Ayo Ola

Results-driven Chief Operations Officer with over 14 years of progressive leadership across Deposit Money Banks, Microfinance Banking, and high-growth Fintech companies. A proven architect of operational excellence who has delivered 265% revenue growth at ITEX Integrated Services and 190% revenue growth at Vendy Limited, scaled merchant networks from 13,000 to over 50,000 merchants within three months, and managed transaction operations exceeding ₦95 billion in monthly transaction value across six million-plus monthly volumes. Recognised for driving transformational outcomes, including a 67% reduction in operational overhead costs, compressing customer issue resolution from five working days to T+1 cycles, repositioning ITEX from 13th to top 5 among PTSP operators within three months of strategic restructuring, reducing staff attrition from approximately 45% to below 5% in one year, and leading the recovery of over ₦2 billion in customer exposure arising from a critical systems incident affecting 800+ customers.

Possesses deep, hands-on expertise in end-to-end payments infrastructure (NIP, NEFT, NAPS, SWIFT, Card, POS), settlement & reconciliation, fraud management, and digital banking operations. Adept at aligning operational strategy with business growth objectives while building high-performance cultures and maintaining strict regulatory adherence (CBN, NIBSS, PCI-DSS, GDPR, AML/CFT). A collaborative executive leader who earns board confidence and drives transformational change across organisations.

Chief Operations Officer at ITEX Integrated Services Ltd (2025-07 – Present)

• Architect and execute enterprise-wide operational strategy, driving scalability, efficiency, and service delivery excellence across all business units.
• Provide C-suite leadership across Business Operations, Brand & Communications, Customer Experience, Procurement, Facilities, Risk Management, and Compliance, integrating all functions under a unified operational framework.
• Define and enforce a robust KPI and OKR framework that tracks operational performance, supports strategic objectives, and drives accountability at every level.
• Spearhead major project portfolios, ensuring on-time, on-scope, within-budget delivery; champion continuous improvement through structured process enhancement cycles.
• Lead brand & marketing governance, overseeing campaign approvals, corporate communications, CSR activities, and crisis management to protect and advance brand equity.
• Implement a customer-centric service model, leveraging data analytics and feedback loops to continuously elevate customer satisfaction and resolve systemic issues at root-cause level.
• Oversee procurement and vendor negotiations, securing cost-effective, high-quality agreements aligned with organisational growth and operational resilience.
• Develop and maintain Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans, ensuring operational integrity during disruptions.
• Partner with the CEO and Board, delivering regular performance intelligence and financial reporting on operational budgets and strategic priorities.
• Lead a comprehensive risk management framework, ensuring full regulatory compliance, audit readiness, and zero-tolerance for operational breaches.

Chief Operating Officer at Vendy Limited (2024-05 – 2025-06)

• Directed all operational functions, product development, customer service, and technology, ensuring seamless day-to-day performance across a high-volume payment platform.
• Led payment systems optimisation, improving transaction processing speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness; reduced chargeback resolution cycles through streamlined refund protocols.
• Managed vendor payouts, settlements, and chargeback operations; maintained full compliance with PCI-DSS, GDPR, and AML regulations across all payment workflows.
• Drove cross-functional alignment across Product, Sales, Finance, Technology, HR, and Customer Success, breaking silos and accelerating delivery of strategic initiatives.
• Built and scaled a high-performance operations team, implementing structured hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluation frameworks.
• Partnered with Finance to design and manage operational budgets, ensuring cost efficiency while sustaining growth-driven investment.
• Standardised internal processes and policies, improving operational consistency, regulatory alignment, and employee productivity.
• Cultivated a high-performance culture, driving collaboration, accountability, and employee engagement across the organisation.

