John Yuko
CARD BUSINESS & PAYMENTS SPECIALIST
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About
Payments and cards technology professional with more than 15 years of experience across Kenyan banking, card issuing and acquiring, payment switching and digital channels. At I&M Bank, progressed from card operations into senior cards technology leadership, delivering card-system changes, scheme compliance, integrations and production support.
Since
October 2025, working as an independent consultant on card and payment-system projects, including WAY4 data warehouse integration and PL/SQL query and package tuning.
Experience
Independent Payments & Cards Technology Consultant - Independent Consultant
(2025-10)
Consultancy projects include
- Supported Visa 3-D Secure 2.2.x certification work.
- Configured multicurrency ATM downloads, including message specifications and currency cassette settings.
- Integrated an e-commerce merchant with M-Pesa STK Push.
- Integrated WAY4 with an Oracle data warehouse and business intelligence environment, developing and tuning PL/SQL queries and packages to improve query efficiency.
Senior Manager, ICT – Cards & E-Channels - I&M Bank
(2023-04 - 2025-10)
- Worked with business, technology and operations teams to plan and deliver card system changes.
- Reviewed how card services, APIs and connected systems fit together, and contributed to infrastructure and business continuity planning.
- Worked with teams to apply Visa and Mastercard requirements to the card switch after certification.
- Handled HSM setup and configuration, and supported ATM, POS and card issuing initiatives.
- Kept card and e-channel projects moving from planning through delivery, using Agile and lean methods and working closely with business teams on launches.
Manager, Digital Business – Cards Management Systems Project Manager - I&M Bank
(2022-11 - 2023-04)
- Coordinated card system changes and scheme requirements across I&M Bank Kenya and subsidiary teams.
- Reviewed card architecture and API connections, and worked with business units on card, ATM and POS initiatives.
- Brought internal teams and external partners together to deliver changes and plan for business continuity.
Manager, ICT – Cards & Payment Systems (previously Assistant Manager) - I&M Bank
(2011-11 - 2022-08)
- Helped set up and integrate Way4 for issuing and acquiring, including payment APIs, 3-D Secure and Access Control Server components.
- Coordinated card switch changes to meet Visa and Mastercard requirements, including testing during certification windows.
- Provided Level 3 support for ATM and card switch applications, Internet and Mobile Banking, and Pesalink. Monitored service availability, investigated incidents and worked with colleagues and vendors to resolve them.
- Supported payment gateway API integrations through the ESB, as well as connections between card services, Mpesa and core banking.
- Turned business requirements into transaction flows and product tariffs in Finacle, and supported channel scripting in Finacle 10.
- Supported card product changes, ATM and POS services, merchant acquiring and card system disaster recovery exercises.
- During the Finacle 7x-to-10x upgrade, helped test card account uploads, settlement postings and card fee collection.
Card Centre Officer - I&M Bank
(2009-08 - 2011-11)
- Supported card systems connected to ATMs, Visa, Kenswitch, the HSM and core banking. Also administered prepaid card interfaces and supported e-commerce acquiring.
- Ran end-of-day and end-of-month card programs, processed credit card billing, backed up switch servers and trained users.
- Contributed to the product setup and integration of the Mpesa Prepaid Card (2011).
Officer, Operations Integrity Department - Stanbic Bank
(2008-07 - 2009-10)
- Reconciled Nostro and suspense accounts, reviewed exceptions and checked SWIFT statement uploads for accuracy.
Officer, Reconciliation Department - CfC Bank
(2008-07 - 2009-10)
- Checked transactions in Temenos T24 and reconciled Nostro, suspense, central bank, foreign currency clearing, ATM and other accounts.
IT Support - Institute for Research in Sustainable Energy and Development
(2004-06 - 2006-09)
- Maintained the office LAN and Linux (Samba)-Windows network and supported organizational web and information systems.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Information Technology - Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) (2001 - 2005)
