Mastercard has announced the appointment of Yasemin Bedir as President of its Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region, effective September 1. The EEMEA region has expanded significantly in recent years, incorporating additional markets and growing into an 81-country business with strong growth potential. The expanded region now represents a dynamic and agile market as Mastercard continues to strengthen its presence across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Bedir, who has spent nearly 20 years at Mastercard, also join the company’s Management Committee. She succeeded Dimitrios Dosis, who recently became Mastercard’s Chief Commercial Payments Officer, overseeing Commercial and New Payment Flows.
Based in the United Arab Emirates, Bedir will be responsible for Mastercard’s overall operations across the EEMEA region, including its strategy, business direction and performance. Her role will involve working closely with retailers, fintech companies, financial institutions, governments and businesses across the 81-country region.
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“Yasemin is a leader who finds the best in her teams to help them deliver the greatest impact for our customers and to fuel local economies,” said Sachin Mehra, Chief Business Officer, Mastercard. “This is a vast and complex region that demands creative thinking, proven results and strong relationships. Yasemin has delivered that throughout her career. Working with our customers and partners across the EEMEA region, we have a true opportunity to shape and redefine how people and businesses move money, exchange value and enable commerce for years to come.“
Before taking on her new role, Bedir served as Division President for Eastern Europe for four years, where she led Mastercard through a challenging geopolitical and regulatory environment while strengthening the company’s position across the region. She has also championed talent development and promoted a workplace culture focused on accountability and collaboration.
Bedir joined Mastercard in 2007 and has held several leadership positions across different markets. She previously served as General Manager for Mastercard’s Turkey and Azerbaijan operations before moving to North America, where she spent nearly five years managing relationships with community institutions and payment processors.
“I’ve been inspired by the teams here at Mastercard,” said Bedir. “Their resilience, innovative spirit and relentless dedication to meet and exceed customer needs is what powers our impact every day. Together, we will build on the strong foundation the regional team has created under Dimi’s leadership over the past five years.”
Before joining Mastercard, Bedir held positions at HSBC, Garanti Bank and Yapı Kredi in Turkey. She is also one of the founders of the Professional Women Network (PWN) and has led several initiatives focused on supporting the growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
