Visa Inc. has appointed veteran financial executive Tareq Muhmood as Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), a strategic region comprising more than 86 high-growth markets. This move underscores Visa’s continued investment in scaling digital payment infrastructure and deepening client partnerships across the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Muhmood, who brings more than three decades of experience in global banking and payments, assumes leadership of Visa’s operations spanning over 1,800 clients and 23 regional offices. His appointment follows a successful stint as Head of Value-Added Services for Visa Europe, based in London, and earlier, as Group Country Manager for Southeast Asia.
Prior to joining Visa in 2019, Muhmood held top executive roles at Ahli United Bank, ANZ, and HSBC, earning a reputation for operational excellence and strategic growth across frontier and emerging markets. In his new role, he will be based in Dubai and report directly to Oliver Jenkyn, Group President, Global Markets, Visa.
He takes over from Andrew Torre, who has been named President of Visa’s Value-Added Services unit—a rapidly scaling segment that has grown into a $9 billion global business, posting 20% annualized revenue growth since 2021. Torre’s new mandate reflects the rising importance of digital services in Visa’s long-term global strategy.
“We are delighted to appoint a leader with Tareq’s deep experience at the intersection of financial services, technology, and high-growth markets to lead Visa’s fastest-growing region and continue our journey to advance the future of digital payments across CEMEA,” said Jenkyn.
During the course of his career, Tareq has worked in 13 countries and brings a unique global perspective, world-class leadership, and a proven track record partnering with Visa’s largest clients across diverse, complex, and rapidly accelerating markets.
Muhmood’s return to the region is not unfamiliar; he has spent over a third of his career in CEMEA, giving him a nuanced understanding of its digital payment needs and commercial evolution. He is expected to spearhead Visa’s expansion efforts aimed at deepening digital penetration across underserved markets while strengthening ecosystem collaboration.
“It is a great honor to lead the CEMEA region, and to continue the tremendous progress that has been made in transforming the future of payments, commerce, and money movement across so many dynamic markets,” Muhmood said. “Having spent more than a third of my career in the region, I am excited by the incredible opportunity to further expand digital payments amongst more consumers, merchants, and economies. I look forward to working closely with our outstanding team to enable shared growth with clients and partners across the region.”
Visa’s CEMEA region plays a central role in its global strategy, with rapid urbanization, high mobile penetration, and government-led financial inclusion policies accelerating digital adoption. Under Muhmood’s leadership, the company is poised to leverage its global infrastructure and local partnerships to shape the future of secure, accessible, and inclusive payments across CEMEA.
As the digital economy continues to surge, Muhmood’s leadership marks a pivotal moment in Visa’s push to modernize payment rails, scale fintech collaborations, and drive sustainable economic inclusion in some of the world’s most dynamic and diverse markets.
