Mastercard today announced the appointment of Sharad Jain as Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. In this role, Sharad will lead and oversee the company’s strategic direction and business operations across these three dynamic markets. His responsibilities include strengthening Mastercard’s collaborations with government stakeholders, banks, fintechs and merchants in Vietnam to accelerate the adoption and implementation of secure digital payments.

With more than 22 years of international experience in financial services across India, Asia and the Middle East, Sharad brings deep expertise in payments, consumer and business banking, consumer finance, and digital transformation. In his new role, he will focus on advancing innovative, secure, and seamless digital payments solutions in collaboration with public and private sector firms, while promoting financial and digital inclusion to support Vietnam’s journey toward a more connected and digitally empowered economy.

Commenting on the appointment, Safdar Khan, Division President, Southeast Asia, Mastercard, said, “Sharad’s strategic mindset, extensive international and regional experience, and deep understanding of the payments and banking industry make him well-suited to lead Mastercard’s efforts across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. His market insights and established relationships in these markets reaffirm our focus on driving long-term collaborations and scalable innovations that deliver impact and value for the government, banks and merchants in these countries.”

Sharad’s appointment comes at a vital time as Vietnam accelerates its transformation into a digital economy, guided by the National Digital Transformation Program. According to the latest Mastercard New Payments Index, 94% of Vietnamese consumers have used at least one form of emerging digital payment method in the past year—7% higher than the global average. Given the strong appetite locally for digital payments, there is a significant opportunity to expand the adoption of digital technologies and solutions and drive the nation toward a more inclusive and resilient digital ecosystem.

“I’m deeply honored and excited to take on this role in a region that is highly dynamic and fast-growing. Vietnam holds tremendous potential, with a rapidly growing economy and a robust appetite for innovation. The opportunity to leverage technology and innovation to deliver breakthrough ideas in payments and lending that create meaningful impact in local communities is immense. I look forward to collaborating closely with our partners and stakeholders in Vietnam to build an interoperable, secure, and inclusive digital ecosystem, and to working alongside our dedicated Mastercard team to continue elevating digital and payment experiences for Vietnamese consumers and businesses,” said Sharad Jain, Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, Mastercard.

Prior to his appointment, Sharad was most recently Vice President, Regional Account Management, Southeast Asia at Mastercard in Singapore, where he led strategic account management for top-tier financial institutions across the region. He succeeds Winnie Wong, who is currently Country Manager for Thailand and Myanmar.

“I would like to thank Winnie for her contributions to our business in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos over the past six years. Her leadership and accomplishments in these three markets have been truly outstanding. As we embrace this leadership change, I am confident that Sharad will build on our achievements in these markets and, with his proven leadership and expertise, bring fresh momentum to drive our business forward,” added Safdar Khan.