Cross Switch Strengthens Senior Leadership Across the Board as Pan-African Expansion Accelerates

Cross Switch, the payment technology company driving digital transactions across emerging markets, has appointed four senior leaders since the turn of the year. Together, these arrivals deepen the company’s capabilities across technology, operations and regional growth.

The appointments span the executive team and two key regional markets. Jacob Yermalitski, a co-founder, has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer, and Jerome Alfred has joined as Chief Operating Officer, based in Cape Town.

Gillian Koinange has joined as Head of Business Development, East Africa, based in Nairobi, while Nondumiso Siboto has joined Cross Switch as Head of Operations, South Africa, based in Cape Town.

These appointments reflect the company’s strategy, accelerating the pace at which Cross Switch is bringing its services to more markets across the African continent and to an ever-increasing number of merchants and local partners. Scaling its dynamic CS+ Platform, which connects merchants, payment partners, and service providers to banks, mobile wallets, and local payment rails, at this rate requires deeper bench strength across product, operations, and regional commercial leadership.

A Consolidated Technology Agenda

Jacob Yermalitski’s promotion to CTO consolidates the technology agenda under a co-founder who has helped shape Cross Switch’s engineering direction since day one. He previously served as Director of Engineering, building the foundations of the company’s scalable, API-driven infrastructure.

As CTO, he will lead the technology vision and continue scaling the platform across multiple regions.

Operational Discipline at Scale

Jerome Alfred’s appointment as COO brings more than 15 years of fintech and banking leadership to the operational side of the business. He has a strong track record of energising high-growth platforms and managing end-to-end operations.

His experience extends across complex regulatory environments in multiple jurisdictions. He will oversee day-to-day operations in South Africa and drive strategic initiatives as the company moves into its next phase of growth.

Fresh Leadership Across Africa

The regional appointments reflect Cross Switch’s pan-African ambition.

Gillian Koinange, the new Head of Business Development for East Africa, brings more than two decades of experience. She has driven revenue growth and built strategic partnerships across the continent, mainly focusing on the IT, telecommunications, fintech, and SaaS sectors.

Nondumiso Siboto, as Head of Operations for South Africa, brings extensive experience in scaling business functions and customer success within fintech and SaaS environments. She has a strong track record in optimising processes and improving efficiency in fast-paced, high-growth organisations.

Together, these four appointments help position Cross Switch for sustained growth and continued expansion. The company is investing in leadership at the same pace as it is investing in platform capability and regional reach.

Tim Davis, Group CEO of Cross Switch, says: “The pace and direction of these appointments tell the story of where Cross Switch is heading. We are scaling a platform that simplifies digital payments across some of the world’s most dynamic markets. The leaders we are bringing in have the strategic and operational clarity to take us there and help make payments easier for our customers.”

With cross-border ecosystems converging, payment systems integrating, and regulation maturing, the companies driving transformation will be those with the leadership depth to operate at scale.

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