Mastercard Appoints Yasemin Bedir As New President For Eastern Europe, Middle East And Africa Region

Mastercard has appointed Yasemin Bedir as President of its Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region. This will take effect from September 1, 2026.

The appointment will be placing the nearly 20 year company veteran in charge of its operations across 81 countries.

Commenting on the appointment, Sachin Mehra, Chief Business Officer at Mastercard, described Bedir as a leader who brings strong experience and a record of delivering results.

“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,” Mehra said.

He added that the EEMEA region is a complex market that requires creative thinking, proven results and strong relationships, noting that Bedir had demonstrated these qualities throughout her career.

Bedir, who is based in the United Arab Emirates, will oversee Mastercard’s strategy, direction and overall operations across the EEMEA region. Her responsibilities will include working with retailers, fintech companies, financial institutions, governments and businesses to support the growth of digital payments and commerce across the markets.

She will also join Mastercard’s Management Committee. She succeeds Dimitrios Dosis, who has moved into the role of Chief Commercial Payments Officer, where he will lead Commercial and New Payment Flows.

Most recently, she served as Division President for Eastern Europe, a position she held for four years. During that period, she guided Mastercard’s operations through a complex geopolitical and regulatory environment while working to strengthen the company’s position across the markets.

She joined Mastercard in 2007 and has held several leadership positions across different markets. Her previous roles included General Manager overseeing Mastercard’s activities in Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as a senior position in North America where she managed relationships with community institutions and processors for nearly five years.

Speaking on her new role, Bedir said she had been inspired by Mastercard’s teams and their commitment to serving customers.

“I’ve been inspired by the teams here at Mastercard,” she said. “Their resilience, innovative spirit and relentless dedication to meet and exceed customer needs is what powers our impact every day.”

She added that she would work with the regional team to build on the foundation established under Dosis’ leadership over the past five years.

Before joining Mastercard, Bedir worked with HSBC, Garanti Bank and Yapı Kredi in Turkey. She is also among the founders of the Professional Women Network and has led initiatives aimed at supporting the growth of small and medium sized businesses.

Her appointment comes as Mastercard continues to deepen its presence across the EEMEA region, which includes major markets such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt.