Visa has appointed Marianne Mwaniki as senior vice president of social impact, with responsibility for the company’s comprehensive strategy in the areas of financial inclusion, financial literacy, corporate social responsibility and corporate giving programs.
In this new role, Ms. Mwaniki will also lead the Visa Foundation, which was established in 2017 to build on Visa’s long history of corporate giving and to accelerate the delivery of the company’s social impact goals by helping small and microenterprises thrive.
Prior to joining Visa, Ms. Mwaniki spent more than 20 years in the international banking sector, leading teams across Africa, Europe and Asia. In her previous role, she was managing director, individual clients Africa, at Standard Chartered, where she held a variety of positions encompassing both client value proposition design and financial solutions delivery. She also led the bank’s sustainability strategy formulation and represented Standard Chartered in several government consultations, at United Nations conferences, in European Union working groups, as well as at general social impact and banking industry conferences.
“Marianne has a wonderful combination of strong global experience in the financial industry and a demonstrated passion for driving social change,” said William Sheedy, executive vice president of corporate strategy, mergers & acquisitions and government relations at Visa. “Her leadership will advance Visa’s commitment to strengthening communities, operating responsibly, and prioritizing the inclusiveness and growth of micro and small enterprises around the world.”
Ms. Mwaniki is currently a board member of the British Chamber of Commerce Kenya. She is a founding member of the Africa Leadership Network and was recognized as one of Kenya’s Top 40 under 40. Ms. Mwaniki holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
