Rosita Najmi

Senior Director, Head of Social Innovation, PayPal

Bio Current as of September 14, 2021

Rosita Najmi has been a global social and economic development specialist since 2001.  

At PayPal, Rosita serves as the Global Head of Social Innovation and leads a team that engages  PayPal customers, employees, products, and business operations to advance social, economic,  and environmental impact. Her portfolio seeks to democratize financial services, improve the  financial health of people and small businesses, increase the volume and scale of global  charitable giving, support climate justice and resilience and environmental sustainability, and  strengthen communities through local grantmaking, volunteering, and pro bono technical  assistance. 

Prior to PayPal, Rosita was at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), where she increased  access to and usage of financial services by those living under $2 per day. She led a range of  FinTech related investments and bodies of work, including RegTech, women’s financial  inclusion, and the intersection of digital financial services and taxation policy and  administration. Prior to joining BMGF, she was at the Omidyar Network, The World Bank, and  leading NGOs, including Accion, Mercy Corps, and America’s Promise.  

A social entrepreneur, Rosita began her career in global development by co-founding an NGO  in the public health sector in Benin and served as its executive director and board member. Her  experience includes field research, publications, and operational and advocacy experience  across Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, and Central Europe. She has advised and brokered  collaborations with governments, the private sector, civil society, and multilateral organizations,  including the G7 and G20. She has designed and executed strategies for global and country  advocacy, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and capacity building.  

A champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Rosita is tri-lingual (English, Persian, French). She  earned an MBA from Harvard and BA with honors in Economics, French, and Politics from Wake  Forest University. Innovate Finance’s 2018 and 2019 Women in Fintech Powerlists recognized  her leadership and innovation in fintech. She was a term-member of the Council on Foreign  Relations. She serves on several fintech and financial inclusion industry boards and bodies,  including Money2020 Startup Academy.  

In her personal capacity, she is a member of the national board of the Tahirih Justice Center, a  nonprofit which protects and serves courageous women and girls who refuse to be victims of  violence. You can follow her on Twitter: @RositaNajmi.