Senior Director - Head of Risk GCC

Responsibilities

• Lead Visa's Risk team in the GCC region, focusing on Digital Payment Risks and overseeing risk management across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks while providing strategic guidance to the payment ecosystem.
• Drive effective risk management practices, enabling teams to manage Visa’s Strategic, Regulatory, Compliance, and Third-Party risks efficiently.
• Mature and advance Visa’s Risk roadmap initiatives, providing thought leadership across the GCC subregion.
• Collaborate extensively with internal and external stakeholders: business functions, finance, operations, government, law enforcement, clients, regulators, and other payment industry partners.
• Lead, guide, and develop a team of risk managers supporting the GCC region.
• Engage clients and stakeholders to mitigate fraud, promote data security, and enforce Visa’s risk programs and policies.
• Provide insights and support on broader risk-related issues (fraud, AML, credit settlement, client fraud optimization, deployment of Visa Risk Products, third-party risk).
• Lead client meetings and industry forums to drive awareness and support for Visa’s risk strategy across the region.

Requirements

• Leadership experience in Chief Risk Officer teams at large financial institutions
• Minimum 5 years as underwriting head for SME, retail, or corporate lending
• 5+ years credit risk policy responsibility (underwriting, portfolio, collections)
• Board/audit/risk committee exposure (portfolio presentations)
• Robust understanding of fraud, operational, compliance, AML, KYC risks
• Direct implementation of compliance programs in lending
• Accountable for regulatory compliance audits in lending

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree required
• 15+ years in financial services industry
• Minimum 5 years senior leadership experience in relevant domain
• Proven executive-level influence and communication (internal/external)
• Strong written, oral & presentation skills; ability to synthesize complex info
• Deep analytical and thought leadership skills
• Project management: multitasking, adapting, prioritizing, delivering under deadlines
• Leadership across cross-functional teams and consensus-building
• Experience building/delivering executive-level communications

Benefits

• Visa is an Equal Opportunity Employer, considering all qualified applicants regardless of background, identity or history.
• Visa will consider applicants with criminal histories as per EEOC and local law.

About the Company

Visa is a global leader in payments and technology, facilitating more than 259 billion transactions annually across 200+ countries and territories. The company is driven by the mission to connect the world through secure, innovative, and reliable payment networks—enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. Career opportunities at Visa offer purpose, impact, and a diverse global culture.