Mastercard appoints Hungarian specialist to global management position

His new responsibilities include expanding and developing in-store and online card acceptance, including new generation solutions such as softPOS, tokenization, Click to Pay, and developing payment structures in emerging markets such as QR code payment.

 "We had come a long way since the 2000s, when card payments were the privilege of the urban people and we could only be paid by card in supermarkets, fancy restaurants, and petrol stations. Today, in Central and Eastern Europe and most parts of the world, contactless payment is more common, and cash-only stores became the exception. Besides, online card payments rose tremendously during the pandemic," Gauder said.

"Still we are working to make it possible for people to pay anywhere with Mastercard, be it a small store in a remote corner of the world or even online shopping from home. Even if it’s card, mobile, or Pay by Account payment, our goal is to be not only the safest and most convenient solution but also the most obvious, easiest, and most reliable way for both consumers and merchants," he added.

The expert has been working at Mastercard since 2005 and had been country manager for Hungary since 2008. Under his leadership, contactless payment was introduced in Hungary, and the first Mastercard Lounge – premium lounge at the Ferenc Liszt International Airport – was opened. From 2010, he had also been responsible for the CEE region, and in 2014 he became executive vice president of payments and solutions for Middle East and Africa.

Since 2017 (until the recently announced appointment) he worked as executive vice president of solutions for Mastercard Europe, while also managed Mastercard Advisors unit in London. He was also responsible for the security of online payment, PSD2, and loyalty solutions across the region.