Visa has hired Anne Kinuthia-Otieno as its new Vice President and Head of East Africa, just days after she stepped down as managing director of Airtel Money Kenya.
She starts the new role on August 4 and will be based in Nairobi, overseeing Visa’s operations across seven East African markets.
Her job will focus on growing digital payments, building stronger ties with banks and financial partners, and pushing financial inclusion efforts across the region.
The move ends months of speculation about what Kinuthia-Otieno would do next after leaving Airtel Money Kenya ahead of Airtel Africa’s planned listing of its mobile money business on the London Stock Exchange.
A Track Record in Mobile Money
Kinuthia-Otieno took over Airtel Money Kenya in September 2021, when the company held just 3.1% of Kenya’s mobile money subscriptions against M-PESA’s dominant 96.8%.
By March 2026, Airtel Money’s share had grown to 10.9%, while M-PESA‘s slipped to 89.1%, according to Communications Authority of Kenya data. During her tenure, the company also expanded its agent and merchant network and upgraded its mobile money infrastructure.
Before joining Airtel Money in August 2021, she spent more than ten years in banking, including senior roles at Absa Group covering governance and sales distribution, and over seven years at Barclays Bank.
After her exit, Airtel Money Kenya named Bonke Michael, a company veteran of nearly a decade, as acting managing director.
Why This Appointment Matters for Visa
The hire comes as Visa deepens its push into Africa. The company is in year four of a five-year, $1 billion investment plan for the continent, which includes opening its first African data center in Johannesburg and looking into stablecoin-based settlement systems.
Michael Berner, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director for Southern and Eastern Africa, said Kinuthia-Otieno’s regional experience and background in financial inclusion would support the company’s work with partners and governments in the region.
Kinuthia-Otieno has also been recognized by the Kenyan government, having received the Moran of the Burning Spear honor for her work in financial services.
