Bilal Qureshi

Bilal Qureshi

Innovation expert with years of diversified experience in Payments, digital financial services, tech start-up ecosystem development, and impact investment. Hands-on experience in Payments infrastructure projects, User Interface & User Experience design projects, Pay as you go Solar for off-grid, Financial Inclusion, Strategy, Project Management, and Product Development. Held Management positions in both private as well as development sector organizations, specializing in end-to-end digitalization projects.

Recent relevant experience (non-exhaustive)

  • Since 2018, worked with GSMA on different innovation projects in multiple Asian markets with a primary focus on digital inclusion while contributing directly to UN SDGs. Currently working on Fintech, health tech, education tech, and smart city projects to create social-economic impact with commercially sustainable models. 
  • Pakistan research lead for CGAP DATA project. Helping to identify the gaps in the digital financial inclusion space of Pakistan Also developing initiatives that can help to create a more inclusive financial ecosystem.
  • Participated as a Digital Financial Services (DFS) expert for iConsult to evaluate JS Bank and Telenor Microfinance Bank’s IR projects that were funded by Karandaaz Pakistan.
  • At Karandaaz, led their innovation function with a focus on government payments digitalization projects. Also worked on a team on setting up Pakistan’s payment scheme (RAAST). Developed Karandaaz’s strategy for implementing Gates Foundation Financial Inclusion Program in the country. Developed NBP digital financial inclusion strategy, developed user interface and user experience design principle for mobile financial service providers of Pakistan (Jazz & Easpiasa).
  • As Strategic Planning Specialist at Telenor Easypaisa launched Pakistan’s first Solar Pay as-You Go Model. It was designed to provide energy services to the off-grid community on a microfinancing model while digitally collecting payments using mobile financial services. 
  • At UNDP, led Pakistan GLOF project and successfully launched Pakistan’s first Glacier monitoring and early warning system in the Himalayas and Karakuram region to forecast glacier lake outburst floods and mitigate associated risks. 
  • As Project Coordinator with the World Bank, designed, developed, and implemented an education monitoring system to improve public schooling in the province of Sindh.