Visa Appoints Mario Makary as Vice President and Country Manager for the United Arab Emirates
- Makary will lead Visa’s UAE market strategy and deepen engagement with clients, partners, regulators and other stakeholders
- Appointment reinforces Visa’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s digital economy and advancing secure, seamless and inclusive commerce
- Makary brings more than 12 years of Visa experience across Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and the wider Levant
Dubai, UAE, September 22, 2026 — Visa, a world leader in digital payments, today announced the appointment of Mario Makary as Vice President and Country Manager for the United Arab Emirates. Based in Dubai, Mario will lead Visa’s business in the UAE, with responsibility for market strategy, business development and Visa’s relationships with clients, partners, regulators and other key stakeholders.
Mario brings more than 12 years of sales experience at Visa across Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and the wider Levant, complemented by earlier experience in the banking and payments industries. Most recently, he served as Vice President for the Levant, leading Visa’s business and client engagement across the subregion.
In his new role, Mario will work closely with Visa’s clients and partners to support the continued evolution of the UAE’s payments ecosystem. His priorities will include deepening strategic client relationships, expanding digital payment acceptance, enabling new ways to pay and be paid, and bringing Visa’s global network, products, solutions, data and advisory capabilities to support the ambitions of businesses, consumers and communities across the country.
Fadi Moukaddem, Group Country Manager for the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar at Visa, said: “The UAE is one of the world’s most dynamic and forward-looking markets, with a clear ambition to shape the future of commerce and digital innovation. Mario brings deep industry knowledge, a strong understanding of our clients and an established track record within Visa. His appointment reflects the strength of our internal talent and our continued commitment to helping clients and partners unlock new opportunities for growth. I look forward to working closely with Mario as we build on Visa’s strong foundation in the UAE and deliver the next chapter of our strategy in the market.”
The appointment comes as the UAE continues to advance its digital economy and embrace technologies that are transforming how consumers and businesses interact and transact. Visa is working across the ecosystem to help enable this progress through secure digital payments, money movement, wider acceptance, value-added services and emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and agentic commerce.
Mario Makary, Vice President and Country Manager for the United Arab Emirates at Visa, said: “I am honored to take on this role at an important moment for Visa and the UAE. This is a market defined by ambition, innovation and a strong ability to turn new ideas into meaningful experiences for consumers and businesses. I look forward to working with our talented team and our clients and partners to deepen Visa’s contribution to the country’s digital economy, expand access to secure and seamless ways to pay and be paid, and create new opportunities for sustainable growth.”
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.