Visa Names Anne Kinuthia-Otieno as Head of East Africa Amid Regional Expansion

Visa has appointed Anne Kinuthia-Otieno as its new Vice President and Head of East Africa, starting August 4. She will be based in Nairobi and oversee Visa's operations across seven East African markets.

Kinuthia-Otieno joins Visa from Airtel Money Kenya, where she served as managing director since September 2021. During her tenure, the company grew its market share to 10.9% by March 2026, up from 3.1%, while M-PESA's share slipped to 89.1%. She also expanded the agent and merchant network, and upgraded the mobile money infrastructure.

Before joining Airtel Money Kenya, Kinuthia-Otieno spent over ten years in banking, including senior roles at Absa Group covering governance and sales distribution, and over seven years at Barclays Bank. Her regional experience and background in financial inclusion are expected to support Visa's work with partners and governments in the region.

The hire comes as Visa deepens its push into Africa, which includes a $1 billion investment plan for the continent. Kinuthia-Otieno has also been recognized by the Kenyan government for her work in financial services, receiving the Moran of the Burning Spear honor.