Sandra leads our Risk and Compliance operations in Uganda. She has been with Chipper for 18 months.
What inspired you to join the fintech industry, and how has your journey been so far at Chipper?
We were witnessing the digital evolution of financial services, inspired by its impact in creating convenience and reaching financially excluded populations. I wanted to be a part of this and was particularly curious about how regulatory compliance would adapt, so I started reading and learning. I was a Chipper customer who was already impressed with the company’s product offering and market reach, so when I saw the Uganda Compliance Manager role posted on LinkedIn, I was excited to apply. I got the call from a recruiter and the second thing I said after “Hello” was “What took you so long?!”.
The journey at Chipper has been a whirlwind but also the richest experience of my career! I now oversee Risk and Compliance for East Africa and work with some of the best people I have ever met.
What advice would you give to your younger self starting out in their career?
I would tell her to stay curious and be open to change. Be relentless in the pursuit of the things she wants. However, she will need a lot of courage. Also, negotiate everything!
We know the importance mentorship can play in shaping careers. How has mentorship or sponsorship influenced your professional growth?
My life and career have been shaped by a number of amazing women and men. I have had access to the wisdom, experience and support of individuals that have inspired, vouched for and continue to root for me. I will be forever grateful. We also have to acknowledge that access to mentorship is oftentimes a privilege. I think the role it plays in workplaces should be complementary to a system of merit, not instead of.
If you could have a coffee with any influential woman who has made a mark in your world, who would it be and why?
It would be tea, and it would be with my Mum. She’s the warmest, most incredible human and I just want to continue learning from her. I know there are parts of her life I still have no clue about.
What personal values do you hold dear and why?
- Constantly evaluate oneself. Taking accountability for the things in your control will allow you to do and be better.
- Be a person of your word. You have to be dependable and consistent to earn trust.
- Treat everyone with respect and kindness. Just because it is the right thing to do.
- Give 100% to the people you choose to care about. Because all we have at the end of it all is each other.
If you were to host a TED Talk, what would you speak about?
I would draw on something my sisters and I talked about recently and that was re-evaluating the adage “it takes a village” – what our responsibilities are in the social contracts of community and interrogating the expectations.
We have a work playlist (Tunes from the Chipperverse). What is your go-to song that helps you power through a busy day? If it’s not already on our playlist, we’ll add it!
Typically, anything from Janet Jackson but currently (and I mean since October 2023!) it’s been Cassper Nyovest’s album 'Solomon'.
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