South African financial technology company Ozow has this week announced the appointment of Catherine Korsten as its new Chief Growth Officer (CGO), effective January 2026.
With a career spanning nearly two decades across traditional finance, portfolio management, and high-volume payment sectors, Korsten joins the Ozow executive team at a pivotal moment.
As CGO, she will oversee the company’s expansion strategies, focusing on deepening Ozow’s footprint within the South African market and enhancing merchant-centric value propositions.
Korsten began her career in the world of stockbroking and hedge fund management. However, a fortuitous shift into the payments industry via Flash (a subsidiary of the Pepkor group) redefined her professional trajectory.
It was here that for over 11 years, she gained an intimate understanding of the massive scale of commerce in South Africa, witnessing the power of micro-transactions and the critical importance of robust tech infrastructure.
Her subsequent tenure as Chief Commercial Officer at EFT Corporation further expanded her expertise into the broader African landscape, managing technology provisions across markets including Rwanda and Ethiopia. Now, Korsten is excited to return her focus to her home market.
“I wanted to come back to having an impact in the South African payments landscape,” says Korsten.
“There is so much work still to be done here. I am deeply passionate about the small and micro-business sector. This sector is the engine of our economy, yet it remains underserved. My goal is to ensure we aren’t just solving problems the same old way but going to the grassroots to understand what is required for true financial inclusion.”
In her new role at Ozow, Korsten is committed to shifting the needle on how the industry perceives “best-in-class” service. Her strategy centres on a merchant-first, consumer-first philosophy, ensuring that Ozow’s technology acts as a catalyst for behavioural change and economic growth.
Beyond market share, Korsten is a staunch advocate for servant leadership and gender diversity within the tech space.
“It is a privilege to be a woman in leadership in payments, but there are still far too few of us,” she says. “I take mentorship incredibly seriously. My job as a leader is to build the people that work around me to be the next generation of leadership, to employ people who are better than I am and empower them to take the industry forward.”
Korsten’s appointment follows a period of sustained growth and innovation for Ozow as they continue to bridge the gap between banked and unbanked South Africans. Beyond this mission, her leadership will be pivotal in deepening merchant partnerships and ensuring the company services clients with excellence. Her deep understanding of the ‘tipping point’ in business will be instrumental as she scales the product suite and drives continuous, mutual growth for the company and its merchant base.
“We are thrilled to welcome Catherine to Ozow, her appointment builds on Ozow’s strong track record of empowering female leaders, andher unique blend of deep technical payment expertise and her genuine passion for the South African merchant community makes her the perfect fit for this role. Catherine’s leadership style and her commitment to fostering talent will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and provide world-class payment solutions that drive financial inclusion across the country,” says Rachel Cowan, interim CEO of Ozow.
