Visa Establishes New Region to Accelerate Digital Payments Growth in UAE, Kuwait & Qatar

Visa appoints Fadi Moukaddem as SVP and Group Country Manager to lead the newly created region. 

Dubai, January 26, 2026 — Visa today announced the creation of a new region within Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) bringing the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar under a dedicated leadership structure. This new region reflects Visa’s long-standing commitment to these strategically important markets and is designed to further accelerate innovation, strengthen local partnerships, and deliver more tailored solutions for clients, businesses, and cardholders.

As part of this announcement, Visa has appointed Fadi Moukaddem as Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, to lead the newly established region. Since joining Visa in 2014, Fadi has served as Regional CFO across 87 markets in CEMEA and brings extensive experience working with financial institutions, regulators and ecosystem partners. Prior to Visa, he held senior roles at PepsiCo International and Nokia Networks. In his new role, he will lead Visa’s strategy, partnerships and operations across the three markets, supporting continued digital transformation and innovation.  

Across the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, Visa has partnered for decades with banks, merchants and regulators to help build advanced, secure and inclusive payments ecosystems:

  • UAE: Home to Visa’s CEMEA regional headquarters and Innovation Center, serving as a launchpad for global‑first payment technologies.
  • Kuwait: Rapidly advancing digital economy marked by strong tokenization, high contactless usage and long‑standing partnerships.
  • Qatar: Accelerating progress toward National Vision 2030 through biometric payments, eCommerce innovation, and an expanding Visa presence with Doha office.

 “This evolution brings our leadership and expertise even closer to the clients and partners shaping the future of commerce in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar,” said Tareq Muhmood, Regional President, CEMEA, Visa. “These markets are among the most ambitious and forward-looking in the world when it comes to payments innovation. With Fadi’s deep regional expertise and proven leadership, we are well positioned to deliver the next phase of growth together with our partners.”

“I am honored to take on this role at such an exciting time for digital payments in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar,” said Fadi Moukaddem, Visa’s SVP and Group Country Manager for UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. “Having lived and worked in all three markets, I know firsthand the strength of our partnerships and the momentum driving the Gulf’s digital economy. I look forward to working closely with our clients and partners to expand secure, seamless payment experiences and support continued growth across the region”.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.