Network International, a leading fintech company operating across the Middle East and Africa, has appointed Pinar Alpay as its Group Chief Product and Marketing Officer, strengthening its senior leadership team as the company accelerates its product-led and innovation-driven growth strategy.
Role to drive product innovation and brand strategy
In her new role, Alpay will oversee Network International’s product and marketing agenda across markets, with a focus on advancing innovation, strengthening brand equity, and deepening customer engagement across the company’s payments and digital commerce offerings.
The appointment comes at a time when Network International is expanding its role as a key payments infrastructure provider across the region, amid growing demand for scalable, secure, and digital-first financial solutions.
Extensive global experience across fintech and payments
Alpay brings more than two decades of international leadership experience across fintech, payments, and strategy. Prior to joining Network International, she served as Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Signicat, where she helped shape the company’s product roadmap and market positioning in digital identity and trusted payments.
Before Signicat, Alpay spent over seven years at Worldpay, most recently as Senior Vice President for Global Payment Solutions and Transformation. During her tenure, she led the vision and execution of global acquiring products, drove omnichannel expansion, and played a central role in large-scale technology transformation initiatives across international markets.
Her earlier career includes senior leadership roles at Barclaycard International, where she led strategy and planning initiatives, as well as nearly a decade at Bain & Company, advising global clients on growth strategy and performance transformation. Alpay has also demonstrated entrepreneurial leadership as a co-founder and managing director of an award-winning educational venture Profile.
Strong academic foundation and global outlook
Alpay holds an MBA in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Boğaziçi University. She brings a strong analytical foundation, global operating experience, and a track record of building and scaling complex product organisations across mature and high-growth markets.
CEO highlights leadership depth and innovation focus
Commenting on the appointment, Murat Cagri Suzer, Group Chief Executive Officer of Network International, said the move reflects the company’s continued focus on talent and innovation.
“Pinar’s appointment strengthens our leadership team and accelerates our journey to cement Network International as a leader in fintech innovation. We continue to invest in our core capabilities and talent to innovate at pace and deliver best-in-class solutions for our customers,” Suzer said.
Reinforcing fintech leadership across MEA
The appointment underscores Network International’s strategy of attracting senior global talent to support its long-term growth objectives and further consolidate its leadership position in the Middle East and Africa’s rapidly evolving fintech ecosystem.
