Barry Cooper

Barry has detailed knowledge in the development and regulation of digital payment instruments and currencies and has a keen interest in the impact of financial regulation on human rights.  Since joining Cenfri in 2013, Barry has led on risk, remittances and integrity work. During this time, he has led several projects across sub-Saharan Africa to conduct research on barriers to remittances and provide actionable recommendations for governments, donors and the private sector.  

As an integral part of the Making Access Possible (MAP) diagnostic team, Barry has gained detailed knowledge of the financial, regulatory and supply-side landscapes, national payments systems and emerging payment-related initiatives in a number of different jurisdictions across Africa. 

Barry started his career in the insurance industry, before moving into banking, where he gained expertise in payment systems, wholesale and consumer banking. Barry is a legal advisor, by profession. 

Recent highlights 

• Formulating international guidelines for digital financial services as part of the UN’s ITU Task Force.
• Informing UN bodies on necessary actions for global remittances in light of COVID-19 as part of IFAD’s Covid-19 Remittances Task Force.
• Contributing to the global guidelines working group for Digital Fiat Currency and founding member of the Digital Fiat Currency Institute.
• Capacity building and training AFI regulators on fintech, crypto-currencies, biometrics and KYC innovation.
• Developing a biometrics regulatory framework to advance financial inclusion with FSDZ and Zambian regulators.
• Providing technical assistance to Zimbabwe’s regulators and FSPs on innovative regulation and development of a risk-based supervision framework.

Qualifications

• BCom (Legal) degree, University of the Witwatersrand
• LLB degree, University of South Africa