Visa Appoints Anne Kinuthia As VP And Head Of East Africa

Visa has appointed Anne Kinuthia-Otieno as Vice President and Head of East Africa, effective August 4, 2026, taking over a region she will lead from Nairobi across seven markets.

Based in Nairobi, Kinuthia-Otieno will lead Visa’s East Africa business across seven markets, driving the company’s efforts to advance digital payments, strengthen client and partner relationships, and expand financial inclusion across the region.

She steps into the role following the departure of Chad Pollock, who has spent just over eight years at Visa, the last two and a half of them as Vice President, Managing Director and General Manager for Visa East Africa. In a LinkedIn post announcing his exit he wrote, “As I conclude my chapter as Vice President & General Manager for Visa East Africa, I am extremely grateful for what we’ve accomplished and built together,”

Kinuthia-Otieno arrives with more than 20 years across banking, telecommunications and digital financial services in Africa. She was most recently Managing Director of Airtel Money Kenya, where she oversaw a period of notable growth and market expansion, and has also held senior leadership positions at Absa and Barclays Bank spanning retail banking, SME banking, product innovation, distribution and risk management across the continent. Her contribution to financial inclusion has previously been recognised by the Kenyan presidency, which awarded her the Moran of the Burning Spear.

“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,” said Michael Berner, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director, Southern and Eastern Africa, Visa.

For her part, Kinuthia-Otieno framed the region’s momentum as the draw. “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.