Head of Operations at Redtech Limited (2022-11 – 2024-04)

• Managed end-to-end operations, overseeing reconciliation, settlement, revenue assurance, customer fulfilment, and merchant support teams.
• Optimised payment system efficiency and customer experience by identifying bottlenecks and implementing scalable process improvements.
• Ensured strict adherence to TAT and SLAs, reducing resolution times and improving merchant and customer satisfaction scores.
• Investigated and resolved fraud and dispute cases, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders; implemented preventive controls to eliminate recurrence.
• Led system integration activities with external stakeholders, managing pre- and post-go-live processes for new product launches.
• Developed and continuously enhanced SOPs, FAQs, and operational guides, ensuring team readiness and compliance with changing product requirements.
• Delivered targeted training programmes to close knowledge gaps, improving team capability and operational resilience.

Head, Banking Operations at Cashconnect Microfinance Bank (2022-01 – 2022-10)

• Oversaw all digital channel operations, enforcing high performance standards and delivering timely management reports on channel efficiency and effectiveness.
• Managed the NIP, Remita, and settlement accounts, ensuring transactions were settled within regulatory SLAs and all inflow/outflow accounts were accurately reconciled daily.
• Supervised the full loan lifecycle, from origination and disbursement to recovery, maintaining delinquency roll-down ratios within regulatory limits.
• Developed and implemented loan recovery strategies and coordinated recovery activities between branches and recovery units.
• Facilitated chargeback and dispute resolution for card payments; supervised POS business operations and ensured timely settlements.
• Produced financial performance analyses and MIS reports for the CEO covering disbursements, client retention, product growth, and branch delinquency.
• Developed annual operational plans and budgets; supervised all IT and technology projects for the bank.

Settlements & Reconciliation Manager, NIP, NEFT & NAPS at United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc (2019-01 – 2021-12)

• Managed NIP/NEFT/NAPS settlement processes across inflow and outflow accounts, ensuring immediate reconciliation upon receipt of NIBSS settlements.
• Performed daily proof of all GL accounts and proofed NEFT/NIP receivable and payable accounts, flagging and resolving over-aged transactions with responsible units.
• Ensured complete accuracy in generation of proof of payable and receivable accounts, maintaining zero-tolerance for settlement errors.
• Provided evidence of transfer and NEFT settlement reports for Treasury Services; conducted CBN accounts reconciliation with full audit-trail documentation.

Funds Transfer Manager, FCY Remittances at United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc (2017-03 – 2018-12)

• Processed all foreign currency transfers in full compliance with CBN regulatory provisions, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of cross-border settlements.
• Created and managed MT SWIFT messages for international remittances; responded to offshore queries and resolved rate differential issues involving third currencies.
• Verified customer supporting documentation against request parameters to maintain compliance and reduce processing errors.

Card & POS Reconciliation and Dispute Officer at United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc (2013-05 – 2017-02)

• Evaluated and processed chargeback claims and resubmissions, analysing and validating dispute lines for cardholders (Visa, Mastercard, Interswitch, ValueCard).
• Conducted daily POS transaction reconciliation, identifying unsettled transactions and processing timely refunds for cardholders.
• Produced daily and weekly MIS reports for management review; extracted business intelligence from payment data including trend analysis and failure rates.
• Maintained strategic business relationships with NIBSS, Unified Payments, Interswitch, and partner settlement banks.
• Ensured accurate reconciled funds postings across all electronic channel transactions and recouped erroneously transferred funds.

Customer Service Officer at Skye Bank Plc (2011-07 – 2013-04)

• Delivered frontline customer service excellence, handling enquiries, complaints, and requests within approved turnaround times, maintaining consistently positive satisfaction scores.
• Processed account openings, KYC checks, account modifications, card issuance, and resolution of failed POS/ATM/USSD transactions in compliance with regulatory standards.
• Championed e-channel adoption by educating customers on digital banking tools and fraud prevention practices, directly contributing to reduced branch congestion.
• Cross-sold banking products and ensured strict adherence to AML/CFT, KYC, and internal compliance guidelines.

Master of Business Administration in MBA – University of Lagos (2026)

Bachelor of Science in Economics – University of Lagos

Diploma in Civil Engineering – Federal Polytechnic, Ede

SSCE – Ife City High School