Mastercard has made a high-level executive appointment for its Eastern Europe region, which is managed regionally from Istanbul. Avşar Gürdal, who previously achieved significant success as the General Manager for Mastercard Turkey and Azerbaijan, and later served as Senior Vice President of Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions, Risk, and Analytics for Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA), will assume his new role as Mastercard President of Eastern Europe effective September 1. In this capacity, Gürdal will lead 12 countries across Europe and the Caucasus from Mastercard’s Eastern Europe regional hub in Turkey.
Leveraging his extensive experience across various leadership roles within Mastercard, Gürdal will focus on shaping and implementing business strategies throughout the dynamic and rapidly growing markets of Eastern Europe. His key objectives include driving regional growth priorities, strengthening client and business partnerships, and expanding innovative solutions within the payment technologies ecosystem to propel the company’s growth journey forward.
Istanbul Hub Reinforces Turkey’s Strategic Role
Mastercard’s Eastern Europe regional headquarters in Istanbul serves 12 countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, handling strategy, business development, and client management activities for the region. This organizational structure reinforces Turkey’s strategic importance within Mastercard’s global and regional operations.
During his prior tenure as General Manager for Mastercard Turkey and Azerbaijan, Gürdal contributed significantly to executing the company’s strategic priorities in these markets, expanding digital payment solutions, and strengthening Mastercard’s presence in Turkey.
A graduate of Boğaziçi University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gürdal also holds an MBA degree from Koç University.
