Monique Maddy

Monique Maddy is originally from Liberia and is now a U.S. citizen. Monique has lived and worked extensively in Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. She is the Founder and CEO of EZUZA, a mobile payments company focusing primarily on the un-banked and under-banked in emerging markets.

In 1993, Monique founded her first technology services company, African Communications Group (later renamed Adesemi), to finance, build and operate low-cost wireless telecommunications services in emerging markets. Adesemi successfully built the world’s first fully integrated wireless “virtual” phone network, a service consisting of public payphones, voicemail and pagers, targeting low-income consumers and small businesses in the informal sector. Adesemi’s subsidiary in Ghana, ACG Telesystems Ghana, subsequently renamed Westel, was awarded Africa’s first “Second National Operator” license” by the government of Ghana.

From 1986-1991, Monique worked for the United Nations Development Program with assignments in New York, Jakarta (Indonesia), Luanda (Angola), and Bangui (Central African Republic). During this period she focused on telecommunications technology and its transformational potential as a tool for economic development.

Monique holds a Bachelor of Science degree in international politics from Georgetown University, a Master’s Degree in economics and development studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. Monique speaks English, French, Portuguese and Spanish and has a working knowledge of Italian and Swedish. For many years, Monique was an elite marathon runner, competing on the international major marathon circuit. She continues to be an avid runner.