might still be alive today." 

That feeling of unfairness, the sense that justice had been delayed too long, stayed with me. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to become a lawyer. I wanted to be the one who upheld justice, ensuring that no one else would have to face the same kind of injustice and unnecessary delay. My uncle’s story is what inspired me to pursue a path that would allow me to fight for fairness and ensure that justice is served, without delay! 

Annabel: I stumbled into the legal profession unexpectedly. It was always my parents' dream to have a lawyer in the family (We chime in at this point...we know that drill…so apparently this isn’t just a ‘Nigerian’ thing! 😊)  

Initially, I struggled with the idea of pursuing a career/course I wasn't passionate about. My heart was set on studying Procurement and Supply Chain Management (although I cannot, for the life of me remember why it fascinated me so much!) 

Anyway fast forward to my first day in law school and I found myself surrounded by excited classmates, a feeling I couldn't relate to  because I never got the appeal 😊  

But that was my reality and I figured I had two options; either to rebel against my circumstances and risk disappointing my very African parents, or make the most of the situation. I chose the latter. 

I soon realised there were numerous pathways within the profession that I could take and even more non-legal options i could choose from just based off having a legal background/legal degree. This realisation sparked a sense of curiosity in me because I then shifted my mindset to discovering what it is I could do within this world I was now a part of…  

Suffice to say, I will always be grateful to my parents for the decision they made, because I am who I am today because of that choice.  I have carved out my path in a way that suits me, which is how I ultimately ended up here at Interswitch. 

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Q: Very briefly, how would you describe your experience working in Legal Services and Compliance at Interswitch, and within fintech/payments in Africa? 

Keziah: Yooooh! You can never be caught snoozing in this field…Fintech in particular. You know why? The innovation speed is one the law is always playing catch up with. You therefore need to always be on top of your game so that the business interests are covered and there are no compliance breaches that may attract penalties from the Regulator. Other than that, it is quite a wholesome experience that I would wish every lawyer to have. Solving tech problems by application of the law is somewhat mathematical magic (there we go with math again? 😊)   

Edith: Wow, the experience has been amazing! I was used to solving problems after they emerged, but now I’m mainly focused on preventing issues before they arise. It’s exciting to assist great innovators in developing innovative solutions while ensuring compliance with our regulator. The dynamic nature of the fintech and payments space keeps me on my toes, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be part of such forward-thinking teams while safeguarding the business and its operations. The role has truly been a great opportunity for growth and learning. 

Damaris: Believe me when I say every day presents a new challenge that my fellow legal minds and I get to tackle, and I genuinely enjoy the problem-solving aspect of it all. What excites me most is being able to see a different side of the law, one where I can help prevent issues before they even arise. 

Working in the fintech space has been a thrilling experience. I often feel like I’m surrounded by brilliant tech and finance experts and having the opportunity to provide them with legal protection is something I truly love. By the end of each day, as I close my laptop, I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, knowing that I’ve helped navigate and solve complex legal issues. It’s a rewarding feeling, and I’m grateful for it every single day 

Annabel: Actually, I joined Interswitch four months ago, and it's been a thrilling experience, a roller-coaster in every sense of the word! The most captivating aspect for me has been delving into the world of payment systems, gaining insight into how these systems operate and exploring the diverse range of products that can be tailored to meet clients' specific needs. This experience has been interesting, albeit overwhelming. The dynamic nature of the field, the innovation and adaptability have been quite interesting to watch and have made my journey rewarding so far. I have learnt so much and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything else. 

Q: It’s been really engaging listening to all your perspectives! So let’s wrap up with your short takes on what you think it takes to thrive, from your respective lenses, in the function, within the context of Interswitch, Fintech & Payments? 

Keziah: I wager one would need to be naturally Intellectually curious and be a creative problem solver, that of course is predicated on having the required functional competencies and certifications - Our products and our industry are complex and ever evolving, so a successful fintech lawayer should naturally relish learning new things and finding creative solutions to challenging problems! 

Edith: Totally align with Keziah…adding to that, I think a most essential and sometimes under-rated skill would be being a clear and concise communicator (and I mean in written and verbal forms). As a legal business partner in tech or fintech, it’s imperative that you be adept at clearly distilling key risks and explaining complexities and nuanced issues in plain and simple terms…absolutely! 

Damaris: Let’s see…what else might I add? 😊 

In my view, in terms of softer skills (of course assuming like Keziah had emphasized that you’ve already checked the key functional competency boxes!), you’d be best primed for success being a natural collaborator, able to guide cross-functional teams and drive to a win-win solution, given the diverse needs of the teams you’d support on a day-to-day as a legal business partner. Familiarity  with a wide range of legal issues and commercial risks that arise in connection with Telecoms, Media and Technology; hosted data and technology services etc is also critical…and the learning never ends, so brace yourself! 

Annabel: There you have it - I guess the ladies have said it all! I suppose I could just add that closely related, on the softer-skills spectrum is the need to be a true self-starter, and being naturally driven, with a bias for action – you’d do pretty well in the function if you’re proactive and have a strong sense of ownership…that’s the way to build up your reputation with stakeholders as a team player who is willing to do what it takes to contribute to the collective success…my 50 cents! 

Kenya Legal Team with Bernard Kinara, Interswitch Kenya Country GM 

Summarily, we had an exciting time chatting with our Fantastic Four, who are generally unanimous in their opinion that #TheSwitch is indeed a great place to work and that an opportunity to play their crucial parts as valued members of our Legal and Compliance Team at Interswitch Group - contributing to the delivery of our aspirations of a prosperous Africa where payments become a seamless part of everyday life -  continues to be a worthwhile experience that has involved growth, moving out of comfort zones, learning and unlearning, but most profoundly higher meaning and purpose! 

So good people, on this inspiring note, may we adjourn #SwitchStories until the next edition, which promises to be even more interesting? 😉