Mastercard has announced the appointment of Sonia John as Director – Partnerships & Marketing Solutions for the Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region.
John shared the news through a LinkedIn post, marking a new chapter in his career after spending more than 14 years across leading global agency networks, including Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, and WPP.
In his new role, he will focus on developing strategic partnerships across agency networks and technology platforms, with an emphasis on digital transformation, data-driven marketing, and commerce solutions throughout the EEMEA region.
Before joining Mastercard, John briefly served as Senior Director – Digital at Assembly Global in the UAE.
Prior to that, he spent over five years at Publicis Groupe, where he held several leadership positions. Most recently, he served as Business Director – Digital & Commerce for Nestlé MENA, overseeing the digital business across the company’s portfolio of brands in the region. His responsibilities included digital partnerships, strategic planning, innovation initiatives, and execution across search, social media, programmatic advertising, and e-commerce channels.
Earlier, as Business Director – Partnership & Product, he led product innovation efforts and the implementation of Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with technology partners, while driving strategic business reviews and stakeholder engagement.
He also held the role of Business Director – Digital & Performance, where he focused on translating digital strategies into measurable business outcomes and revenue growth for brands across the Middle East and North Africa.
Announcing his appointment, Sonia John said, “Grateful to share that I’ve joined Mastercard as Director – Partnerships & Marketing Solutions, EEMEA. After 14 years across Publicis, Omnicom and WPP, I look forward to building strategic partnerships with the region’s agency networks and technology platforms across digital, data and commerce.”
With extensive experience spanning digital marketing, commerce, partnerships, and performance-driven strategies, John’s appointment is expected to support Mastercard’s continued efforts to strengthen collaboration across agencies, technology ecosystems, and commerce platforms throughout the EEMEA region.
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