Former Mastercard Chair Walt Macnee joins Paysafe governance

Global payments provider, Paysafe Group has confirmed the appointment of Walt Macnee as an independent, non-executive director. The appointment takes immediate effect.

Macnee, a results-focussed payments executive with a history of building strategic relationships, has wide-ranging experience in the global financial services and payments industries. He currently serves as vice chairman of Mastercard where he has spearheaded multiple growth initiatives around the world. 

Commenting on the appointment, Paysafe’s president and chief executive officer, Joel Leonoff, said: “Walt brings vast payments leadership experience to the role combined with a proven entrepreneurial track record of developing new business in underserved parts of the world. We all look forward to working with him.” 

Stuart C. Harvey, Jr, chairman of the Paysafe board of directors, added: “Walt’s appointment completes a significant reorientation and strengthening of the Paysafe board in the last year. He is a highly regarded leader in the global payments industry and his background complements the wealth of experience we have on the team. He’ll be a great asset.”

Walt Macnee added: “I have watched Paysafe notch up multiple successes over these past years, reinforcing its position and standing in the digital payments industry, and Joel and the board of directors quite rightly continue to have very bold ambitions for the business. I’m excited to be joining the team at this time and using my insights and experience to help steer that accelerated growth strategy.” 

Paysafe, previously a FTSE 250 company, was acquired by private equity funds managed by Blackstone and CVC Capital Partners in December 2017. Its board of directors consists of eight members: seven non-executive directors and one executive director.