Visa has announced the appointment of Ahmed Elkaffass as the new Country Manager for Bahrain. Based in Visa’s Riyadh office, which serves as the regional headquarters for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, Elkaffass succeeds Malak Alsaffar, who held the role since 2020 and will now join Visa’s Government Sales organization for the GCC region.
Elkaffass has been with Visa since 2019 and brings experience from leading a portfolio of key Visa clients in Egypt. Prior to his time at Visa, he spent 15 years working in various commercial roles at a leading global telecom operator.
Commenting on his new role, Elkaffass said, “I’m excited to take on the opportunity to lead Visa’s operations in Bahrain. I look forward to working with our clients to explore new payment innovations that can benefit both consumers and businesses in Bahrain. We are committed to supporting the government’s cashless agenda and contributing to a digital economy that can offer widespread benefits.”
Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Regional General Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, expressed confidence in Elkaffass’s leadership, saying, “Ahmed’s appointment brings strong leadership and regional expertise, and I believe he will further strengthen Visa’s partnerships and contribute to the development of Bahrain’s digital commerce landscape.”
Bahrain has become an emerging hub for fintech and digital payments, supported by progressive regulations and a forward-thinking government. While the country has made strides in digital transformation, Visa’s recent research indicates that around 17% of consumer transactions are still made in cash.
