Africa: Visa Appoints Aminata Kane to Lead Western and Central Africa Operations

Global payments leader Visa has appointed Aminata Kane as Senior Vice President and Head of Western and Central Africa, effective September 4, 2025. The announcement, made on Tuesday, signals a strategic push to strengthen Visa’s presence across 23 dynamic markets in the region.

Based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Kane will oversee operations across four key hubs—Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, and Lagos—spearheading Visa’s newly established sub-regional structure designed to drive digital payments innovation and financial inclusion.

A respected figure in the digital financial services and telecom space, Kane brings over a decade of C-suite experience from Orange Group, where she most recently served as Regional CEO of Orange Money Group, leading mobile money and banking operations across 17 countries.

Her tenure at Orange was marked by a strong focus on youth and women empowerment through technology, including the founding of the Orange Digital Centre and Orange Foundation in Sierra Leone—initiatives dedicated to leadership development and digital skill-building.

“Aminata’s leadership and deep expertise in digital financial services will be instrumental in driving Visa’s mission to expand financial inclusion across Western and Central Africa,” said Andrew Torre, Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Visa.

“We are excited to have her lead this dynamic region and believe her strategic vision will further strengthen our efforts to build more inclusive and innovative payment ecosystems.”

Kane’s professional journey began at Goldman Sachs, followed by a successful stint at McKinsey & Company in Paris, where she specialised in financial strategy and market transformation. She holds degrees from HEC Paris and the MIT Sloan School of Management, and is recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She was also recently named among the Top 100 Women CEOs in Africa.

“I am deeply honoured to join Visa at such a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital transformation,” said Kane.
“This is a unique opportunity to shape a more inclusive and forward-looking financial ecosystem—one that reflects the immense talent and ambition across our region. I look forward to working with partners, governments, and businesses to expand access, empower communities, and drive long-term, sustainable growth.”

Kane’s appointment underscores Visa’s continued commitment to empowering digital economies, building resilient partnerships, and fostering equitable access to payment solutions across Africa.