Visa has appointed Anne Kinuthia-Otieno as Vice President and Head of East Africa, effective August 4, 2026. Based in Nairobi, she will oversee the company’s operations across seven markets in the region.
In her new role, Kinuthia-Otieno will drive Visa’s strategy to expand digital payments, deepen relationships with clients and partners, and promote financial inclusion throughout East Africa.
She succeeds Chad Pollock, who spent more than eight years at Visa, including the past two and a half as Vice President, Managing Director and General Manager for Visa East Africa.
Kinuthia-Otieno brings more than two decades of experience in banking, telecommunications and digital financial services across Africa. She most recently served as Managing Director of Airtel Money Kenya, where she led significant growth and market expansion. She has also held senior leadership positions at Absa and Barclays Bank, covering retail banking, SME banking, product innovation, distribution and risk management. Her work on financial inclusion was recognised by the Kenyan presidency with the award of the Moran of the Burning Spear.
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Michael Berner, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director for Southern and Eastern Africa at Visa, welcomed the appointment. “Anne’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Visa and for East Africa’s digital economy. Her deep understanding of the region, proven leadership experience and passion for financial inclusion will be instrumental as we continue working with clients, partners and governments to expand access to digital payments and economic opportunity,” he said.
Kinuthia-Otieno expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity. “East Africa is one of the most dynamic and innovative payments markets in the world, with tremendous opportunities to advance financial inclusion and digital commerce. I look forward to working with Visa’s clients, partners and talented teams across the region to help drive the next phase of growth and innovation,” she said.
