Visa appoints Suresh Sethi as Group Country Manager for India and South Asia

Visa has appointed Suresh Sethi as its Group Country Manager for India and South Asia, signalling a leadership shift as the payments major steps up its growth strategy in the region. The move comes as the company looks to expand its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.

"Visa has appointed Suresh Sethi as Group Country Manager for India and South Asia effective 27 April 2026. Suresh is a tenured leader with 30 years of leadership experience across the financial sector,” a Visa spokesperson shared.  

Sethi succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has left the organisation after more than four years to pursue opportunities outside the company.

Leadership change aligns with regional growth push

The appointment follows Sethi’s exit as chief executive officer of Protean eGov Technologies. His transition into the role reflects Visa’s intent to strengthen leadership as competition intensifies across the digital payments ecosystem.

According to BW Businessworld, the company is focusing on deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption across India and South Asia, where digital transactions and user engagement continue to scale rapidly.

Experience across banking and technology

Sethi brings close to three decades of experience spanning corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and government technology programmes. He began his career at Citigroup, where he worked for over a decade across regions including India, Africa, South America and the United States, primarily in transaction banking.

His cross-sector exposure is expected to support Visa’s efforts to navigate a rapidly evolving payments landscape shaped by fintech innovation and regulatory developments.

Strategic timing amid rising competition

Industry observers view the appointment as a move to combine institutional expertise with market familiarity at a time when digital payments adoption is accelerating. The sector has seen increasing competition from fintech firms and evolving consumer behaviour, alongside continued regulatory focus.

Visa’s leadership transition underscores the importance of executive direction in shaping growth and partnerships in a market that is expanding at scale.

With India emerging as a critical market for digital payments, Sethi’s mandate is expected to centre on driving adoption, strengthening ecosystem partnerships and aligning regional strategy with global priorities.

As the payments landscape evolves, leadership continuity and strategic execution will be key to sustaining growth in a highly competitive environment.