Jessica Valerie Tusiime
Country Management
KAMPALA,102
Summary
P&L owner with 7+ years driving financial services growth across East Africa. Grew a portfolio from $0 to $2M, built high-value partnerships, including NCBA, MTN, and Pesapal, and delivered $400K in direct revenue contributions, while securing all necessary market licenses (Lending and Data Privacy from the Ministry of Finance & NITAU). Scaled operations by building and leading a Credit and Business Development team from 1 to 15 people, and established country operations from the ground up.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Country Manager
Pezesha
Kampala
09.2022 - Current
- Transformed Uganda operations from inception to full functionality, establishing all country-level processes, regulatory compliance, and operational frameworks to enable scalable growth.
- Delivered the highest-performing portfolio across regional markets, growing it from $0 to $2M, driving 270% portfolio growth and contributing 80% of total company revenues through seven high-value partnerships with key partners, including Pesapal, NCBA, and MTN, while reducing NPLs to 4% via a credit risk initiative implemented with Data and Portfolio teams.
- Built and led a 15-person cross-functional team across credit, business development, and operations, coordinating partners, regulators, and internal teams to ensure seamless execution, operational excellence, and measurable market impact.
Finance & Credit Strategy Consultant
Belli Advisory
Uganda
10.2020 - 08.2022
- Advised SMEs, cooperatives, and financial institutions on credit risk, financial modelling, and growth strategies to improve access to capital and strengthen financial resilience.
- Designed and executed capital mobilisation strategies, unlocking $30,000+ in catalytic funding for agro-processing and clean energy enterprises.
- Strengthened PAYGO financing models for six solar SMEs under GIZ EnDev, improving portfolio tracking and reducing NPLs to under 5%.
- Developed financial models, credit frameworks, and risk tools for microfinance institutions and cooperatives, enhancing lending quality and investment readiness.
Portfolio Manager
OCTA Finance
Uganda
08.2018 - 09.2020
- Managed SME lending portfolios and institutional risk oversight, ensuring portfolio sustainability and regulatory readiness.
- Introduced improved credit onboarding frameworks, contributing to a 70% reduction in NPLs.
- Led financial forecasting, performance reporting, and audit preparation aligned with investor and regulatory standards.
- Implemented fraud prevention and compliance controls to strengthen governance and operational integrity.
- Led system migration from QuickBooks to Loan Disc LMS, improving data accuracy by 95% and accelerating reporting and disbursement cycles.
Credit Operations Administrator
Harvest Finance
Uganda
10.2017 - 07.2018
- Evaluated borrower performance, managed credit monitoring, and supported recovery operations.
- Developed a KPI dashboard that contributed to a $50K equity injection from an external investor.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance & Banking
Makerere University
UgandaFinancial Modelling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) -
Corporate Finance Institute
Affiliations
- Member, Policy Action Committee, FITSPA (East Africa)
- Contributor, Digital Financial Services Policy Implementation Initiative
References
Available on request
Timeline
Country Manager
Pezesha
09.2022 - Current
Finance & Credit Strategy Consultant
Belli Advisory
10.2020 - 08.2022
Portfolio Manager
OCTA Finance
08.2018 - 09.2020
Credit Operations Administrator
Harvest Finance
10.2017 - 07.2018
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance & Banking
Makerere University
Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) -
Corporate Finance Institute