Céline Lazorthes is a prominent French business leader renowned for her innovative contributions to the digital economy. As the founder and director of the Leetchi Group, she has transformed online payments and collaborative financing through her flagship platforms, Leetchi.com and Mangopay.
Born in Toulouse into a family of medical professionals, Céline’s early life was shaped by a commitment to education and excellence. She initially enrolled in a preparatory class for EPITA, a prestigious engineering school, but soon shifted her focus to the digital realm. She earned her master’s degree from the Institut Internet et Multimédia (IIM) at the Leonardo da Vinci University Center in 2003, followed by a master’s from HEC Paris in 2007.
In 2009, while organizing an integration weekend, Céline identified a gap in the market for an online prize pool solution, which sparked the idea for Leetchi. Under her leadership, Leetchi.com quickly became Europe’s leading service for online group payments and gifting, boasting over 500,000 users. The platform facilitates collective contributions for various occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, and group trips.
In 2013, Céline expanded her vision by launching Mangopay, a payment solution designed specifically for the collaborative economy. This innovation was a response to the growing need for efficient online payment systems in digital marketplaces. By 2015, she successfully sold the Leetchi Group to Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, allowing her to focus on strategic leadership as chair of the supervisory board.
In 2021, Céline co-founded Resilience with Jonathan Benhamou, creating a decision support tool for oncologists in partnership with the Gustave-Roussy center and Unicancer. Her commitment to healthcare innovation demonstrates her versatility and dedication to improving lives through technology.
Céline’s influence extends beyond her entrepreneurial endeavors. She is a knight of the Ordre national du Mérite and a founding member of France Digitale, a lobbying organization supporting the French startup ecosystem. As a passionate advocate for women’s representation in tech, she co-founded Sista, an initiative aimed at fostering female entrepreneurship.
With her innovative spirit and dedication to social payments, Céline Lazorthes continues to shape the future of digital finance and entrepreneurship in France and beyond.
