Zakia Sultana Appointed Country Manager of Mastercard Bangladesh

Global payments technology company Mastercard has announced the appointment of Zakia Sultana as its new Country Manager for Bangladesh.

She succeeds Syed Mohammad Kamal, who is set to retire later this year after serving the company for 13 years. During his tenure, Kamal played a significant role in expanding Mastercard’s footprint in Bangladesh and strengthening the country’s digital payments ecosystem.

Mastercard said Zakia will lead the next phase of the company’s growth and engagement in Bangladesh, building on the strong foundation established over the years.

A member of Mastercard since 2015, Zakia Sultana has been instrumental in driving financial inclusion initiatives, strengthening strategic partnerships, and expanding digital payment opportunities across the country. In her new role, she will focus on accelerating digital payments adoption and fostering a more secure, connected, and inclusive payments ecosystem in Bangladesh.

Currently serving as Director, Business Development at Mastercard, Zakia has led several key financial inclusion projects and collaborated with government agencies, banks, NGOs, mobile financial service providers, and technology partners to enhance payment solutions and market penetration.

Before joining Mastercard, she held leadership positions at HSBC, Banglalink, and Airtel Africa (formerly Airtel Bangladesh). She also worked at Grameenphone, where she was involved in project and change management initiatives.

With more than two decades of experience spanning banking, telecommunications, technology, and digital financial services, Zakia is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing Mastercard’s mission of expanding financial inclusion and digital payments across Bangladesh.

Mastercard expressed confidence that her leadership will further strengthen the company’s contribution to Bangladesh’s rapidly evolving digital economy.