Ali Bailoun is the Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Visa across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, leading the company’s strategy and long‑term market plans across these three priority growth markets. He leads Visa’s commercial growth, regulatory engagement, and ecosystem development, working with financial institutions, fintech’s, digital banks, government bodies, and market infrastructure partners to advance the region’s digital payments landscape. With more than two decades of experience in payments and banking, Ali oversees Visa’s strategic priorities in these markets. His work centers on scaling digital commerce, enabling financial inclusion, and supporting national economic programs, particularly Saudi Arabia’s transformation under Vision 2030. He is responsible for shaping Visa’s market positioning, strengthening client performance, and guiding investments that deepen Visa’s role in the region’s financial and technology ecosystem. Since joining Visa in 2012, Ali has led major shifts in the company’s regional operating model, expanded its partnerships across the public and private sectors, and built capabilities that support innovation in digital payments, acceptance, and emerging technologies. Prior to Visa, Ali held senior roles at Riyad Bank and Saudi Hollandi Bank (ABN Amro), focusing on marketing, strategy, and product development. He began his career with EY and later worked at Young & Rubicam (part of WPP), where he contributed to the launch of the second licensed telecom operator in Saudi Arabia. Ali holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Marketing from the Lebanese American University and completed executive programs in leadership, strategy, and decision‑making at Harvard University and the MIT Sloan School of Management.