Visa consolidates management functions
San Francisco, July 27, 2009--Joseph W. (Joe) Saunders, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), today announced that he is reorganizing the company's executive management team's responsibilities to heighten organizational effectiveness and increase the pace of Visa's global alignment.
"We've come a long way since October of 2007 when we merged five independent Visa operating regions, Visa International and its global payment processing subsidiary, Inovant, into one company called Visa Inc. and very successfully took the company public," said Saunders. "Since the IPO, we've expanded our core debit and credit business, reduced operating costs by hundreds of millions of dollars, and heightened our focus on product innovation. We have met or exceeded most of the financial goals we established at the IPO, and continue to meet or exceed all our current financial guidance. As a growing and constantly evolving company, we will continually assess our management team structure and refine it as necessary to ensure that we continue to deliver value to clients and shareholders."
In the new structure, the company's global sales, client service, marketing, product development and innovation functions will be consolidated, effective immediately, under the leadership of John M. Partridge, Chief Operating Officer. With these critical business units more closely aligned, Visa will achieve greater integration, operating efficiencies and increased speed to market in delivering new products to clients.
John C. (Hans) Morris, will step down as President, Visa Inc. He will remain with the company until the end of the year in a different capacity working with Mr. Saunders and helping to ensure a seamless transition to the new structure. Morris joined the newly formed Visa Inc. in 2007 and played a central role in the company's successful IPO in 2008. Since then he has enhanced Visa's client-facing operations, assisting the company in adopting more rigorous customer-centric models required by public companies, led its coordination with Visa Europe and played a significant role with many of Visa's key client relationships.
"Hans played an important role as we created Visa Inc., executed the IPO and transitioned Visa to a high performing public company," said Mr. Saunders. "We've benefitted from his energy, insight and counsel."
About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. This includes consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, which are offered under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world, and Visa/PLUS is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com .
Source: Company press release.
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