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Originally from Liberia, West Africa, and now a U.S. citizen, Monique Maddy has a knack for creating networks to solve the economic problems facing citizens of developing countries. As Google’s first Entrepreneur-in- Residence, Maddy developed the concept for Ezuza, a mobile payments company targeting the unbanked. As Ezuza founder and CEO, she has spent years building the company’s platform in Mexico. Prior to Ezuza, Maddy founded the tech company Adesemi to finance, build, and operate low-cost wireless services in Africa. Adesemi’s subsidiary in Ghana, now owned by Bharti Airtel, continues to provide mobile telecommunications services to consumers and small businesses. Previously, Maddy worked for the UN Development Program, focusing on technology and economic development. Her assignments took her to Angola, Central African Republic, and Indonesia. Her autobiography, Learning to Love Africa: My Journey from Africa to Harvard Business School and Back, was published by HarperCollins in 2004. Maddy holds a bachelor of science degree in international politics from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in economics and development studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Maddy is fluent in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. For many years, Maddy was an elite marathon runner on the international circuit. She holds the Liberian record in that distance.
