Vice President, Country Manager Kuwait

About This Role

About Us Visa is a world leader in payments technology, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories, dedicated to uplifting everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

At Visa, you'll have the opportunity to create impact at scale — tackling meaningful challenges, growing your skills and seeing your contributions impact lives around the world.

Join Visa and do work that matters – to you, to your community, and to the world. Progress starts with you.

Job Description Team Summary Visa’s Central Europe, Middle East & Africa (CEMEA) team drives growth and innovation across one of the most diverse regions globally. We partner with clients, governments, and regulators to expand digital payments, strengthen acceptance networks, and deliver secure, scalable solutions that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. Combining global capabilities with local expertise, CEMEA plays a critical role in advancing Visa’s mission to enable commerce everywhere.

Visa's country team in Kuwait is a dedicated group of professionals committed to driving the company’s growth and innovation in this vital market. Comprised of experts in sales, marketing, product, consulting, regulatory affairs and customer support, the team works collaboratively to tailor Visa's global strategies to the local context.

The role reports to the SVP, Group Country Manager, Emirates, Kuwait & Quatar.

What a VP, Country Manager, Kuwait Does At Visa As Visa’s most senior representative in Kuwait the Country Manager will lead the country’s strategic agenda, deepen client and regulatory engagement and oversee Visa’s operations and performance across the market.

Market & Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a Kuwait specific strategy aligned with CEMEA region priorities‑specific strategy aligned with CEMEA region priorities
• Represent Visa with regulators, media, government bodies, and key ecosystem stakeholders
• Shape the local digital payments landscape by identifying growth drivers and removing operational and regulatory barriers
• Monitor evolving market dynamics, competitive activity, and regulatory changes to drive proactive strategic responses
• Responsible for full P&L management, including setting and managing budgets, revenue targets, account receivables, operating expenses, forecasts and delivery of agreed profitability KPI's

Client & Ecosystem Engagement

• Serve as the primary point of contact for issuers, acquirers, merchants, fintech, PSPs, and government partners
• Lead sales, new business development and complex commercial negotiations as well as senior‑level (C‑suite) engagement
• Drive revenue growth across core products, value‑added services and commercial money movement solutions (e.g., B2B, remittances, government payments)
• Build, strengthen, and execute strategic account plans ensuring sustainable share growth and client partnership expansion
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key ministries and national program
• Represent Visa in government led initiatives, working groups, and industry forums‑led initiatives, working groups, and industry forums

Team & Site Leadership

• Lead, inspire, and develop a high performing, diverse, and action oriented Kuwait team‑performing, diverse and action‑oriented Kuwait team
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, leadership excellence, and customer obsession, engaging with colleagues across Visa, endeavoring to provide guidance and support with complex negotiations and ensure the business is appropriately involved and informed about client matters, delivering solutions as one team.
• Ensure operational rigor, compliance, and an excellent employee experience
• Serve as the senior executive face of Visa in Kuwait, managing day today market leadership responsibilities‑to‑day market leadership responsibilities

This is a hybrid position based in Kuwait. Expectations of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.

Why this is important to Visa Kuwait is strategically important to Visa as a digitally advanced, regulation‑led market within the EKQ cluster, offering significant long‑term growth across consumer, commercial, and government payment flows. Success requires senior, in‑country leadership capable of navigating regulatory complexity, deepening ecosystem partnerships, and scaling Visa’s local presence while contributing materially to EKQ’s revenue and innovation agenda.

Qualifications What you will need:

• 15+ years in payments, financial services, fintech, consulting, or related industries
• Proven track record in senior leadership roles and managing strategic external relationships
• Experience operating in GCC markets (Kuwait experience strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated success in complex commercial environments, competitive markets, and high impact dealmaking
• A strong track record of sales leadership, developing and leading executive-level client relationships and new business opportunities with key partners, leveraging Visa’s products and services to build broader payments solutions.
• Strong B2B2C experience with knowledge of expanding into new customer distribution channels.
• The ability to navigate ambiguity, innovate, and lead businesses in capturing, expanding, extending, and retaining client relationships.
• Commercially astute with proven success in growing a business in a high-growth, fast-paced environment, meeting challenging financial and business targets.
• A track record of establishing strong connections with government representatives and regulators.
• Robust decision-making and analytical skills, with a strong command of financial, market, and consumer data, and the ability to grasp complex and detailed issues.
• Financially literate with an excellent understanding of risk management.
• Experience working in a global matrix organization with the ability to navigate complex structures and empower local decision-making.
• Experience leading change programs within a business and building and leading high-performing teams through cultural and transformational change.
• Creative and resourceful in overcoming barriers and unexpected roadblocks.
• An authentic leader who intuitively fosters an inclusive environment.
• Takes a hands-on approach to all activities with real passion and high levels of energy.
• Excellent communication skills.
• A minimum degree-level qualification, with an MBA considered valuable.
• Fluent in English and Arabic

Company Description Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience

Visa is an EEO Employer Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.