Ahmet Kayhan

Ahmet Kayhan is a fintech and digital platforms executive, entrepreneur, board director, and advisor with more than 20 years of international experience building and scaling technology-enabled businesses across the Middle East, Türkiye, South Asia, the CIS, and other emerging markets.
He is currently the Group Chief Payments & Digital Assets Officer at VEON, a Dubai-headquartered digital operator and the largest Nasdaq-listed company with its Group headquarters in Dubai. He leads the Group's payments, fintech, and digital assets strategy across Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh, overseeing wallet ecosystems, payments, remittances, digital assets, strategic partnerships, regulatory engagement, and the operating model supporting VEON's transformation into a leading digital ecosystem company.
Prior to joining VEON, Ahmet served as Head of International and Board Director at DGPAYS Group, where he helped transform the company into an international financial technology platform serving banks, telecom operators, and enterprises across the UAE, GCC, South Asia, and the CIS. He played a key role in securing strategic partnerships, supporting the launch of the UAE's Jaywan payment ecosystem, expanding digital payment capabilities, and contributing to major institutional investments from Truffle Capital, EBRD, and Mastercard.
Ahmet also played a leading role in the landmark acquisition of NEOPAY, managing the transaction from origination through closing. Following the acquisition, he served as Executive Board Director of NEOPAY, supporting its strategic growth and governance as one of the UAE's leading digital payments platforms.
An entrepreneur at heart, Ahmet co-founded REIDIN Data & Analytics, one of the world's first property data and analytics companies focused on emerging markets, and later co-founded Zingat.com, one of Türkiye's leading online real estate marketplaces. His entrepreneurial experience spans venture creation, business scaling, fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and board governance.
Earlier in his career, he served as Advisor to the Chairman & CEO of Doğuş Group and Executive Board Member of Doğuş Group Dubai, leading business development initiatives across the Middle East, Asia, and the CIS. He also held regional leadership positions with ISI Emerging Markets (Euromoney) and IFIS – Islamic Finance Information Services.
Ahmet's expertise includes fintech, payments, digital assets, blockchain, venture building, proptech, data analytics, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and digital transformation. He is a frequent speaker on fintech innovation, cross-border financial services, digital ecosystems, and the future of telecom-led financial platforms in emerging markets.