Ithinan Watsuksanti

Ithinan currently leads Ascend Money’s digital lending business, focusing on expanding access to credit for underserved retail and MSME segments across Southeast Asia. He joined Ascend Money with over 15 years of experience in financial services, bringing a unique blend of credit risk expertise and product innovation to drive financial inclusion.

Prior to joining Ascend Money, Ithinan held key credit risk and portfolio management roles at leading Thai financial institutions including Kiatnakin Bank, TMB, and the Bank of Ayudhya. Throughout his career, he has specialized in designing inclusive loan products and utilizing alternative data such as e-wallet, telco, and retail transactions to underwrite thin-file customers.

At Ascend Money, Ithinan has played a key role in the development of proprietary credit scoring models and automated decision engines, helping the team achieve over 95% straight-through processing while maintaining robust risk control. His deep understanding of credit risk, combined with a passion for AI and data-driven lending, has positioned him at the forefront of responsible innovation in fintech.

Ithinan holds an MSc in Finance from Henley Business School, UK, and graduated with First Class Honors in Bachelor of Economics from Thammasat University. He is also a Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and is committed to using technology to close the financial access gap in emerging markets.