Headquartered in California and listed on the NYSE (NYSE:V), Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments.  The company employs over 17,000 people worldwide across 38 countries and provides digital payments products, services and processing to over 16,000 financial institution clients.  Visa partners with 44 million merchant outlets and provides 3.3 billion Visa accounts throughout the world.  Visa is one of the world’s largest retail electronic payment networks.  The company operates one of the world’s most advanced processing networks, VisaNet, offering fraud protection for consumers and assured payment for merchants, capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second.  With a market capitalisation of circa $4000BN, Visa is one of the world’s most valuable global brands (BrandZ 2019) and one of the world’s most innovative companies (Forbes 2019).

Over the last 12 months, Visa made tremendous progress leading a dynamic industry and advancing the growth of digital payments globally. Against a backdrop of geopolitical challenges and uneven global economic conditions, Visa delivered outstanding financial and operating results.

In 2019, Visa completed four strategic acquisitions; Earthport (Earthport operates the largest independent Account Clearing House (ACH) network in the world, providing cross border payments), Payworks (enabling seamless omni-channel experiences), Verifi (improving ecosystem dispute chargebacks) and Rambus (extending tokenisation to non-card transactions).  These acquisitions have furthered Visa’s strategy to advance the growth of digital payments.  With the combination of a partner driven business model to support growth through scale, Visa’s strategic investments will help accelerate the company’s growth and expand into key areas delivering new payment flows, services and capabilities, as well as expanding client reach.  Accessing new and differentiated capabilities will ensure Visa is well placed to deliver a network of services built on the strong foundation for the company to be a truly global leader in payments. 

Visa’s mission is: to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network – enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive.  Visa enables money movement for everyone, everywhere.  In 2019, Visa made significant strides in advancing the goal to be a single connection point for initiating any transaction, both on the Visa network and beyond.  With a relentless focus on innovation, this is the catalyst for Visa to spearhead rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere.  The company is able to provide the benefits of scale to investments with the ability to accelerate innovation.  As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying its brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce.  2018 witnessed Visa launching a $100M European investment program to support the thriving Fintech ecosystem in Europe and grow its investment activity in start-ups. 

Visa is one of the best performing stock in the Dow 30.  The company has recently reported a strong and healthy set of full year results (October 2019) with net operating revenues of $22.9BN, an increase of 11% from the year prior.  Closing the fiscal year with strong momentum, delivering robust revenue and earnings growth fueled by double-digit increases in payments volume, cross border volume and processed transactions, Visa assumes a healthy outlook in FY’20.  Earnings per share growth (EPS) was 18%, delivering an incredible performance globally with strong business operations in Europe.

Head of Fintech & Strategic Partnerships Europe

• The Head of Fintech & Strategic Partnerships Europe is responsible for leading the centre of excellence strategy and delivery of Visa’s key strategic partnerships and fintech clients across Europe. 

• This is a P&L role for fintech sales spanning regional sales in continental Europe.  The regional sales UK & Ireland fintech team will partner closely with this role on all centre of excellence matters, taking the lead on dedicated UK & Ireland fintech client commercial activity.  The Head of Fintech & Strategic Partnerships, Europe will lead the Europe-wide centre of excellence with a key focus on; strategy, insights, marketing, market initiatives etc…

• As part of the leadership remit of this role, developing the strategy  and process design for onboarding fintech clients, negotiating commercial contracting relationships, creating pricing strategies, and charting Visa’s profile to lead and influence in the fintech ecosystem, will be key to the successful appointment.

• The role is also accountable for key digital partnership relationships – a fast growing piece of business within Visa in Europe - including large tech platforms, ecosystem enablers, and issuer processors.  Plus, maintaining and growing the highly successful European fintech programme.  The role will work closely with teams and colleagues across Europe, in both regional sales for continental Europe as well as regional sales in the UK & Ireland.

• Key priorities for the successful candidate include:

• Creating market-wide change through partnership with tech giants and other ecosystem enablers to help transform the payments landscape across Europe;
• seizing opportunities and strengthening relationships with key issuer processors across the region;
• and growing Visa’s share of the fintech  landscape Europe.

• The role oversees the Strategic Partnerships, Issuer Processing, and Fintech teams, and has dotted-line accountability over fintech sales champions across the regional sales team in continental Europe.  The role reports to the Managing Director of Europe Regions and the global SVP of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships.  The role will serve as a member of the European Regional Leadership Team, as well as the global Innovation and Strategic Partnerships team.

