Omar Cissé (born 1978), is a Senegalese entrepreneur and the CEO of InTouch Group, a financial technology company, he founded in 2014.[1][2] Previously, Cissé established other tech ventures, including CTIC Dakar, a business incubator in Senegal launched in 2010, and 2SI, a software engineering and mobile solutions company founded in 2001. Cissé has a degree in computer science and design engineering, and an MBA, he is known for his contribution to the development of African technology and mobile payment industry.[3] InTouch, one of his ventures offers a mobile payment platform for financial transactions in Africa, spanning 16 countries and 23 subsidiaries across the African continent as of 2024.[4]
Omar Cissé | |
|---|---|
| Born | Omar Cissé 1978 (age 45–46) Dakar, Senegal |
| Nationality | Senegalese |
| Alma mater | École supérieure polytechnique de Dakar Institut supérieur de management |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Business Executive |
| Known for | FinTech |
| Title | Founder & CEO at InTouch |
Education
editIn 1997, Cissé attended the Ecole Supérieure Polytechnique de Dakar (ESP) in Senegal, obtaining a degree in engineering design in computer science and new technologies in 2001. Cissé later pursued an MBA at the Institut Supérieur de Management (ISM) in Senegal, graduating in 2007.[5]
Career
editDuring his engineering studies he and his peers developed websites for local businesses in Senegal, working from their student rooms with just their laptops. . In 2001, a year after completing his engineering degree, Cissé co-founded 2SI, a software engineering company.[6] The company grew to a team of approximately 40 employees. Cissé become the CEO in 2005; despite 2SI's success, Cissé left the company in 2010, a decision that surprised his partners and family..[5]
Cissé earned certification in business incubation through Infodev, a program of the World Bank Group’s Private Sector Finance and Development Network which operates a network of more than 400 incubators across 100+ countries. Cissé worked as a business incubation trainer for Infodev over a span of three years. [5]
In 2010, Cissé founded CTIC Dakar, reportedly the first technology incubator in French-speaking West Africa. [7][8] In 2015, Cissé co-founded Teranga Capital, a Dakar-based investment firm that invests in SMEs, and he serves as its board member.[9]
Cissé's founded the InTouch in 2014, a fintech company aimed at solving interoperability issues in mobile payments. The platform was initially funded by Cissé himself and built with the support of four engineers. It grew, achieving a record $10 million fundraising round in 2017, the largest for a start-up in French-speaking Africa at that time.[5][10]
InTouch
editIn 2014, Cissé founded InTouch, a fintech company with the mission to simplify payments and expand financial inclusion across Africa.[11] InTouch aimed to address Africa’s fragmented payment landscape by creating a platform where merchants could manage transactions across different payment channels. Through InTouch, Cissé enabled businesses to accept payments from various sources, including mobile money and card-based transactions, thereby reducing complexity and increasing accessibility for consumers.[9][12]
Since its inception, InTouch has grown significantly.[13] In 2017, the French companies TotalEnergies and Worldline invested €3.7 million in InTouch.[7] n 2023, InTouch reportedly processed nearly €3 billion in transaction volume.[14]I n 2024 the company has expanded its presence to 16 countries and established 23 subsidiaries across the African continent.[15] In 2024, InTouch launched MyTouchPoint, a B2B2C platform that allows customers to interact via the web and the mobile app.[16]
References
edit- ^ "5 minutes avec Omar Cissé, PDG d'InTouch – Global Gathering 2020". gg2020.nef.org. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Rédaction (2024-05-30). "Dix ans de succès : Comment InTouch façonne l'avenir des paiements en Afrique". Financial Afrik (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Koba, Melchior. "Omar Cissé, the innovator who modernizes mobile payments in Africa". www.wearetech.africa (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Omar Cissé (InTouch) : « En Afrique, la fragmentation des espaces monétaires est un vrai problème » - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ a b c d "Omar Cissé, l'ingénieur système qui cumule les success stories dans l'entrepreneuriat". Fanaka.co. 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ Team, Editorial (2023-12-19). "Senegalese-born Omar Cissé Leads Ventures in French-speaking Africa". Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ a b "Omar Cissé : « Le Sénégal doit avoir ses propres champions »". Le Point (in French). 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Rédaction, La (2018-04-09). "Omar Cissé, directeur général de In Touch". CIOMAG (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ a b "Trois questions à..." Afrique magazine (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "How InTouch is preparing its expansion into 10 African countries". africabusinessplus.com. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "CFAO adds to TotalEnergies and Wordline equity in InTouch". africabusinessplus.com. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "Omar Cissé (InTouch) : « En Afrique, la fragmentation des espaces monétaires est un vrai problème » - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Cissé, Omar (2024-04-11). "FinTech for Africa's SMEs - An interview with Omar Cissé of InTouch Group". Entreprenante Afrique. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "Éco d'ici éco d'ailleurs - Tech, mobile money, Sénégal, Sahel, Franc CFA : Omar Cissé, grand invité de l'économie". RFI (in French). 2024-10-12. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Omar Cissé : « La cashless society est en train de se mettre en place »". Le Point (in French). 2020-04-10. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "Afrofeeling - Best of Africa, bienvenue". www.afrofeeling.com. Retrieved 2024-11-02.