Tessa Wijaya

Tessa Wijaya is the Co-Founder and COO of Xendit, a leading payment gateway in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia. Xendit became a unicorn in 2021, making Tessa the only female unicorn founder in Indonesia. Since launching in 2015, Xendit has grown rapidly, processing more than 65 million transactions worth $6.5 billion annually. At Xendit, Tessa oversees finance and operations and also initiated Xendit's Women in Tech Indonesia program.

Before co-founding Xendit, Tessa worked as a private equity investment professional at Mizuho Asia Partners and Principia Management Group. In her early 20s, Wijaya interviewed for an analyst job at a new private equity fund in Jakarta, and though she had no traditional finance experience, her critical thinking and determination impressed the company, and she secured the job. Wijaya obtained a master's in philosophy from the University of Sydney in 2006 after graduating from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 2003. She returned to Indonesia and worked as a corporate development officer for over three years. In 2010, she became an analyst at Principia Management Group and Fairways Investment Group, both being Southeast Asia-focused investment firms.

When Tessa Wijaya decided to make a job switch in 2016 from investment banking to an Indonesian electronic payments startup, it wasn't because the money was better, as she took an 80% pay cut. She took the leap into building Xendit because she wanted to learn about emerging technology businesses. Tessa is known in the industry for her operational expertise. She is a passionate advocate for more women in tech and initiated Xendit's Women in Tech Indonesia program, where entrepreneurs and tech professionals share experiences in workshops and digital forums.

Wijaya has been named to Forbes Asia's Power Businesswomen list and J.P. Morgan's Top 100 Asia-Pacific Women-Powered Businesses 2021. Under her leadership, Xendit has achieved a 40% female workforce.

Career History

• Corporate Development Officer, Indonesia (2006–2010)
• Senior Analyst, Principia Management Group (2010–2012)
• Business Development Analyst, Fairways Investment Group (2012)
• Associate, Mizuho Asia Partners, Singapore (2013–2016)
• Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Xendit (2015–present)

What Tessa Wijaya could bring to the COO role at Xendit: As COO, Wijaya has helped scale Xendit into one of Southeast Asia's most recognized payment infrastructure companies. Her deep experience in private equity, combined with her understanding of Southeast Asia's fragmented payments landscape, positions her to scale operational infrastructure, manage compliance across multiple markets, and drive strategic regional expansion. Her proven track record of building diverse, female-inclusive teams and her advocacy for women in tech strengthen organizational culture and leadership development.