Visa hosts first Saudi Payment Forum in Riyadh

Global payments technology company, Visa (NYSE:V), held its first-ever Saudi Payment Forum in Riyadh this week, bringing together more than 50 of its clients and partners to hear from a lineup of industry experts. The theme of the daylong event was “Understanding the impact of changing macroeconomic factors” on the Kingdom’s digital payments ecosystem. 

The keynote address was given by Dr. Nasser Saidi, former Chief Economist and Head of External Relations of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and Minister of Economy and Trade and Minister of Industry of Lebanon between 1998 and 2000.

Delegates also heard from a number of Visa’s global experts, including Paul McCrea, Vice President, Products, Central Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA); Mohammed Ismaeel, Senior Vice President, Marketing, CEMEA; and Shahebaz Khan, Head of Visa Performance Solutions, MENA.  

Opening the Forum, Ahmed Gaber, Visa’s General Manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, commented: “The Kingdom’s electronic payments sector is steadily beginning to realize its full potential, but with cash still the dominant way to pay, the opportunity for Saudi Arabia’s economy is immense. To help our partners and clients better understand the likely trajectory of the sector, Visa is proud to bring together world-renowned industry experts in Riyadh to share their expertise and insights at the first Saudi Payment Forum. This event is another important step in Visa’s ongoing work to enable a cashless future in Saudi Arabia.”

Delegates at the Saudi Payment Forum also received updates on Visa’s 2017 strategy, as well as its latest product and service innovations.