Farhan Ahmad

As Group CEO of PayNet, Malaysia’s national payments network, Farhan Ahmad is helping shape Malaysia’s role in the global financial landscape while staying anchored in purpose. Today, PayNet processes transactions worth nearly four times Malaysia’s annual GDP, powering the digital payments that Malaysians rely on every day. For Farhan, technology is most meaningful when it improves people's lives.

Farhan’s drive to empower the next generation fuels his leadership. He has championed initiatives like PayNet Cambah, advancing economic prosperity in underserved communities in Malaysia, and PayNet Akar, preparing students for a future led by digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Farhan also created the PayNet Fintech Hub, Malaysia’s first fintech-focused community and accelerator, connecting homegrown startups to capital, mentorship and international expertise through global partners.

Farhan’s vision for access and inclusion extends beyond Malaysia. In 2025, he architected the Georgetown Accord, a global effort to harmonise cross-border payments and chart a 50-year roadmap for industry collaboration. Under his stewardship, PayNet achieved interoperability with wallets and schemes in 13 different countries in Asia to allow for seamless cross-border real-time payments, further connecting Malaysia to the global cashless ecosystem.

Before PayNet, Farhan built three successful startups in the US and held senior roles at JP Morgan Chase, Barclays and Discover Financial Services - experience that has helped him position PayNet as a regional leader in digital payments.

Farhan’s current interests span the profound shifts brought about by AI, particularly its impact on education, livelihoods and human connection. Above all, he hopes to be remembered by his children as a loving father and by others as a leader who uplifted people and strengthened communities.