Paytm Names Ramana Kumar as CEO for Middle East to Drive Global Fintech Expansion

Paytm (One97 Communications Ltd), India’s digital payments and financial services platform, has announced the appointment of Ramana Kumar as Chief Executive Officer for its Middle East business.

A respected fintech leader with over two decades of experience, Kumar joins Paytm with a distinguished record in digital banking, payment innovation, and financial strategy. Most recently, he was the founding CEO of Magnati, a top-tier payments firm under First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), where he modernised UAE’s payment ecosystem.

Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Middle East, Paytm said, “I am excited to join Paytm and lead its Middle East business. The region is rapidly adopting digital payments, and there’s a strong demand for innovative, secure, and scalable solutions. Paytm’s technology, built and refined in India, is well-suited to meet these needs. We will work closely with regulators and ecosystem partners to introduce impactful innovations and strengthen the digital payments landscape.”

His extensive leadership journey also includes key roles as Executive Vice President at FAB and Managing Director at National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), where he led transformative projects in digital transaction banking.

At Paytm, Kumar will spearhead the company’s strategic expansion across the UAE and wider Middle East, adapting its widely adopted Indian solutions—like QR code payments and the revolutionary Paytm Soundbox—for the region’s evolving fintech landscape.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO - Paytm said, “We welcome Ramana, who has built a formidable merchant payments business in the UAE. We aim to serve the region by building and bringing strong regional leadership, backed by our proven technology.”