Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) has officially appointed Tareq Muhmood as the new Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), a region that encompasses over 86 dynamic and rapidly evolving markets.
In this leadership position, Muhmood will oversee operations across Visa’s expansive CEMEA network, which currently serves over 1,800 clients from 23 local offices spread throughout the region.
Extensive Experience in Banking and Payments
Muhmood brings to the role more than three decades of global experience in banking and payments. Prior to this promotion, he led Value-Added Services for Visa’s Europe division from London. He originally joined Visa in 2019 as Group Country Manager for Southeast Asia, operating out of Singapore.
Before joining Visa, Muhmood held top executive roles at HSBC, ANZ, and Ahli United Bank, where he developed expertise in financial leadership and digital transformation.
He will now be based in Dubai, stepping into the role with immediate effect. Muhmood will report directly to Oliver Jenkyn, Visa’s Group President for Global Markets.
Succeeding Andrew Torre
Muhmood succeeds Andrew Torre, who has transitioned to lead Visa’s Value-Added Services business; a rapidly expanding segment that now generates $9 billion globally and has achieved 20% annualized revenue growth since 2021.
Visa Leadership Welcomes Muhmood’s Appointment
Speaking on the appointment, Oliver Jenkyn praised Muhmood’s global leadership:
“We’re thrilled to have a leader of Tareq’s caliber step into this role. His expertise at the intersection of finance, technology, and high-growth markets makes him the ideal person to drive innovation and growth across Visa’s fastest-growing region. Tareq has worked in 13 different countries and consistently demonstrated the ability to partner effectively with major clients in complex and fast-moving environments.”
Muhmood’s Vision for CEMEA
Reacting to the announcement, Tareq Muhmood expressed his enthusiasm:
“It’s an honor to take the reins in the CEMEA region, where we’ve already made significant strides in reimagining the future of commerce, money movement, and digital payments. I’ve spent over a third of my career in this region and see huge potential to deepen digital financial inclusion. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team and valued partners to unlock new opportunities for shared growth.”
