Bevan Smith is the Head of Risk at Visa Sub-Saharan Africa. He has over 17 years of experience working in management consulting, enterprise risk management, and regulatory engagement – with particular expertise in the fields of financial services, policy/ framework implementation, due diligence and payments technology.

Smith has been with Visa since 2018. In this role, he drives Visa’s Risk and Security strategy in more than 45 markets across banks, fintech’s and MNO’s. As a Risk professional, Smith previously served as the Head of Risk – Distribution, Coverage and Operations for Absa Retail and Business Bank. He also established and grew the Operational Risk Management consulting practice at the IQ Business Group where he served as the Head of Operational Risk.

Smith is a recognised authority in payments security and has been quoted in technology magazines, as well as appeared on prime-time television and radio programmes in South Africa. Smith is a frequent conference speaker and he currently serves as a member of the MBA Alumni Bursary Committee for the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Smith received his MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science and he holds a B.Sc. (Mathematics & Statistics), cum laude, from the University of the Western Cape.