Business CFO appointment

Cellulant Appoints Darren Makarem as CFO

Analysis based on 8 articles · First reported Mar 19, 2026 · Last updated Mar 20, 2026

Sentiment

Attention

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Market Impact

Direct

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Market Impact

The appointment of Darren Makarem as CFO is expected to bolster Cellulant's financial strategy and operational efficiency, potentially leading to increased market share and investor confidence in the African fintech sector. His experience in digital assets and regulated business models could also open new avenues for Cellulant in payment and settlement models.

Fintech Payments E-commerce

Event Summary

Cellulant, a leading African payments technology company, has appointed Darren Makarem as its new Chief Financial Officer. This strategic hire aims to strengthen Cellulant's executive team and financial leadership as the company accelerates its expansion across Africa. Makarem brings over 20 years of experience in the digital and fintech sectors, including significant roles as Global CFO at Booking Holdings===Agoda, APAC & LATAM CFO at Binance, and CEO of OnRamp. His expertise in managing large-scale payment networks, multi-currency settlements, and regulated business models is expected to enhance Cellulant's financial discipline and product-led value delivery. Cellulant achieved profitability in 2024 and processes over 4.5 million transactions daily, positioning itself for sustained growth in Africa's digital payments economy, projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030.

Key Actions

100 Cellulant appointed Chief Financial Officer Darren Makarem

100 Darren Makarem joined as Chief Financial Officer Cellulant

Entities Involved

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Cellulant

Cellulant has appointed Darren Makarem as its Chief Financial Officer, strengthening its executive team and financial leadership. This appointment is expected to accelerate its expansion and enhance its position as a preferred payments partner in Africa.

Importance 100 Sentiment 60

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Darren Makarem

Darren Makarem has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of Cellulant. His extensive experience in digital and fintech sectors, including his previous roles at Booking Holdings===Agoda, Binance, and OnRamp, will be crucial in strengthening Cellulant's financial strategy and operational foundations.

Importance 90 Sentiment 70

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Booking Holdings===Agoda

Darren Makarem previously served as the Global CFO at Booking Holdings===Agoda, where he managed a global payments network with approximately $12 billion in annual transaction volumes. This experience provides him with a unique customer-side perspective on payment services.

Importance 20 Sentiment 0

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Binance

Darren Makarem's experience includes serving as APAC & LATAM CFO at Binance, which provides him with a background in digital assets and regulated business models relevant to Cellulant's future explorations.

Importance 10 Sentiment 0

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OnRamp

Darren Makarem most recently served as CEO of OnRamp, further contributing to his expertise in digital assets and regulated business models, which will benefit Cellulant.

Importance 10 Sentiment 0

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Peter O Toole

Peter O Toole, CEO of Cellulant, expressed confidence in Darren Makarem's appointment, highlighting his understanding of both financial numbers and customer needs.

Importance 10 Sentiment 0

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Darren Makarem began his career with EY in England, where he became an ACA-qualified professional.

Importance 5 Sentiment 0

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Relationships

Darren Makarem related ↔ Cellulant

Peter O Toole related ↔ Cellulant

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