Babar Yousuf
San Francisco CA +1 707 357 3353 babar@pineapple.world LinkedIn
PRACTICE AREAS
Mobile microfinance | partnerships for impact | Web3 for mobile networks | exchange traded asset compliance | reforming the business of banking | future of mobile financial services | Triple Bottom Line tokenization | DAO interfaces for non technical users | public banking
EXPERIENCE
Pineapple World Inc | Founder and CEO | pineapple.world
2019 - present
After 20 years in technology, media and financial services, I founded a venture studio in San Francisco to focus on Fintech and Web3, finance and banking innovation. Interconnected to 907 telecoms in 156 countries, Pineapple’s first technology product is a Web3 finance layer for mobile airtime users,
Telenor (Tameer) Micro Finance Bank
Director. Head of development and marketing | 2007 - 2012
I joined as Head of Products, to establish financial inclusion for a population of 180 million where over 89% had no previous access to formal finance. In 2008, Tameer Bank partnered with Norwegian phone company Telenor to launch the region’s first mobile money easypaisa.com.pk. This grew the bank from 14 branches to 16,500 nationwide service outlets In 3 years, and turned a profit for the bank within 5 years.
This successful innovation became a case study for Gates Foundation, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. Showcased as an outstanding example in the world, I presented at the 2012 United Nations Rio +20 conference in the Social Impact Investing session hosted by the UN and the Rockefeller Foundation. .
Alt-Source Communication (Yamaha's contact center venture)
Co-founder. Head of development & marketing | 2003 - 2006
Pakistan’s first ISO-certified international contact center for data and voice, with 200 seats. Selected as “preferred call center Karachi” by the Pakistan Software Export Board. Clients included Yamaha, Mc Donald’s, and HP Greenstar. Presented at leading software companies and contact centers in Europe.
Certified with Customer Operations Performance Center Standard
www.copc.com sponsored by the Pakistan Software Export Board.
Indus Television Network | General manager marketing | 2002 - 2003
Pakistan’s first private satellite television network
4 TV channels - Indus Music/later MTV Pakistan, Indus News, Indus Vision & Teleworld.
Indus TV spearheaded the freedom-of-Information revolution which then enabled 100+ networks market entry on the media eco-standard created by Indus.
Launched Indus News, Pakistan's 1st private news channel to cover Pakistan's 2002 general elections in a new style which became the predominant media culture: assertively questioning public representatives. Resulted in a new era of government public accountability in Pakistan.
Indus had a lead role in supporting a modern media rating standard, via the technology based People-Meter with Gallup.
NetSol iR | Manager. Head of marketing & sales | 2000 - 2002
Owned by NetSol USA, a NASDAQ exchange traded company (NTWK)
Internet service provider, part of Pakistan’s internet revolution. Acknowledged by the Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan for becoming a top retail brand within 14 months of launch.
Nexus DNA - agency dedicated to Hewlett Packard Singapore PTE.
Head of account planning, creative and brand communication | 1995 - 2000
Pakistan’s 1st computer and desktop printer brand to massively scale for retail.
Engaged by HP Singapore, to take computers and printers out of the
realm of corporate use, to scale with individual consumers. By 2000, HP had expanded the national market-size, and became the largest information technology brand in Pakistan.
EDUCATION
Greenwich University Karachi | Business Administration
Karachi University | Bachelor of Commerce
BVS Parsi High School | Major in Commerce. Minor in Art & Drawing.
LANGUAGES
Native: English, Urdu. Spoken: Hindi, Punjabi, Hindko. Comprehend: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish