Kathmandu: Visa, a leading global digital payments service provider, on Tuesday announced the appointment of Sabbir Ahmed as the country manager for Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Issuing a statement, VISA said that Ahmed, with over 27 years of rich experience in banking and payments across Bangladesh and Vietnam, will now lead the market operations for Visa in the three countries. Ahmed’s team will be based in Dhaka office.

With the appointment of Ahmed, Visa reiterated its leadership and commitment to the Nepal market, along with Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The statement added that Visa has continually focused on introducing enhanced payment solutions for Nepal as it adopts digital payments at an increasing pace.

“Visa has been instrumental in introducing contactless payments in the country; it has also enabled consumers to use their Visa cards while shopping online or scan QR codes and pay via Visa cards. With Sabbir heading the markets, Visa aims to accelerate its growth in the digital payments landscape across South Asia,” reads the statement.

On his appointment, Ahmed said, “I am excited to join Visa, a brand at the forefront of digital payments globally and in Nepal. In my new role, I look forward to playing a significant role in partnering with clients, the regulator and the broader ecosystem of Nepal. We also aim to play a pivotal role in digital payments for Bangladesh and Bhutan. I believe we can bring innovative digital-first payment solutions to consumers and businesses, that will increase the growth of digital payments in Nepal and adjoining markets.”

Sandeep Ghosh, Group Country Manager of Visa India and South Asia said, “We are delighted to welcome Sabbir Ahmed as our Country Manager for Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Sabbir, with his strong professional achievements, diverse banking experience and deep market connections, will strengthen our leadership, drive business objectives and foster sustainable growth for Visa.”

According to the statement issued by the company, Ahmed will be responsible for charting Visa’s business priorities in Nepal. He and the team will manage Visa’s relationships with clients, partners, regulators and ecosystem participants, added the statement.

“He will also be a part of Visa’s leadership team for India and South Asia.”

Sabbir Ahmed joined Visa from Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh, where he served as the Managing Director and Head of Wealth and Retail Banking. Previously, he held senior leadership positions at HSBC in Bangladesh and Vietnam and has worked for British American Tobacco (BAT). Ahmed brings a wide range of expertise from both local and international markets in the banking and financial services sector, added the statement.