• In so doing, the role will partner with the UK & I Fintech team as well as client / market facing colleagues in the European Regions and their clusters, in pursuit of fintech engagement and strategy.  Balance focus on new business wins and pipeline deals that will develop a market place for Visa in the fintech ecosystem.  Winning mindset, client first principles and one team delivery is paramount to delivering success across Europe.

• The successful candidate will have a proven track-record in leadership, thriving in a highly matrixed environment, with the ability to create and deliver change. They will have a high degree of perseverance and tenacity, and will serve as a catalyst for process redesign and operational effectiveness with fintech clients across the business.  They will be a champion of continuous change at a time when Visa seeks to improve our service to our clients. The Head of Fintech & Strategic Partnerships will be comfortable operating at, and cultivating, senior executive relationships across the finance and tech worlds.  They will be a natural relationship builder and engaging people person, and will invest a substantial amount of time and energy into developing and nurturing talent across the ecosystem.

·       Proven senior executive engagement and influencing skills.  Demonstrable track record in a leadership role at C-suite or functional leadership.  Combination of operating in a matrix, multi-national environment, as well as an entrepreneurial environment.  Ability to influence and challenge at all levels of the organisation.

·       18+ years in the payments / fintech or related technology industry, having led strategy, product and business development initiatives with impact across a Europe geography. 

·       Knowledge and experience of other consulting, advisory or digital sectors that interface with the fintech ecosystem would be useful.

·       Strong background and understanding on current and emerging payment technologies and their value in the payments lifecycle.

·       A recognised thought-leader with the ability to clearly communicate Visa’s strategy for fintechs in Europe.  A compelling orator who can captivate diverse audiences, internally and externally.

·       Commercially focused and pragmatic, have the ability to identify opportunities and define solutions.  Client centric mentality with a real understanding of how to work and operate differently with the fintech community.

·       Enthusiasm and flair from working in a start-up environment.  A proactive and commercially driven individual who thrives in fast-paced / build and grow environments.  Experience of growing a business or a function from inception to fruition, developing market share, brand and profitable growth is preferred.

·       Depth of rigour to operational effectiveness, excellence in execution, new market entry and client acquisition through to onboarding and servicing.

·       Adept and inspiring leader that has built and evolved a high performing and diverse team

·       Flexibility and ability to adjust quickly new demands, assimilate a vast array of information and shape priorities.

·       A sense of urgency, assertiveness, and directness. Ability to think longer-term coupled with fast execution of short-term priorities.

·       Proven ability to navigate and thrive in a complex, fast paced and often ambiguous environment.

·       Have capacity to become a respected and valued business partner at multiple levels within the organisation.

·       A sense of humor and humility. Ability to build relationships at all levels within the organisation and partner effectively with clients externally.

·       Act as an ambassador for talent internally and externally.  Promote the Visa brand in all that you do, thinking proactively about harnessing the best talent with potential for the organisation.

Personal Characteristics

• ·       Passion for Fintech and the payments industry, keeping abreast of topical changes both in the sector, influencing the sectors, as well as regulatory-led

  ·       An intellectually curious and humble leader with a high degree of compassion, able to engage, enable and inspire others

  ·       A hands-on approach to all activities with real passion and high levels of energy.  Agile and comfortable adapting to different environments.

  ·       Courageous innovation: creative and resourceful in overcoming barriers and unexpected roadblocks 

  ·       An authentic leader who intuitively engenders an inclusive environment, enabling the business to reach its ambitious goals

  ·       Diversity of thought and experience: continually seeks new perspectives and feedback, takes an inclusive approach

  ·       High personal standards of ethics and integrity towards employees, stakeholders and customers

  ·       High levels of learning-agility with a real interest in developing relationships with start-ups / founders and SME’s across the Fintech ecosystem, combining a ‘technology / digital-first’ approach

  ·       Entrepreneurial and comfortable with ambiguous and change-led environments; self-confident with an authentic style that gravitates to championing change

  ·       Eager to seek a challenge and expand frontiers; brings a visionary approach.  Sets and meets a high bar of goals and principles.

  ·       Servant leadership mentality, deeply committed to serving and listening to others.  Natural ability to build strong relationships and enable collaboration through empathy and authenticity.

  ·       Committed to building a community through Visa Leadership Principles:

  1.         We Lead by Example

  2.     We Communicate Openly

  3.     We Enable and Inspire

  4.     We Excel with Partners

  5.     We Act Decisively

  6.     We Collaborate