Visa, the global payment technology leader, has appointed Suresh Sethi as its Group Country Manager for India and South Asia, effective April 27, 2026. Sethi, a seasoned professional with three decades of experience in financial services, will lead the company’s strategic operations across six nations in the region. This leadership transition comes at a time when India is witnessing a rapid expansion in digital commerce and payment infrastructure.
Appointment and Strategic Oversight
Sethi succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has decided to pursue other opportunities outside the organization. In his new role, Sethi will be based in Mumbai and will report directly to Stephen Karpin, Visa’s Regional President for Asia Pacific. His mandate includes overseeing Visa’s business strategy and operations across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan. This region is one of the most dynamic markets for Visa globally, driven by a strong push toward a cashless economy and the adoption of innovative payment solutions.
Professional Background of Suresh Sethi
Suresh Sethi brings approximately 30 years of extensive experience in the financial services sector. Before joining Visa, he served as the Managing Director and CEO of Protean eGov Technologies, where he played a pivotal role in modernizing digital public infrastructure. He is also recognized as the founder Managing Director and CEO of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), where he was instrumental in establishing one of India’s largest financial inclusion initiatives.
His career includes senior leadership positions at Vodafone M-Pesa India, where he led the mobile payments business, and YES Bank, where he served as Group President. Sethi began his professional journey at Citigroup, spending over a decade in various regional leadership roles across India, Africa, South America, and the United States. He holds an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi, and an engineering degree from Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh.
Strategic Context: The South Asian Payment Landscape
The appointment of a leader with deep expertise in both public and private digital infrastructure is significant for Visa’s strategy in South Asia. India, in particular, is a global leader in real-time payments through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Visa continues to collaborate with financial institutions and fintech players to deepen the acceptance of digital payments and drive financial inclusion.
Across the broader South Asian region, countries like Bangladesh and Nepal are also experiencing a surge in digital financial services. Sethi’s experience with India Post Payments Bank and Protean (formerly NSDL e-Governance) aligns with the regional focus on building robust, secure, and inclusive payment ecosystems. Visa’s strategy involves expanding into new payment flows, including Business-to-Business (B2B) solutions and cross-border remittances.
Visa’s Global Institutional Profile
Visa Inc. is a global payment technology corporation headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1958 as BankAmericard, it has evolved into one of the world’s most valuable companies, facilitating electronic funds transfers through Visa-branded credit, debit, and prepaid cards. Visa does not issue cards itself but provides financial institutions with Visa-branded payment products that they use to offer programs to their customers.
The company operates across more than 200 countries and territories, processing trillions of dollars in volume annually. In India, Visa’s operations are headquartered in Mumbai, within the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The firm plays a critical role in the global financial system, providing the technology and network that connect consumers, merchants, and financial institutions worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- Suresh Sethi has been appointed as the Group Country Manager for India and South Asia at Visa, effective April 27, 2026.
- He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh and will report to Stephen Karpin, Visa’s Regional President for Asia Pacific.
- Sethi previously served as the Managing Director and CEO of Protean eGov Technologies and was the founder MD of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB).
- His mandate includes overseeing operations in six countries: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan.
- Visa Inc. is a global payment technology leader headquartered in San Francisco, with its Indian operations based in Mumbai.
