Hazem Alhajii
Vancouver,BC
Summary
Entrepreneur and advocate for financial inclusion, leveraging over a decade of operations leadership with international NGOs in Syria. Now transitioning this expertise to the fintech realm as the Founder of Cash-Fi, an early-stage platform bringing mobile money and digital payments to underserved Syrian communities. Certified in digital finance and mobile money operations, with practical experience navigating regulatory compliance, risk management, and partnership building in fragile settings. Fluent in Arabic and proficient in English, committed to expanding safe, transparent financial services.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Founder & CEO
CASH-FI fintech
Remote, Syria
02.2022 - Current
- Founded Cash-Fi to deliver mobile money, remittances, and digital financial tools to underserved Syrian populations.
- Built partnerships with technology vendors, local retailers, and humanitarian actors to enable a two-sided digital payment ecosystem.
- Conducted regulatory research and designed KYC/AML procedures aligned with local and international standards.
- Oversaw product roadmap, agent network setup, and customer onboarding strategies.
- Secured admittance to global accelerator programs (Founder Institute, Interledger Foundation).
Sales Consultant
Glentel
Surrey, BC, Canada
10.2024 - 04.2025
- Own Middle-East customer segment for a national telecom, tailoring offers and support in Arabic/English to lift activations ↑ 22% and grow ARPU ↑ 11 %.
- Built faith-based referral partnerships with 12+ churches, mosques, and community centres in British Columbia, adding 475 new lines and ≈ USD 180k revenue within six months.
- Partnered with Marketing to localise campaigns (flyers, WhatsApp, in-store POS) for Middle-Eastern audiences, boosting promo conversion rates 18%.
Community Solutions Fellow
U.S. Department of State / IREX
Washington, D.C., US
05.2023 - 06.2024
- Selected among 8,400 applicants for this competitive, year-long professional development program supporting global community leaders.
- Completed a four-month practicum with a U.S.-based organization, focusing on conflict resolution and peacebuilding strategies in fragile states.
- Engaged in the Community Leadership Institute, enhancing leadership and technical skills through tailored training and coaching.
- Developed and initiated a community action project aimed at expanding access to secure, transparent financial services in underserved Syrian communities
Field Sales Team Lead
LINQ Agancy
Vancouver, Canada
03.2024 - 05.2024
- Led a multicultural team to promote partners' credit cards to populations, aligning with compliance and data protection standards.
- Developed field sales strategies targeting newcomers, refugees, and low-credit-score individuals, supporting financial access and literacy.
- Built partnerships with local businesses and community organizations to improve outreach, driving consistent lead conversion.
Operations Officer
MERCY CORPS
Raqqa, Syria
06.2018 - 04.2023
- Managed day-to-day logistics for humanitarian operations, including procurement, inventory control, fleet coordination, and supply chain tracking.
- Coordinated delivery and distribution of aid supplies to field locations in collaboration with program and security teams.
- Supported office administration functions such as HR documentation, travel coordination, and facility management.
- Liaised with vendors, service providers, and local authorities to ensure smooth operational support in dynamic contexts.
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Concern Worldwide
Manbij, Syria
11.2016 - 06.2018
- Developed data collection tools and conducted field monitoring to assess program performance and beneficiary satisfaction.
- Supported project evaluations through baseline and endline surveys, FGDs, and key informant interviews.
- Analyzed quantitative and qualitative data to track project indicators and generate insights for program improvement.
Program Coordinator
Syrian Arab Red Crescent
Manbij, Syria
01.2009 - 03.2014
- Built and maintained relationships with beneficiary communities, ensuring programs addressed local needs and sensitivities.
- Represented SARC in coordination meetings with local authorities and NGO partners.
- Trained new volunteers on Red Cross and Red Crescent principles, supporting knowledge dissemination and team integration.
Education
Some College (No Degree) - Certified Digital Finance Practitioner
Digital Frontiers Institute (DFI)
(in Progress)11-2026
Inclusive Instant Payment Systems (IIPS) Programme
Digital Frontiers Institute
12-2024
Some College (No Degree) - Business Administration And Management
University of Aleppo
12-2012
Skills
- Mobile money operations
- Humanitarian cash transfers
- Regulatory compliance and risk management
- Stakeholder engagement and partnerships
- Product rollout and customer success
- Operations management and budgeting
- Conflict resolution
- Leadership
Certification
- Inclusive instant & interoperable Beyond Finance
- Certificate in Digital Money
- Fintech Marketing in Emerging Markets
- Leading Digital Money Markets
- Launching and Operating IIP Systems
- Mobile Money Operations
- IIPS Capstone
Awards & Recognition
Community Solutions Fellowship Award – U.S. Department of State / IREX (2023–2024)
Selected from a global pool of 8,400 applicants for demonstrated leadership and commitment to conflict resolution.
References
- Abdullah Osman, Mercy Corps/ abdullah.osman@mercycorps.com
- Khaled Khan, Glentel/ jdo@glentel.com
Timeline
Sales Consultant
Glentel
10.2024 - 04.2025
Field Sales Team Lead
LINQ Agancy
03.2024 - 05.2024
Community Solutions Fellow
U.S. Department of State / IREX
05.2023 - 06.2024
Founder & CEO
CASH-FI fintech
02.2022 - Current
Operations Officer
MERCY CORPS
06.2018 - 04.2023
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Concern Worldwide
11.2016 - 06.2018
Program Coordinator
Syrian Arab Red Crescent
01.2009 - 03.2014
Some College (No Degree) - Certified Digital Finance Practitioner
Digital Frontiers Institute (DFI)
Inclusive Instant Payment Systems (IIPS) Programme
Digital Frontiers Institute
Some College (No Degree) - Business Administration And Management
University of Aleppo
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