Spotlight Summary
From Systems Administrator at a top-tier bank to a Fintech trailblazer reshaping remittance corridors across Southern Africa. Adelina Moura’s journey is proof that curiosity, when paired with courage, becomes the most powerful career tool you can carry. She began in Computer Science, but it was her relentless drive to understand the why behind technology that propelled her across industries, continents, and disciplines. She mastered Scrum, led technical teams, pivoted into sales strategy, earned an MBA, and completed a Master’s in Business Analytics during COVID lockdowns. Each role- Scrum Master, Technical Manager, Account Strategy Manager, Sales Manager, Business Development Manager was never just a title, but a deliberate step in building a rare, 360-degree professional fluency that would one day define her impact on an entire region.
That fluency found its fullest expression at Thunes, where Adelina serves as Regional Network Manager, overseeing a portfolio of 14 countries across Southern Africa including its regional islands. Her work sits at the intersection of technical precision and business strategy, exactly where she was always meant to be. She drives end-to-end ecosystem expansion across Banks, MNOs, Mobile Wallets, MTOs, and APMs, while governing the complete lifecycle of both Inbound payment flows across the region, extending the Outbound for the MNOs in the region.
What makes her role even more extraordinary is the pioneering spirit with which she approaches it. As a greenfield leader within Thunes, Adelina has consistently ventured into untapped markets, building financial infrastructure from the ground up and successfully opening approximately six new remittance corridors that have fundamentally transformed the remittance landscape across those regions. For her, beauty is never in the scale alone, it lives in the micro-achievements, the individual connections, the families reached, the economies bridged.
Her vision for the future of the industry is bold and deeply intentional. She is committed to bridging the gap between regulators, international aggregators, and local players; Banks, MNOs, and PSPs to evolve market capabilities and transition receive-only markets like Mozambique and Madagascar into full-service hubs supporting seamless, bi-directional cross-border flows. She is equally passionate about accelerating the shift from informal, unregulated cash channels into transparent digital ecosystems, helping emerging economies better manage FX volatility and reduce cash-heavy risks. At the heart of it all is her belief in market education and joint wins, where technology simplifies global remittances into a single, secure touch, and every stakeholder in the ecosystem rises together.
None of this journey, however, has been walked alone. Adelina is candid and gracious about the circle of exceptional mentors who shaped her at every critical juncture. Victor Mourana acted as a big brother during her pivotal transition from technical to business roles, challenging her perspective and investing in her development even when the path seemed unclear. Helped her navigate the complexities of international business with calm, strategic wisdom and an unwavering belief in her potential on the global stage. And at the very foundation of it all stands her husband, Luiz Ferreira, her sounding board for complex payment subjects and her bedrock of patience and support through every pivot and preparation. She claims that lived by the advice: ‘Collect the best of every person who crosses my path, as every leader has contributed a piece to the professional I am today.’
Shaped by these relationships and driven by her own relentless ambition, Adelina’s advice to the next generation is as grounded as it is powerful. She believes deeply in self-belief and continuous growth, that regardless of industry, gender, or geography, there is always an opportunity to make a tangible impact for those who are observant and ready to seize it. She champions defining your own milestones, setting your own targets, and consistently surpassing your own previous best, never measuring your worth against others, but against the version of yourself you were yesterday.
For Adelina, being a winner is not about the finish line. It is about the relentless pursuit of self-improvement and the courage to remain a student of the world- always learning, always evolving, always building the next bridge.
