Mastercard Strengthens MENA East Team, Appoints JK Khalil as Cluster General Manager

Mastercard, one of the leading global payments and technology companies, announced yesterday that it has selected JK Khalil, the former VP-Chief of Staff at Barclays, as the company’s new Cluster General Manager for the MENA East region.

In his new role, Khalil will play an important role in Mastercard’s expansion across the company’s MENA East region which includes countries like UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan and Oman. Khalil is planning to use his broad experience in banking, technology and strategy consulting to boost financial inclusion.

“I am delighted to step into this role and help build on a journey more than 35 years in the making. Mastercard’s commitment to the region is unmatched, and I look forward to working with the extraordinary and expanded team to come together with our partners in the public and private sectors to build on this legacy and create an inclusive, digital and more connected future for the communities we serve,” Khalil said.

MENA

Mastercard noted that the MENA region is one of the most important locations for the company’s global expansion. In May 2022, the financial services provider developed a partnership with OPay to facilitate a cashless ecosystem in the Middle East and Africa.

With the appointment of Khalil as the Cluster General Manager for the MENA East region, Mastercard is planning to strengthen its position as a leader in payments and technology services.

“Mastercard has been at the forefront of digital transformation and payment technology innovation across the diverse MENA region. The appointments strengthen Mastercard’s commitment to driving financial inclusion, supporting a world beyond cash and investing resources in key markets. Khalil holds an MBA with distinction from the University of Chicago (Booth) and is the President of the GCC Alumni Club chapter. He also holds a Computer Systems & Networks Engineering degree from the Saint Joseph University in Beirut,” the company added.