Case Study: Empowering Africa's Informal Economy Through Digital Transformation

Leaders Placed. Futures Shaped. Impact Delivered.
Each placement is more than a hire — it’s a transformation.

Client: Lagos-based B2B marketplace

Roles: Chief Technology Officer, Chief Product Officer, Head of Engineering, Head of Enterprise Architecture and Country Directors for Kenya and South Africa.
Challenge: Attract and retain top-tier leadership capable of driving its ambitious plans forward.
Outcome: Strategic leadership placements and the establishment of a dedicated talent function strengthened the organisation’s capacity to execute its ambitious growth plans.

Background

A Lagos-based B2B marketplace, founded in 2020, set out to transform the way MSME merchants conduct business by digitising traditional operations. The platform enables merchants to connect with manufacturers, manage sales and inventory, track business performance, and access financing. By mid-2023, the platform had successfully onboarded over 300,000 merchants and facilitated more than $1 billion in annualised Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) demonstrating its impact and rapid adoption.

Challenge

The company’s rapid growth brought with it a series of complex challenges. Scaling the platform across diverse African markets required not only technical agility but also a deep understanding of local business ecosystems. To sustain this momentum, the business needed to attract and retain top-tier leadership capable of driving its ambitious plans forward.

At the same time, developing robust financial services was critical to supporting merchants’ expansion, while ensuring that offline merchants could be digitised with minimal friction. In parallel, the organisation was navigating the complexities of entering new markets, including South Africa and Kenya, each with its own unique regulatory, cultural, and commercial landscape.

Approach

We partnered with the company to address these challenges through:

• Leadership Placements: Facilitated recruitment of senior leaders, including a Chief
• Technology Officer, Chief Product Officer, Head of Engineering, Head of Enterprise
• Architecture and Country Directors for Kenya and South Africa.
• Market Expansion Support: Provided guidance on leadership recruitment, strategy, and fractional leaders for expansion into new markets.
• Product & FinTech Expertise: Supported the design and implementation of an internal credit evaluation system, enabling over $70 million in credit facilitation for merchants.
• Talent Function Development: Established a structured talent acquisition capability, culminating in the hiring of a Head of Talent who built a full recruitment team.

The Outcome

The company successfully scaled its platform to serve hundreds of thousands of merchants across multiple African markets, driving the digital transformation of thousands of traditional businesses with minimal disruption. Its innovative internal credit evaluation system facilitated over $70 million in financing, empowering merchants to grow their operations and increase profitability.

Strategic leadership placements and the establishment of a dedicated talent function strengthened the organisation’s capacity to execute its ambitious growth plans. These combined efforts not only culminated in a successful Series B funding round in 2023, valuing the business at $300 million, but also positioned the company as a leading player in Africa’s B2B digital marketplace. Building on this foundation, the business has since diversified into a commodity exchange, expanding its impact and creating new avenues for trade, efficiency, and financial inclusion across the continent.

Impact

Through strategic leadership placements and advisory support, the company transformed its operational capacity, expanded into multiple African markets, and empowered informal merchants with digital tools and access to finance, realising its vision of an inclusive B2B marketplace.