MasterCard Appoints New VP for Communications in MEA

MasterCard (http://newsroom.mastercard.com/) has recently appointed Sami Lahoud as Vice President – Communications, Middle East and Africa, with the responsibility to drive the corporate communications function for the company across the Middle East and Africa region.

Based in Dubai, Sami will draw upon his broad communications and journalism experience in the region to optimize MasterCard’s brand visibility and reputation across the three main divisions that compose the MEA region, namely; Middle East & North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa.

Commenting on Lahoud’s appointment, Michael Miebach, president, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide, said: “Sami’s credentials are of the highest caliber and he brings a wealth of experience in some of the most challenging communications environments. This is a clear benefit to MasterCard and all our stakeholders. As part of a strategic decision to invest in resources in the region, Sami’s appointment will put MasterCard in a strong position to drive greater awareness and value of MasterCard products and brand across Middle East and Africa.”

Before joining MasterCard, Sami worked with Barclays where he established the Corporate Affairs function for the Emerging Markets region which was set up to spearhead the growth of Barclays Retail and Corporate business in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and East Europe.

Prior to Barclays, Sami held several senior positions within leading organizations such as Boeing, where his work involved enhancing the brand and reputation of the company in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, building competitive advantage and actively supporting major customer campaigns across civil and defense aerospace products.

During his extensive career in communications, Sami worked for leading communications consultancies such as Weber Shandwick and Hill & Knowlton. He also was the Business Editor of Al Iktissad Wal Aamal magazine, a leading pan Arab business publication.

Sami holds a Master’s Degree in Money & Banking from the American University of Beirut.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news