Visa has announced the appointment of Michael Berner as the Head of Southern and Eastern Africa (SEA), effective immediately. He will oversee all Visa operations in 24 markets in SEA and will report to Visa’s Regional President of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), Andrew Torre. Michael will continue to be part of Visa’s CEMEA regional leadership team and will be based in Johannesburg.
Michael has held previous roles at Visa, including Senior Vice President, Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring, CEMEA, having joined the company in 2019 as Country Manager. Michael is a highly experienced executive with over two decades in financial services. Prior to joining Visa, he was a Managing Director and Member of the Executive Board at Citibank Russia.
“We are delighted to have Michael take on this new role,” said Andrew Torre, Regional President, CEMEA, for Visa. “Southern and Eastern Africa is one of the world’s fastest growing payments regions, and home to some of the most impactful innovations driving the expansion of digital payments In Africa. Visa has been present in Southern and Eastern Africa for more than 40 years, and we are pleased to have Michael’s expertise to advance our plans, working closely with clients and partners.”
“I am thrilled to lead Visa’s Southern and Eastern Africa team and look forward to working with our partners, financial institutions, and governments to introduce new innovations, accelerate financial inclusion, and enable the ecosystem. There is significant opportunity to bring the benefits of digital payments to even more consumers and businesses, while enhancing the commerce experience,” Michael concluded, reflecting on his new position.
Michael graduated from Moscow Automobile and Road Institute (MADI) and has a master’s degree in financial management. He also completed several postgraduate programs at Columbia Business School, the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University.
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