Unifying the world's 180 currencies: Meet the people driving Leatherback's resurgence

Business Insider

11-06-2025

In line with its mission to transform global financial access for Africans and businesses at home and in the diaspora, Leatherback, a leading cross-border payment platform, has announced the appointment of four key executives to its leadership team. This development ushers in a new era of stability and growth for the company as it strengthens its approach to simplify and scale cross-border payments on the continent and across the world.
Founded in 2019, Leatherback set out to unify the world's 180 currencies through an array of customer-centric product offerings that offer users seamless transaction experiences across multiple currencies and borders. Now, as the company expands to new markets and introduces exciting new features that bring it closer to this future, these appointments provide the leadership, network and core competencies required to access new opportunities, drive innovation, and reinforce stakeholder confidence.
Ochebhoya Ekpete named Managing Director
Ochebhoya Ekpete has been appointed Managing Director of Leatherback, UK- subject to regulatory approval. Taking over from the outgoing interim CEO. With over 15 years of experience in financial leadership, transformation, and governance, he brings a wealth of knowledge across fintech, payments, and multinational operations. He has held leadership roles at Cellulant, Interswitch, and Stripe where he focused on global financial strategy, commercial pricing, and treasury operations. At Leatherback, he will lead the team in strengthening financial controls, improving operational efficiency, and supporting the company's long-term financial objectives.
Commenting on his appointment, Ekpete said 'As key players in the global financial space, Leatherback is playing a critical role in ensuring that challenges surrounding seamless cross border payments and transactions are a thing of the past. We are not just building reliable payment solutions, we're also opening doors to global possibilities for individuals and businesses. I am honoured to be coming onboard at this time and I look forward to working with the incredible team to scale our impact.'
Usman Amusat joins as VP Product and Operations
Usman Amusat has joined Leatherback as Vice President of Product and Operations, bringing with him years of experience building user-centric products across fintech, digital banking, and identity systems. With a reputation for his hands-on leadership style and passion for product innovation, Usman has led growth and product strategy at leading African tech firms including Flutterwave, Smile Identity, and most recently, Dot, where he served as Chief Product Officer.
At Leatherback, Usman will play a key role in driving product development, operational excellence, and market expansion. His deep expertise in user experience design, strategic growth, and cross-functional execution aligns seamlessly with Leatherback's mission to simplify global payments and unify the world's currencies.
Mayowa Afe-Ogundele joins as Chief Technology Officer
Leading the charge at Leatherback's technology team, is Mayowa Afe-Ogundele who joins as Chief Technology Officer, bringing with him a wealth of experience in building secure, scalable, and compliant financial systems.
His expertise spans digital payments, systems architecture, infrastructure, and emerging technologies such as blockchain. At Leatherback, he will oversee the company's technology strategy and infrastructure development. Speaking at an executive management meeting, Afe-Ogundele said, 'I am excited to join Leatherback at such a critical point in our journey. I particularly look forward to strengthening our core infrastructure as we advance in our mission to scale cross-border payments across the world.'
Oreoluwa Ajayi resumes as Head, Sales (Digital Ecosystems)
Also joining the Leatherback executive management team is Oreoluwa Ajayi, a seasoned financial services expert with over 13 years of experience in business transformation, growth strategy, and customer engagement across the fintech and digital services industries. She previously worked at Interswitch, Migo, and Prembly as Head of Commercials, where she led expert teams to drive market penetration, business expansion and revenue generation. At Leatherback, Oreoluwa will be responsible for leading sales strategy, expanding business opportunities, and strengthening customer relationships.
Globally, challenges with interoperability and compliance bottlenecks still limit the efficacy of cross-border payments systems and processes. By building a platform that supports multi-currency wallets, instant transfers, and regulatory-compliant infrastructure, Leatherback continues to simplify these processes and enable financial inclusion through frictionless, inclusive, and affordable cross-border payment services.
With these appointments, Leatherback has reaffirmed its commitment to excellence, transparency, and innovation. As the company scales its offerings across Africa, the UK, North America, and emerging markets, its new team of seasoned financial powerhouses will be instrumental in driving its mission with a renewed sense of purpose.
Founded in 2019, Leatherback is a UK-licensed cross-border payments platform that enables users in Africa and across the world to transact seamlessly in multiple currencies. Leatherback simplifies remittance, supports business expansion, and unlocks opportunities for users across over 15 countries.