Visa has announced the formation of the Advisory Council for the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, a platform that will focus on conducting original research and facilitating public-private discussions on payments and public policy. According to a press release by Visa, the founding members of the council are Dr. Axel Weber, Lord Jonathan Hill, and Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka.
With the strategic guidance of the Advisory Council, the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute aims to accelerate its agenda for driving access to digital payments and unlocking new opportunities for economic growth. This announcement reflects Visa's commitment to promoting financial inclusion and advancing digital trade.
As outlined by Visa, the Advisory Council will enhance the research pillars of the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute. These pillars include fostering an open and innovative payments ecosystem through public-private collaboration, promoting balanced digital trade growth, and working towards universal digital equity and inclusion.
"The Visa Economic Empowerment Institute is a natural extension of Visa's purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere," said Kelly Mahon Tullier, Vice Chair, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer of Visa. "Axel, Koji, and Jonathan share our passion for economic empowerment and will bring new perspectives to the payments policy discourse. We are thrilled to add the strategic guidance of three global leaders whose collective expertise spans almost a century of knowledge."
The Advisory Council for the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute is chaired by Dr. Axel Weber, who has a background as the former Chairman of UBS and the former president of the German Central Bank. Joining him are Lord Hill, a Member of the UK House of Lords with prior experience as the European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services, and Capital Markets Union, and Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka, a former Japanese Ambassador to the UK and a key figure in international trade negotiations, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, during his extensive tenure with Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The formation of the Advisory Council demonstrates Visa's commitment to driving financial inclusion, promoting innovative payment solutions, and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors. Through the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, Visa aims to make a positive impact on global economic growth and digital equity.