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Viola Llewellyn        

Co-Founder & President of Ovamba Solutions; Leader in FinTech and Advocate for Diversity & Equality

Viola Llewellyn is the co-founder and President of Ovamba Solutions, Inc. Ovamba is an award winning innovator of alternative trade solutions for financial institutions and small businesses. Financial institutions license Ovamba’s SaaS solutions to serve hard-to-finance small businesses with growth capital via trade. Ovamba’s Sharia compliant structures combine blockchain, crypto-currencies, eCommerce, logistics and supply chain solutions along with investment to drive financial inclusion and promote business growth.

Before founding Ovamba, Ms. Llewellyn was a founding team member of a life insurance investment fund ($500M AUM) in Washington, DC where she led business development, investor communications and asset management divisions. In her past career, she has held positions with Unisys Corporation, IBM, Digital Equipment Corp., KPMG Consulting, BearingPoint and Rothschild’s.

Ms. Llewellyn is listed in the “Digital Undivided Report” as one of the original cohort* of Black female tech founders who raised more than $1 million for their own technology company. Some of her other recognitions include Innovate Finance’s “Women in FinTech Power List”, and “Latice80’s Top 100 Women in Fintech 2019”, first Female African Tech Founder to speak at both “Slush”, Helsinki and “Slush, Tokyo”.

In late 2018, her TED Talk was included as part of the “Reboot” Series with Boston Consulting Group. Ms. Llewellyn is a contributing and published author: “Digital For Good: Stand For Something Or You Will Fall” by Chris Skinner; and she has been a contributing author with the Brooking’s Institute and the Wilson Center over the last few years.**

Ms. Llewellyn is a Global Technology Pioneer and Ambassador with the World Economic Forum, and spoke at the prestigious “Davos Summit” conference. She was the Chairperson of The Africa Fintech Summit from 2019 – 2021; she serves on a number of boards including The Africa Professional Services Group and Generosity Global a non-profit supporting water and sanitation projects. In 2022, she and the Ovamba team were selected to represent Cameroon to the Global Blockchain Business Council.

Viola Llewellyn’s family is originally from Cameroon. She was born, raised and educated in the U.K. and lives between the African Continent and the USA.

Speech Topics

FinTech, TradeTech & Innovation For Equitable Access To Finance

Building resilient investment and de-risking lending to small and informal businesses in under-served communities. I share strategies in alternative trade and finance that take into account culture in ways that credit can't and don't. With more than 20 years experience in alternative asset classes and non-correlated structured products, I share early wins and strategies for Emerging market banks and micro-finance institutions. These lessons make for an interesting review of how this applies on a global level and connect the USA to markets that are often overlooked. US Credit Unions and Immigrant communities share a lot in common and are uniquely complimentary in the areas of "curated services." I share my experiences from workshops with US Credit unions and how to connect and build revenue from local diversified groups with international or global roots.

Driving Financial Inclusion via Ethical Finance and Investment

Revolutionizing financial inclusion by removing the "individual" from the underwriting process and focusing on inventory. Trade is an under-used tool for reducing impact of Non-Performing Loans on bank Portfolios. I talk about the Regulatory impact, compliance and integration of both technology and logistics in product development to achieve this type of Financial Inclusion. I share my experiences with creating non-interest bearing products as a solution to address access to business capital

Africa & Emerging Market Investments

With more than 20 years experience in non-western markets and alternative asset classes with non-correlated structured products, I share early wins and strategies for Emerging market banks, business and micro-finance institutions. I clarify, simplify and demystify the pros and cons of global business and best practices from some of the most challenging businesses environments. There are some GREAT reasons for Americans to engage with these markets, especially when the home investment markets are not always the easiest. We all we need to diversify, but how and where?

Women, Leadership and Diversity

As a black woman born and raised in the UK and now living in the USA, I have been privileged with a rare 360 degree view of what it takes to be in tech and finance as a woman. From my early days at IBM in the 80's, building a career in HW & SW sales with Digital Equipment Corporation and part of the leadership team at Unisys corporation during 9/11, there was almost no one like me at the table. I share what I have learnt from being where "No one Expects Me to Be' and how I encourage and mentor women with these experiences.

The 'Tulle Box' -- Strategies for Women in Life

The tools and skills from our 20s and 30s no longer work in our 40s and 50s. How do you "Re-Tool?" What are the signs that you should? No one tells us what to expect in the 3rd act of our lives. This discussion helps re-build our Tool Box for the next phase. This is how to show up Aware, Equipped and Ready!

News

Winning in Africa's fintech: The Ovamba way
Viola Llewellyn on how Ovamba and fintech can offer small businesses the capital and services they need to grow.
What Will It Take To Close The Funding Gap For Black Female ...
Viola Llewellyn, cofounder of African fintech platform Ovamba, spoke at the Black Women Raise event in mid-January about the challenge in getting investors to ...

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