Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Visa has appointed Salima Gutiyeva as vice president and regional manager for Central Asia. She will officially take up the position on 1 December 2026, replacing Sanjar Suleymanov, Visa said.
In her new role, Gutiyeva will be responsible for developing digital payments in the region, promoting technological solutions, expanding cooperation with banks and merchants, and creating new opportunities for cardholders.
Gutiyeva has worked at Visa for more than 20 years. During this time, she has held senior positions in business development and sales across markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (CEMEA).
Since 2022, Gutiyeva has headed Visa’s business in the United Arab Emirates as vice president and regional manager. In this role, she was responsible for market development and cooperation with clients and government partners to meet growing demand for convenient and secure digital payments.
Sergey Martynchuk, senior vice president and regional manager for Ukraine, Moldova, Southeast Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus at Visa, highlighted Gutiyeva’s extensive experience and deep understanding of market needs.
He also thanked Sanjar Suleymanov for his contribution to the development of the digital economy in Central Asian countries and the implementation of projects aimed at strengthening cashless payments in the region.
According to Martynchuk, Central Asia remains one of Visa’s strategically important and rapidly developing regions, while the company’s priorities, investments and commitments to clients remain unchanged.
Gutiyeva said it was a great honor for her to lead Visa’s team in Central Asia. She noted the region’s dynamic development in digital payments and the financial sector and emphasized her intention to continue introducing innovations, developing payment infrastructure and creating solutions for faster, more convenient and secure payments.
