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Yilebes Addis is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of leadership and board experience in Payments, FinTech, Banking, and ICT sectors. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of EthSwitch S.C., the National Payment Switch of Ethiopia, where he leads national efforts in building digital payment infrastructure, advancing interoperability, and promoting financial inclusion.

When Mr. Yilebes joined EthSwitch as CEO, the company was operating at a loss, with limited products, services, and a workforce. Under his leadership, EthSwitch quickly turned profitable, substantially expanded its product and service portfolio, grew its employee, and achieved consistent, year-over-year profitability growth. His leadership also led to the acquisition of the company’s headquarters, the establishment of robust infrastructures and platforms, and the strategic positioning of EthSwitch as a central player in Ethiopia’s digital payments ecosystem.

Mr. Yilebes is also an Advisory Board Member of the COMESA Business Council (CBC), where he contributes to advancing regional digital financial services and supporting cross-border collaboration.

Previously, he served as a Board Director of Tsedey Bank S.C., playing a key role in the bank’s successful transformation from a Microfinance Institution (MFI) to a full-fledged commercial bank. During his tenure, he served as Chairman and Member of various Board Sub-Committees, where he actively supported governance, oversight, and critical transformation initiatives. He is currently serving as a Board Director of Bethzatha Health Services (BHS), contributing to the organization’s strategic direction and governance.

Prior to EthSwitch, Mr. Yilebes held executive roles as Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Kifiya Financial Technology P.L.C., where he led the development and national scaling of digital financial services. He also served at the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), where he successfully led ICT Project Training and Roll-outs across the organization.

Beyond his corporate leadership, Mr. Yilebes has contributed to academia, having served as a Lecturer and Trainer at Addis Ababa University, HiLCoE School of Computer Science & Technology, Unity University, and MicroLink IT College.

He holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Computer Science from Addis Ababa University, and has completed extensive training in Management, Leadership, Technology, and Innovation.

Mr. Yilebes is widely recognized as a transformational leader in financial technology, with proven expertise in building sustainable institutions, scaling digital payment ecosystems, and fostering inclusive digital transformation across the region.