He designs solutions to simplify business payments in Ghana. He draws on experience gained in finance, telecommunications, and technology.

Tenu Awoonor, a Ghanaian entrepreneur with a background in technology and financial services, is the founder and CEO of The Blu Penguin, a digital payments company he launched in 2018. The startup offers a platform that enables merchants to accept multiple payment methods, including mobile money, bank cards, or QR codes, through a single interface.

The Blu Penguin targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), aiming to streamline their transaction processes. Its app provides a unified access point for managing payments without the need for multiple terminals or bank accounts. All payment flows are centralized in one platform, accessible via smartphone or payment terminal.

The system also includes an inventory management feature. This tool helps reduce cash usage, allows for transaction tracking, and opens access to financial services tailored to business needs.

Awoonor holds a bachelor’s degree in business and technology from the University of Connecticut-Stamford and earned a master’s in finance and management from The Wharton School in 2007. He began his career in 1999 as a support engineer at Aperture Technologies, an IT company.

In 2006, he joined food manufacturer General Mills as a financial analyst. The following year, he became Assistant Vice President at wealth management firm Merrill Lynch. In 2010, Awoonor transitioned into telecoms, joining Millicom International Cellular (Tigo) in Ghana, where he led market research and business intelligence before becoming Marketing Director. From 2014 to 2017, he served as Director of Strategy and Performance Management at Airtel Nigeria.

Melchior Koba