Disruptive Innovation from the Bottom: Africa Leads the Mobile Financial Services Revolution

December 4, 2014
Hosted by Té Revesz

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Episode Description

“Disruptive innovation always comes from the bottom” says Capgemini financial services guru and growth strategist, Deborah Baxley. Today Africa is a hotbed of mobile financial services innovation. A perfect storm of converged mobile technology and financial services supplying the “bottom of the pyramid” is creating products that are simpler, cheaper and offer more value. Fact: 52% of the world’s mobile money services are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Once those innovations reach developed markets “they will sow the seeds of disruption to incumbents.” On the upside, these innovations in P2P lending, bill payment, credit/savings, bulk payments, micro-finance and insurance are also sowing seeds of opportunities for industries ranging from agriculture to consumer goods, from electronics to healthcare. How can your company reap these opportunities? Who will weather the perfect storm? What other markets will it reach? Achieving the Elusive 10X Factor in Payments Innovation? What’s coming next?

Global Reach

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We are all operating in a dynamic global marketplace, whether we reach across borders to find new customers and fresh ideas or face overseas competitors in our home market.

Global Reach embraces the opportunities and challenges we encounter when operating in multiple countries and cultures. We talk with entrepreneurs and executives about their strategies for winning in fast changing world markets: cross-cultural communication, global branding, media and marketing, transportation and manufacturing, the future of finance, alternative investment strategies, innovation and IP protection.

Global Reach interviews thought leaders about 21st century megatrends that impact international entities: trends like the business and politics of sustainability, the morphing nature of competitiveness, globalization, global companies vs national governments, worldview and growth prescriptions, emerging markets issues, and the corporate impact on society (governance, ethics and leadership).

Té Revesz

Té Revesz is known for her ability to conduct strategic research on a global basis and for her creativity in handling complex business challenges.

As principal of GlobalReach-SBI, a research and consulting firm with a network spanning over 60 countries, Té provides clients with strategic intelligence on market opportunities and threats. She covers such diverse areas as global branding, new product development, payment cards, clinical trials, and political risk. An expert in primary research, Té has interviewed business, government and labor leaders, doctors and technical experts—and managed focus groups—around the world. She was profiled in Super Searchers Go to the Source as one of the top US interviewers.

Prior to founding her own firm, Té headed the Industrial & Healthcare Practices of FIND's Strategic Consulting & Research Group and taught at the Zicklin School of Business (Baruch/CUNY). She was the Editor of Business International’s flagship newsletter and helped create its country risk service.

An NYC native, Té is active with Citizen Action, the URJ’s Commission on Social Action, and NY Neighbors for American Values (defending religious freedom, diversity and equality). She holds a Masters from Columbia’s School of International & Public Affairs and a BA from Goucher College. She’s an avid bike rider, theater buff and farmers market supporter—and the bemused owner of 2 demanding felines.

Episode Directory

January 2015

December 2014

  • 12/25/2014: Special Encore Presentation: Secrets of Global Branding: Developing and cultivating your global footprint across various global business models and brand management models Listen Now test
  • 12/18/2014: Economies, Energy & Investment in 2015-with Wells Fargo Advisors’ Chief International Strategist & the Founder of the Emerging Market Investors Assn Listen Now test
  • 12/11/2014: The Arrogance of Institutions: Where's the Accountability Listen Now test
  • 12/4/2014: Disruptive Innovation from the Bottom: Africa Leads the Mobile Financial Services Revolution Listen Now test

November 2014



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