Mastercard on Monday announced the appointment of Safdar Khan as Division President for Southeast Asia Emerging Markets. — Photo Mastercard

Mastercard on Monday announced the appointment of Safdar Khan as Division President for Southeast Asia Emerging Markets, to further expand the region’s cashless agenda and will be supported by Winnie Wong, Country Manager, Viet Nam, Cambodia & Laos.

In his new role, Khan will lead Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos – priority markets for Mastercard given their growth potential.

His leadership will inspire teams within markets to better facilitate opportunities within this diverse region, including growing digital engagement with both current customers and new fintech players, and forming and furthering partnerships with respective market government bodies.

This shift in structure and advancement in leadership serves to hone the organisation’s focus in Southeast Asia, where rapidly digitising economies and populations are driving six of the world’s top 14 high-performing emerging markets.

“Southeast Asia’s emerging markets are dynamic centers of growth and potential, where tech-enthusiastic populations are embracing technology as an inclusive and convenient means to meet their needs," said Safdar Khan, Division President, Southeast Asia Emerging Markets, Mastercard.

"This year, over half of Viet Nam’s population is expected to transact digitally amid the country’s surging e-commerce market. Mastercard is committed to grow alongside and facilitate the progression of markets like Viet Nam, to create a world beyond cash.”

Khan’s appointment comes at an exciting time, as regional markets like Viet Nam are witnessing a growing affinity for the digital technology that powers cashless payments. Khan’s experience with emerging markets will provide a vital surge of initiative for Mastercard to sharpen its focus on digitalisation and to more efficiently deploy the company’s resources for quicker and more thorough cashless initiatives.

Khan has over two decades of experience in banking and payments, having also worked in ABN AMRO, Citibank and Oracle in North America, Asia and the Middle East. — VNS