Global payments giant Visa has announced the appointment of Aminata Kane as Senior Vice President and Head of Western and Central Africa, effective September 4, 2025.

Kane, a seasoned executive in digital financial services and telecommunications, will be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. She will lead Visa’s newly established sub-regional team, overseeing operations across 23 markets from offices in Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, and Lagos.

Prior to joining Visa, Kane served as Regional CEO of Orange Money Group, managing Orange Money and Orange Bank Africa across 17 countries. She also held leadership roles within Orange’s operations in the Middle East and Africa, and began her career at Goldman Sachs before moving to McKinsey & Company in Paris.

Visa described Kane as a strong advocate for youth and women empowerment through technology. Her initiatives include the launch of the Orange Foundation and Orange Digital Centre in Sierra Leone, which focus on leadership development and digital skills training.

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

Kane holds degrees from HEC Paris and MIT Sloan School of Management and has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She was also recently listed among the Top 100 Women CEOs in Africa.

Speaking on her new role, Kane said, “I am deeply honoured to join Visa at such a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital transformation. This is a unique opportunity to help shape a more inclusive and innovative ecosystem that reflects the region’s talent and potential.”

She added that she looks forward to working with teams, partners, and public sector stakeholders to drive access, innovation, and sustainable growth in the region.