Kenyan buy-now-pay-later company Lipa Later has appointed Tom Gong, co-founder of AliExpress, as its new chief technology officer. Gong, who previously led technical programs at Google Wallet and co-founded Alibaba's e-commerce platform, assumes the role effective March 2022.
Gong's career includes founding Wanda eCommerce within China's largest commercial real estate company, Wanda Group, in 2012. He later served as a technical program manager for Google Wallet from 2007 to 2009 before joining AllDragon, a SaaS software provider for shopping centers. He holds a Master's in Computer Science and MBA from Columbia University, as well as a bachelor's in electrical engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
In a statement, Gong highlighted Lipa Later's potential in Africa's growing market, noting the continent's 1 billion population with over 50% under 18. The company, founded in 2018, uses data analytics and machine learning to offer instant credit solutions without traditional documentation processes.
Lipa Later secured $12 million in January 2022 from a consortium of investors to expand its operations. Co-founder and CEO Eric Muli praised Gong's appointment, stating his expertise would strengthen the company's technological infrastructure for African market growth.
The firm partners with major retailers including Carrefour, Apple, Samsung, and Tecno, as well as appliance brand Hotpoint through its payment program.
