Rakhil Fernando is the Head of CE Creates, Crescent Enterprises’ venture studio and venture-building platfor. In this role, he leads the studio’s end-to-end mandate, sourcing and validating new opportunities, building products with venture teams, and scaling ventures through disciplined governance, capital allocation, and hands-on operating support.

A builder by background, Rakhil has spent his career at the intersection of high-growth technology and financial inclusion across emerging markets. Prior to CE Creates, he served as CEO of Yabi, a personal finance platform focused on improving financial literacy and enabling better day-to-day money decisions through technology-driven coaching. Earlier, within the Alibaba ecosystem, he held senior leadership roles at Daraz, one of South Asia’s largest e-commerce platforms, including Managing Director responsibilities, and he also founded and led Koko, a consumer payments/BNPL venture that scaled across the region.

Before Daraz, Rakhil was Director of Innovation at MetLife’s LumenLab in Asia, where he worked closely with founders and corporate teams to translate emerging technologies into scalable products and partnerships. He also co-founded Kashmi, a peer-to-peer payments and digital banking platform, and began his career in global finance and strategy roles that shaped his operator-first, metrics-driven approach to building businesses.

Beyond his professional work, Rakhil is a Goodwill Ambassador for Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka, supporting the organisation’s mission to expand access to safe, affordable housing and mobilize awareness and resources for underserved communities.

Rakhil has a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Embry Riddle University.