Mastercard has announced that Yasemin Bedir has been appointed President of the company’s Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region, effective 1 September. The company’s EEMEA region was expanded in recent years, bringing additional markets to what is now a vibrant, agile and high growth potential 81 country business.
Bedir, a nearly 20-year veteran of Mastercard, also joins the company’s Management Committee. She succeeds Dimitrios Dosis, who was recently named Chief Commercial Payments Officer, leading Commercial & New Payment Flows.
In this UAE-based role, Bedir will oversee the strategy, direction and overall success of all aspects of Mastercard’s operations across the region through its partnerships with retailers, fintechs, financial institutions, governments and businesses.
“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.”
Most recently, Bedir served as Division President for Eastern Europe for four years, guiding the team through a complex geopolitical and regulatory environment to strengthen Mastercard’s leadership position across these markets. She is a passionate advocate for talent development and has fostered a culture grounded in accountability and collaboration.
Bedir joined Mastercard in 2007. During her tenure, she gained experience and insights from working in markets across the globe, including serving as General Manager of the company’s Turkey and Azerbaijan activities before overseeing community institution and processor relationships in North America for nearly five years.
“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.”
Earlier in her career, Bedir worked at HSBC, Garanti Bank and Yapı Kredi in Turkey. She is among the Founders of the Professional Women Network (PWN) and leads many projects to help SMEs grow.