Visa expands Levant team

In August 2007, Visa appointed Mr. Tony Gougassian as the Area Manager for Qatar and the Levant, a region consisting of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Palestine.

Mr. Gougassian joined Visa in March 2005 as a Relationship Manager.

In July 2005, he took over Qatar as Country Manager, followed by Oman and Bahrain in early 2006.

In his capacity, Mr. Gougassian led Visa's strategic business agenda as well as the day-to-day operating activities.

In March of this year and in a step to further enhance the company's position as a progressive entity, Visa appointed Mr. Walid Rizk as Visa's Country Manager for Lebanon and Syria. In his position, Mr. Rizk will be responsible for enhancing Visa's presence in his area of operation.

With an impressive background, prior to joining Visa, Mr. Rizk was the Branch Manager of the Bank of Beirut SAL.

He was responsible for planning and revising the overall bank resources and for creating strategies for expanding and enhancing the bank's business.

Based between Jordan and Lebanon, Mr. Rizk will serve as a valuable addition for Visa's Levant team and optimise coverage and support for the member banks in the Levant.

Known for its long track record for appointing high calibre individuals, Visa's recruitment of Mr. Rizk came to complement Mr. Gougassian's presence amongst the company's team since late 2005.

The new team members will work together to ensure that Visa's presence strengthens and expands in the Levant markets.