CEO of Hubtel, Alex Bram is advocating for a national honour for Archie Hesse as he bows out as CEO of Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlements System, saying that very few names in Ghana’s digital economy command the quiet respect and admiration that Archie does.
In a tribute copied exclusively to Techfocus24, Alex Bram described Archie Hesse as the titan and gentle giant of Ghana’s fintech infrastructure, adding that he is the steady hand behind the scenes who helped transform how Ghanaians move money, access services, and engage with the digital economy.
Archie served excellently at GhIPSS for 18 years, out of which he was the CEO for 13 years, a period during which digital payments saw tremendous transformation in Ghana, characterized by innovation, collaboration and expanded inclusivity.
By the nature of their work, Archie and his team at GhIPSS were not a consumer-facing stakeholder, but anyone who has benefitted from innovations such as e-zwich, GH-link, GhIPSS Instant Pay, Mobile Money Interoperability, GhanaPay wallet, GhQR and several other such real-time payment service through their banks, telcos and fintech firms, owe Archie a depth of gratitude.
Alex Bram noted that for nearly two decades, Archie has been the unseen force behind Ghana’s payments ecosystem, making sure it works better, leading the team that makes it work beautifully.
“As he moves on from his role as CEO of GhIPSS, we pause to honour the man whose steady leadership and vision have helped define an entire industry,” he said. “He has been, without exaggeration, the titan and gentle giant of Ghana’s fintech infrastructure — the steady hand behind the scenes who helped transform how Ghanaians move money, access services, and engage with the digital economy,” he said.
He noted that even though Archie Hesse is moving on after 18 years of service to Ghana, what he built remains deeply woven into the fabric of Ghana’s daily life and future.
The Infrastructure Behind Everyday Ease
Bram observed that today in Ghana, people can, send and receive money across mobile money networks in seconds, move funds between bank accounts and wallets without stress and access digital financial services at any time, without queues or cash crunches.
“These everyday conveniences — which we now take for granted — did not exist by default. They are the result of a deliberate, visionary, and technically complex effort,” he said.
Under Archie’s leadership, he noted, Ghana saw the rollout of platforms like e-zwich, Gh-Link, GhIPSS Instant Pay (GIP), and Mobile Money Interoperability, saying that these national assets enable seamless transactions, financial inclusion, and business innovation across the country.
He noted that many countries in Africa and beyond still grapple with fragmented, siloed payment systems, but Ghana stands out as the envy of the continent when it comes to interoperability, thanks to the foresight and dedication of Archie Hesse.
The Quiet Bridge-Builder
Bram described Archie as a quiet bridge builder, saying that one of Archie’s greatest strengths has always been his ability to bring people together – banks, fintechs, telcos, regulators – and align them behind a shared goal without the fanfare and showmanship of meetings or public discussions.
“He wasn’t loud. He didn’t demand headlines. Instead, he built bridges. He navigated competing interests. And he moved mountains, one policy and one partnership at a time,” he said.
According to him, what set Archie apart was not just technical leadership, but a deep understanding of people, how to rally teams, how to build consensus, and how to get things done without ever losing his calm or his conviction.
“On a personal level, I will miss his occasional invitations to GhIPSS — often just to share ideas, get feedback, or brainstorm how to help the ecosystem innovate better. He was never afraid to ask questions, never too proud to learn from others, and always looking ahead to what Ghana could do next,” Bram stated.
He said it was always a joy and a lesson to see Archie pitch his new initiatives with the gusto of an entrepreneur with an idea that can change the world, adding that, that humility he brought to old projects and new ideas – paired with his deep expertise – made him a rare kind of leader, and those moments were and will always be a lesson for industry players.
Ghana Must Honour Him
Bram believes that Archie Hesse deserves to be honoured, saying that even though he has stepped down from the GhIPSS top job, he will still be guided by the same level of commitment to excellence, national development, and quiet innovation that defined his journey at GhIPSS in the next chapter of his life.
“From all of us at Hubtel, we say: Ayekoo. Mo ne yo. You have our highest honour, Sir,” Bram stated. “We celebrate you. Our customers celebrate you. And Ghana, most certainly, celebrates you. We thank you — and we wish you the very best in your next endeavours.”
