Paytm, owned by One97 Communications Limited, has appointed Ramana Kumar as the Chief Executive Officer for its Middle East operations. This marks a major move as the company looks to grow its digital payments presence in the UAE and the wider Middle East region.
Ramana Kumar Joins Paytm
Ramana Kumar brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the fintech, banking, and payments industries. He is well-known in the Middle East for leading digital innovation and developing secure and scalable payment solutions. His deep knowledge and understanding of the region’s financial ecosystem make him a strong fit for this role.
Before joining Paytm, Kumar served as the founding CEO of Magnati, a well-known payments firm in the United Arab Emirates. Magnati is a subsidiary of First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), where Kumar also worked as Executive Vice President, managing the bank’s payments and digital banking operations.
Strong Leadership Background
Earlier in his career, he held the position of Managing Director and Head of Global Transaction Banking at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. Throughout his journey, Kumar has played a key role in building modern payment systems and expanding digital banking in the region.
Kumar will lead Paytm’s growth in the UAE and other Middle Eastern markets in his new role. His main focus will be on creating digital payment solutions that fit local needs. He will use Paytm’s successful Indian technology base to support this expansion.
Founder and CEO of Paytm, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, said the company is excited to welcome Ramana and sees great potential in the region. He noted that Kumar has already built a strong merchant payments business in the UAE.
Vision for the Future
Ramana Kumar shared his excitement about joining Paytm and leading the Middle East business. He said the region is quickly embracing digital payments and that Paytm’s proven technology from India can meet this demand. He plans to work closely with regulators and partners to bring secure, scalable innovations to the region’s financial ecosystem.
