The idea
Across emerging Asia, many people have a mobile phone but no credit file. As VP, Embedded Finance at Experian — employee #1 of the business line — I built the Asia business from scratch around a then-new idea: using alternative data, specifically mobile phone data, to create credit profiles in thin-file environments.
Dynamic Airtime Advance
The first launch of this product in APAC, starting with a first-of-its-kind deal with one of Indonesia's leading mobile operators, then expanding across the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Delivered through mobile network operator and mobile wallet APIs, the approach powered more than 8.1 billion credit offers globally by April 2019, over 4.8 billion of them in Southeast Asia, according to Experian.
The cost of cash
Working in cash-heavy markets showed me how expensive cash is to move, collect and secure — and why digital rails matter so much for financial inclusion. That experience shapes how I approach stablecoins today.
Further reading
Digital assets & payments · Singapore