His 18-year journey, with 13 years as CEO, leaves a remarkable legacy of innovation, efficiency, and excellence in digital payments for Ghana.

Mr. Hesse joined GhIPSS, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank of Ghana established in 2007 to spearhead the digitalization of payment systems, at its very beginning.

Starting as the General Manager for Projects and Business Development and becoming CEO five years later, he embarked on a path that would profoundly transform both the organization and Ghana’s financial services ecosystem.

Archie Hesse’s legacy is mainly in driving organizational transformation, pioneering digital solutions, unifying stakeholders and ensuring continuity.

Archie Hesse is widely recognized for his pivotal role in When he took over as CEO, GhIPSS, then a five-year-old institution, was struggling to establish itself. He implemented a series of , decentralizing operations and making the company more agile.

He also initiated These efforts dramatically turned the company around, moving it from a heavily subsidized entity to a profitable one—a rare accomplishment within the public sector. The commissioning of GhIPSS’ new ultra-modern ten storey office in 2023, a significant upgrade from its single-storey premises occupied since 2008, stands as a testament to this remarkable turnaround.

Mr. Hesse, a Ghanaian professional with German training and a robust background in operations and IT logistics, has been a driving force behind various initiatives at GhIPSS. He has consistently served as either a lead implementer or a visionary, bringing transformational impact to individuals and businesses across Ghana.

As General Manager for Projects and Business Development, his first project was the implementation of the ‘e-zwich’ Biometric Smart Card Banking and Retail System in 2008. The e-zwich system is today at the heart of government social grant payments, salary and wage payments by private sector companies, and government agencies, providing a strong audit trail and certainty of payments to intended beneficiaries because of its biometric (fingerprint) user authentication feature.

In 2009, Mr. Hesse was instrumental in digitizing the clearing of paper cheques. This groundbreaking initiative drastically reduced cheque processing times from a maximum of 10 days (and a minimum of 3) to just 24 hours (and 4 hours, respectively), providing tangible benefits for business payments and collections. Building on this success, GhIPSS introduced ACH services in 2010, facilitating interbank bulk fund transfers. This made it significantly easier for businesses to manage mass disbursements via direct credit and collections through direct debit. Today, ACH direct credit transfers can be completed within 15 minutes, significantly enhancing the turnaround time for crucial payments like salaries and dividends.

Under Mr. Hesse’s leadership in 2012, GhIPSS launched the gh-link domestic network and card scheme. This initiative enabled banks to interoperate their white-label payment cards, proving to be a game-changer for non-bank financial institutions and payment service providers (PSPs). It allowed them to venture into e-business with minimal investment and leverage the nationwide network to provide their customers with vital access to funds.

In 2015, GhIPSS, under his guidance, pioneered bank account-based instant payments, making Ghana the third country in Africa (after South Africa and Nigeria) to launch a nationwide scheme.

A significant milestone occurred in 2018 when GhIPSS delivered a first in Africa: a platform-level mobile money interoperability solution. This innovation is central to Ghana’s financial inclusion drive, enabling the seamless movement of funds across different mobile money operators. This platform was further enhanced by integrating it with bank accounts and e-zwich cards, creating what Mr. Hesse aptly termed “the Financial Inclusion Triangle.”

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when contactless payments were crucial to curbing the virus’s spread, Mr. Hesse led his team to launch GhQR. This non-contact digital acceptance solution, based on QR code technology, was another African first. It provided a universal digital acceptance solution, allowing businesses to accept payments from various customer funding sources, including bank accounts, mobile money accounts, and digital wallets.

In a collaborative effort with the Ghana Association of Banks in 2022, Mr. Hesse spearheaded the implementation of a shared mobile money platform for banks – GhanaPay. This initiative offers banks a cost-effective and appropriate tool to advance their financial inclusion objectives, marking yet another first in Africa.

These visionary initiatives have undeniably placed Ghana on the global map, attracting numerous study visits annually from those eager to learn from the GhIPSS success story.

Unifying Stakeholders and Ensuring Continuity

One of the hallmarks of Mr. Hesse’s tenure was his ability to unify key stakeholders, including those initially skeptical of GhIPSS’s mandate. Through diplomacy, technical competence, and strategic collaboration, he fostered strong partnerships with banks, telecom companies, Fin-techs, regulators, and the broader business community.

His professionalism and performance were so highly regarded that he remained in his post despite changes in government. As he stated, “Being allowed to serve across different administrations taught me the value of continuity in leadership… It’s important that public officials uphold the highest professional standards regardless of which government is in power. The dividends of such consistency are evident in the GhIPSS story.”

Recognition and Lasting Impact

Mr. Hesse’s performance earned him and GhIPSS numerous local and international awards. His influence extended beyond Ghana, as he contributed significantly to regional and global discussions on payments infrastructure and interoperability.

Reflecting on his journey, Mr. Hesse expressed profound gratitude to the various governors of the Bank of Ghana for their unwavering support, mentorship, and collaboration. He also thanked successive boards, management teams, and staff, urging the current leadership to “continue to shepherd the organisation to even greater heights.”

Mr. Archie Hesse, whose name is synonymous with GhIPSS’s success, departs with his head held high, having digitized Ghana’s financial terrain and positioned GhIPSS as a shining example of what visionary leadership can achieve, even within the public sector. His commitment to financial inclusion, digital innovation, and institutional excellence has earned him widespread recognition, including accolades such as:

These honors are not merely ceremonial; they represent a tangible legacy of impact felt by millions across Ghana and beyond.

Archie Hesse has truly made his mark, honoring his country and leaving a lasting legacy, which is now woven into the very fabric of how Ghanaians transact today. He will be missed dearly.

We wish him Godspeed in all his future endeavors. Ayeekoo!