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WOMEN-IN-TECH
Teresiah Kairu: Scaling Corporate Heights at BitPesa 6 offices in 2 continents,” she reveals. The COO attributes her success to the rich corporate culture of BitPesa and her core values. “My core values are excellence and reliability which I also look out for in other people. “
She smashed the proverbial glass ceiling and established a firm niche for herself in the male-dominated industries of finance and technology. Currently sitting at the helm of BitPesa as the Chief Operations Officer, Teresia Kairu banks on her rich 10 years’ experience in finance management with special interest in audit and transfer pricing. Words Oroni Tendera
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I joined BitPesa 4 years ago, and my growth here has been astronomical,” she says. In only 4 years, Teresia has witnessed the company growStartupmagazine.co.ke October 2019
ing in leaps and bounds. “I joined as a finance manager when we were just 10 people in one room. Right now, I am the COO, working collaboratively with a team of over 100 people, spread across
When Teresia joined BitPesa, she religiously focused on audits that her co-workers christened her ‘T-audit.’ “I had to go through many documents and data for different entities,” she adds, “I also had to source for auditors and ensure proper documentation.” Her first challenge at the firm, she says, taught her an invaluable lesson in managing complex projects. “Through this type of work, I learnt the need to be clear and communicative about the status of projects by having a firm grasp of what is going on,’’ she avers. Asked about her work philosophy, Teresia alludes to Mr. Adam Gouveia, BitPesa’s Chief Financial Officer. “When I was knee-deep executing my role, Adam
