Matt Putman is the co-founder and CEO of iKhokha. Since launching in 2012, the business has grown to support hundreds of thousands of small traders and process tens of billions of rands in payments annually.

Matt’s path into business was unconventional. He cut his teeth running a nightclub in Durban in his early twenties and his move into fintech was driven by his own frustration with how difficult it was for small businesses to take payments.

Recently named the 2025 IT Personality of the Year, Matt is known for his pragmatic approach to leadership and his focus on helping South African SMEs move from an analog cash world into the digital ecosystem.