Pan-African payments startup Cauridor appoints ex-Flutterwave operations leader Awa Koné as COO

The appointment comes as the company looks to scale the operational infrastructure behind its pan-African payments network.

Copy link to article
Cauridor

Editor’s note: African-Startups is a sister publication of EU-Startups, bringing trusted coverage of startups, venture capital, and innovation across Africa.

Cauridor, a cross-border payment infrastructure firm operating in 36 African countries, has named Awa Koné as its Chief Operating Officer. The appointment comes as the company looks to scale the operational infrastructure behind its pan-African payments network.

Before joining Cauridor, Koné spent over five years as the Global Head of Operations at African FinTech unicorn Flutterwave. As a senior leader, she was instrumental in developing and expanding the company’s payment and treasury systems, which facilitated growth across Africa, Europe, America, and Asia. Her areas of expertise include African FinTech, cross-border money movement, and operating in complex, regulated environments.

Prior to Flutterwave, Koné was General Manager at Swiss Re Cote d’Ivoire, leading its expansion into West Africa. 

“I am excited to join Cauridor at such a pivotal moment. The opportunity to help build infrastructure that simplifies cross-border payments and unlocks real economic opportunities across the African continent is incredibly compelling,” said Koné. 

Founded in Guinea in 2022 by Oumar Barry and Abdoulaye Bah, Cauridor was spun out of BNB Transfer Corp in 2022. It is a B2B-focused FinTech company on a mission to digitally transform Africa’s financial ecosystem. 

Through a single API, the company integrates mobile money providers, banks, and international money transfer operators, enabling seamless, interoperable cross-border payments across 36 African countries.

Cauridor CEO, Dr Oumar Barry, said, “What struck me about Awa was not just her experience but her understanding of what it takes to build in African markets specifically. Her track record speaks for itself, but it is that contextual depth that truly sets her apart. We are building something significant at Cauridor, and having her lead our operations puts us in a strong position for what comes next.”

Earlier this year, in January, BnB Transfer Corp announced its official rebrand to Cauridor. “The rebrand from BnB Transfer Corp to Cauridor reflects the company’s expanded scope, unified brand identity, and long-term vision of building a digitally interconnected economy that enables seamless cross-border payments and financial services. While the company name has changed, Cauridor remains the same legal entity, leadership team, and operational organisation formerly known as BnB Transfer Corp,” the company mentioned in the press release. 

Cauridor partners with global leaders, including Ria, MoneyGram, Western Union, Taptap Send, Ecobank, UBA, MTN, and Orange to deliver competitive FX rates, trusted relationships, and localised customer support. Its B2C brand is called BNB.