At utu (pronounced “you-too”), we’re rewriting the rules of tax-free shopping, creating a win for travelers, retailers and tourism economies alike.
Made with Tourists in mind
Meet our CEO
Asad Jumabhoy, Co-Founder and CEO
Asad Jumabhoy is the co-founder and CEO of utu, leading the company’s strategy in developing innovative solutions for tax-free shopping.
With over 25 years in the industry, he has played a vital role in shaping the tax refund sector, accelerating the growth of Global Blue and Premier Tax Free (now Planet). His deep industry expertise and extensive network continue to fuel utu’s mission to enhance the travel retail experience.
Our story
Our expert team
Founded in 2016, we harness decades of industry expertise to deliver an experience that truly adds value. We built an innovative platform that offers additional layers of benefits for both the overseas shopper and our partners by complementing the existing system.
Ameer Jumabhoy
Co-founder & CCO Vouchers
Ali Jumabhoy
VP Commercial Services
Flavio Gatti
SVP Sales
Vidur Verma
Chief Technology Officer
Shalyn Quek
Senior Marketing Manager
Khim Lim
Manager Product
Norman How
Manager Web Services
Years of building experiences
and transforming tax-free shopping
2017
Acquirer Integrated Rewards
Payment & Rewards
Onboard brands, cardholders, and issuer points at scale via secure bank integration. 1m transactions, 40,000 merchants & 40,000 members.
2019
Direct to Customer VAT Refunds
DTC VAT Refunds
30 years specialization in VAT refunding to disrupt tax-free shopping value chain. Refunded 85% of VAT on > €500,000 sales over 6 weeks pre-Covid shut down.
2021
Airmiles Refund and Payment Card
Miles to VAT
Partnered with more than 10 leading airlines and a major hotel group to upsize VAT refunds by 40% in miles to the shopper’s program choice. Issued utu Visa tax-free card.
2024
Retail Voucher with AI
vat to voucher
Seamless conversion of VAT refunds into retail vouchers just by taking a photo of a tax-free form. 3 core voucher products influence the Shopper’s commitment to buy.
Vision
Create a new genre of tourism retail that benefits both travelers and businesses, bridging the gap between duty-free and tax-free shopping.​
Mission
Empower travelers with bonus value on their tax refunds while helping retailers and partners stay connected in a global shopping ecosystem. ​