Ritu David

Ritu David

Founder, The Data Duck and Code for Climate

Ritu David

Ritu David is a global creative solutionist who merges data, design, human behaviour and technology to solve problems across industries. As the founder of The Data Duck, she has established herself as a driving force in creative strategy, digital financial services, and technological innovation for social impact. Ritu's journey in fintech began serendipitously. She was in Nairobi on a consumer banking feasibility study when Safaricom, a groundbreaking mobile money service, revolutionized financial inclusion in Kenya. Collaborating with Safaricom laid the foundation for her continued work in digital payments and financial accessibility across the globe. Ritu has consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible in financial technology. She has been instrumental in designing voice interfaces for banking. Under her guidance, The Data Duck team has contributed to developing Africa's largest mobile banking systems and pioneering innovative payment methods, including tokenising voice using sound waves. Her work extends beyond traditional banking, encompassing projects that merge finance with sustainable development. Ritu personally designed the UX/UI for the Trailstone platform to aggregate energy from renewable energy farms and trade it in open markets, helping grids across the world increase the proportion of renewable energy. At The Data Duck, she leads creative strategies in brand storytelling and guerrilla marketing, focusing on crafting omnichannel customer experiences. Her approach is deeply rooted in data-driven insights, leveraging consumer behavior analysis to enhance customer lifetime value (CLV) and create memorable brand engagements. This multifaceted background allows her to bring a unique perspective to financial inclusion projects, blending user-centric design with cutting-edge technology. Ritu's impact is particularly significant in emerging markets. In 2012, The Data Duck's collaboration with Leapfrog to price micro-insurance in Southeast Asia helped bring affordable financial products to underserved communities. By developing accessible digital infrastructure and secure payment systems, she has played a crucial role in expanding financial services to vulnerable populations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Ritu's multidisciplinary approach, which seamlessly integrates finance, technology, and consumer experiences, has established her as a sought-after expert in creating resilient and inclusive digital ecosystems. Her work consistently demonstrates a deep understanding of the delicate balance between innovation and accessibility, making her insights invaluable in the ongoing dialogue about the future of inclusive and accessible digital financial services. As a speaker at the Interledger Summit 2024, Ritu brings a wealth of practical experience and innovative thinking to the discussion on "Existing Ecosystem Approaches to Inclusive and Accessible Digital Financial Services." Her unique blend of creative strategy, technological innovation, and commitment to financial inclusion offers fresh perspectives on creating equitable and accessible financial systems in an increasingly digital world.

Existing Ecosystem Approaches to Inclusive and Accessible Digital Financial Services

In today’s landscape of increasingly riskier digital experiences and the recent Crowdstrike related IT global outage, universal access to digital financial services is seen as a critical infrastructural resource. Taking a decentralized approach that incorporates ethical design principles to safeguard the privacy, security, and autonomy of users is vital, that the Interledger Protocol seeks to fa…