Yilebel Addis: Roles, Education, and Professional Achievements

Yilebes Addis is the Chief Executive Officer of EthSwitch S.C., Ethiopia’s national switch, where he leads the country’s digital financial transformation by promoting interoperability, shared financial infrastructure, and a domestic payment scheme. With over 23 years of experience across banking, ICT, fintech, and digital finance, Yilebes is recognized as a trailblazer in Ethiopia’s payment system modernization and financial inclusion efforts.

Yilebes holds both B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Computer Science from Addis Ababa University (AAU), and has supplemented his technical background with extensive training in finance, digital financial services, leadership, and project management. His dynamic career began in academia as a lecturer at AAU and Unity University, then transitioned into key roles at the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), where he managed ICT projects and rolled out the T24 core banking system.

Prior to joining EthSwitch, he served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and later Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Kifiya Financial Technology, spearheading branchless banking, payment systems, and bill aggregation platforms. In 2018, Yilebes took on the challenge of reviving EthSwitch during a critical phase. Under his leadership, the company not only overcame its limitations but also emerged as a national fintech powerhouse. EthSwitch introduced QR payment systems, instant payments, and a universal ATM access platform, enhancing convenience and expanding digital financial services to millions.

In 2022/23, EthSwitch reported a 172% increase in pre-tax profit, reaching over ETB 534 million, and doubled that in the following year with ETB 1.06 billion—a testament to Yilebes’ visionary leadership and strategic execution. His efforts in winning a USD 2.3 million grant from the African Digital Finance Facility enabled EthSwitch to build critical platforms like the national payment gateway and services for underserved populations.

Yilebes is also a Board Director at Tsedey Bank S.C., and continues to shape the regulatory and operational landscape of Ethiopia’s fintech sector. With a forward-looking vision, he advocates for building a globally competitive digital payment hub in Ethiopia, driven by youth innovation, local tech partnerships, and inclusive financial solutions.