Digital escrow and payments services provider

About us

TradeSafe is South Africa’s longest-running digital escrow service, protecting businesses and individuals from transactional fraud and bad debt
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Protecting buyers and sellers from fraud and scams

We know that you want to grow and expand your business. To do that, you need the freedom to make important transactions.

The problem is that large financial transactions are risky, and you could lose money to fraudsters and scammers. This makes you feel fearful about pulling the trigger on big buying decisions.

We believe you should be able to make the transactions you need to grow your business, with confidence and trust. We also understand that transactions are risky and no one likes to be defrauded.

This is why TradeSafe offers bank-supported escrow transactions that eliminates the risk of transactional fraud, scams, bad debt, and irregular expenditure.

Given the continued growth in transactional fraud in South Africa, as well as the increasing lack of trust and confidence between transacting parties, the founders had a common vision of providing a trusted service that ensures both buyer and seller security.

million

in transactions processed across 40 industries

years

as the longest running escrow provider in Africa

merchants

using the tradesafe merchant integration

The Executive Team

carol

Carol O’Brien

BProc – UNISA, MBA – Oxford Brookes
Non-Executive Chairperson

Carol serves as non-executive chairperson on the TradeSafe board. She is leader and mentor to the TradeSafe team, keeping the team on the straight and narrow and ensuring all regulatory provisions are complied with. Carol is former executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in South Africa where she worked with 250 American companies operating in South Africa.

richard

Richard Banks

Chief Technology Officer

While Jethro is the Fin, Richard is the Tech. Richard is the CTO of TradeSafe and is responsible for the functioning and strategy of TradeSafe’s vast technology and API infrastructure. Richard leads a team of skilled engineers who aids him in keeping the engine running as well as in our mission to continuously drive innovation. Richard started getting an in-depth understanding of computers by the age of 8. He started a web development business in 2006 and has since worked on projects for major South African businesses, multinationals, universities and government.

pratika

Pratika Chung

Bachelor of Business Science (BBusSci)
(Joint Honours) – Rhodes University

Non-Executive Chairperson

Pratika is Senior Manager, Strategic Investments and Alliances, at Standard Bank. She has over +14 years of banking experience with a proven track record of sourcing, negotiating and partnering with strategic fintech’s in driving the innovation agenda of Standard Bank. Pratika’s current role involves working with a portfolio of investee companies as a hands on equity investor.

jethro

Jethro O’Brien

BCom Hons – UJ, Earned CFA Level I
Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Jethro is the CEO of TradeSafe and is responsible for executing the organisation’s
strategy and overseeing its day-to-day operations. Jethro is a former forensic accountant at KPMG and M&A advisor at auditors EY. He has completed two BCom (Hons) degrees in the areas of Business Intelligence (2005) and Investment Management (2012) – both from the University of Johannesburg – and is currently working towards becoming a CFA charterholder.

ricardo

Ricardo Rademeyer

Graduate Diploma in Management and MBA –
Australian Institute of Business

Non-Executive Director

Ricardo is Head of Client Solutions, Everyday Banking, at Standard Bank. Ricardo has +20 years successful working experience in the banking sector with two of South Africa’s biggest financial services organisations. The majority of the roles focussing on product development, client solutioning and innovation.

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Standard Bank South Africa is a minority shareholder, amongst
founders and management.