Visa announced today the appointment of Tarek Abdalla as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA). He started his position on May 2nd.

Based in Dubai and reporting to Frank Cooper III, Visa’s global Chief Marketing Officer, Tarek will help Visa expand and grow its presence across the CEMEA region, driving demand for Visa’s products, services, and solutions, amplifying Visa’s purpose through campaigns and activations and delivering value through our global sponsorships.

“Tarek joins at an exciting time when clients have never been more engaged and connected with Visa as a brand and an essential service provider that both enables and empowers their everyday lives and businesses,” said Andrew Torre, Regional President for CEMEA, Visa.

Tarek brings Visa a wealth of industry experience gained over more than two decades, having worked previously as General Manager for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia at TikTok, where he successfully led teams in nine regional offices, delivering user growth, profitability, and commercialization targets for the platform through a dynamic mix of content strategy, marketing, and partnerships.

Prior to this, Tarek spent a decade with Google, rising to the role of Regional Marketing Director, leading marketing teams across emerging markets in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

“I’m excited to be joining Visa, the world leader in digital payments and one of the most trusted brands,” said Tarek. “I look forward bringing Visa’s purpose to life, uplifting everyone everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.”

Tarek holds an MBA from Sheffield Business School, a postgraduate diploma from the International Advertising Association, and a bachelor’s degree with honors from the American University in Cairo. Married with two children, Tarek is an avid reader, keen traveler and a fan of motorsports.