Skyro Appoints Former Mastercard Executive to Lead Saudi Arabia Expansion

Skyro, a digital-first consumer finance platform headquartered in Bahrain and operating in South-East Asia, announced plans to expand into Saudi Arabia and appointed Maria Medvedeva, a former Mastercard executive, as Managing Director for the Middle East region. Medvedeva will lead the company's expansion across Middle East markets, overseeing market-entry strategy, operational build-out, regulatory engagement, and partnerships with local institutions.

She will also shape Skyro's product and go-to-market approach for each market, driving long-term growth across the GCC in line with the region's economic diversification and digital economy agendas, including Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Skyro co-founder and CEO Arsen Liametov stated that Skyro has built a credit portfolio of over $200 million and surpassed 7 million users since launching in South-East Asia in 2022.

The company plans to offer consumer financing and services for SMEs in Saudi Arabia once regulatory approvals are in place. Medvedeva expressed her commitment to building Skyro's operations in the region with local teams, trusted partnerships, and genuine respect for the markets. As part of its Saudi expansion, Skyro aims to build a broader ecosystem of digital financial services for both consumers and businesses, complementing established financial institutions and supporting the country's economic growth while fostering innovation in fintech locally.