For playing a central role in financially empowering millions of Filipinos wherever they are, GCash, the leading finance super app in the Philippines, continues to make big waves in the global fintech industry as its president and CEO Martha Sazon has been recognized on Fortune’s prestigious list of 100 Most Powerful Women Asia 2024.
Appointed as CEO during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sazon has championed customer-centricity, transforming GCash into a vital lifeline for many Filipinos.
GCash has become the Philippines’ first and only $5 billion unicorn, tripling its pre-pandemic user base to over 90 million Filipinos in 2023, and is now a household name across the nation. With financial inclusion at its core, GCash continues to provide accessible and affordable financial services that help millions of Filipinos thrive every day.
Under Sazon’s helm, GCash achieved exponential growth and innovation. With the help of GCash, the banked population of the Philippines has increased from 29% pre-pandemic to 65% in 2022. Now, millions of GCash users benefit from finally being able to do what they were unable to do in the past—save, invest, get insurance easily, and get fair loans.
Notably, GSave enables 1 in 4 banked Filipinos to easily set up deposit accounts through its in-app savings feature. GFunds allows users to invest in local and global funds for as little as PHP 50 (~$1). Currently, 75% of the country’s Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITFs) is coursed through GCash and it has sold over 23 million insurance policies via its GInsure feature – significantly increasing access to insurance. GCash, through its lending arm Fuse, disbursed over $2.75 billion in loans to 5.4 million unique borrowers, with 2 out of 3 borrowers being women, from lower socio-economic classes, or located outside Metro Manila.
Underscoring her influence and dedication to driving positive change in the financial landscape, Sazon’s remarkable leadership has earned her numerous accolades over the years. In 2021, she was named CEO of the Year at the IDC Future Enterprise Awards in the Philippines. Her innovative digital transformation strategies led to her being titled Master Innovator at the Mansmith Innovation Awards in 2022. Most recently, in 2023, she was honored as Woman of the Year at the Asia Leaders Awards.
Prior to joining GCash, Sazon had over 20 years of experience across diverse sectors, including food, over-the-counter drugs, personal care, and telecommunications, showcasing her expertise to drive growth and transformation in competitive markets on both national and international scale.
The Fortune 100 MPW Asia rankings honor women leaders who transform companies, disrupt industries, and drive growth, innovation, and business excellence while helping inspire positive change and the next generation of leaders.