Mastercard Almaty Hub to Prioritize Data and Services
Mastercard’s Regional Hub in Almaty to Focus on Data and Services
Mastercard’s Regional Hub for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central, and Eastern Europe in Almaty will be focusing on data and services, according to Mastercard General Director for Central Asia Rafal Trepka in an interview with The Astana Times.
Originally from Poland, Rafal has been with the Mastercard team for almost 15 years. Mastercard is a global fintech company operating in more than 210 countries worldwide and has been in the payments industry for over 50 years. The company’s processing network processes more than 160 million transactions per hour and 27 billion payments per year.
Mastercard began its operations in Kazakhstan in the mid-90s, and in 2012, it opened an office in Almaty. Rafal Trepka has been appointed to oversee the region of Central Asia back in 2020. He is also the head of the newly established Mastercard Customer Solutions Center.
During his September visit to the United States, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Mastercard Executive Vice President Nicola Villa, endorsing the company’s decision to choose Almaty as a regional hub. To facilitate this, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry and Mastercard.
Almaty was chosen as a regional hub for the development of Mastercard’s consulting business due to its proximity to the company’s offices in Istanbul and Dubai, as well as its well-educated young personnel. The hub will focus on data and services, aiming to provide not only fast and simple transactions but also safe and secure ones. It will also delve into the broader realm of data science, particularly in cybersecurity and cyber intelligence.
Not only Kazakhstan but also the entire region of Central Asia has a significant young population, with a high potential for technology advancements. Mastercard sees ample opportunities for activity and cooperation in the countries of Central Asia.
Rafal Trepka also highlighted the rapid digital development in Kazakhstan, commending the well-developed digital landscape and the record level of cashless transactions. He emphasized the critical need for increased interoperability and additional technologies in cyber intelligence and security.
Mastercard has been working closely with the government entities, and under a five-year Digital Country Partnership program, the cooperation entails the digitalization of government payments, promotion of Kazakhstan’s GovTech model, and cooperation on the development of IT exports, e-commerce, digitalization of small and medium-sized businesses, and fintech.
In line with its strategic vision for the future, Mastercard plans to introduce new services in Kazakhstan through partnerships with the National Bank and second-tier banks, aiming to adapt to the evolving digital landscape and be more agile.
