Payment giant Visa Inc. has snagged a mobile payment veteran to lead its mobile money platform to the unbanked in developing markets.

The company announced yesterday that Gavin Krugel, formerly with industry association GSMA, will head customer strategy and market activation at newly acquired Fundamo where he will focus on markets in Asia Pacific, Central Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"His unique experience bringing together the complex worlds of the wireless and financial services industries ensures he will be a significant asset as Visa continues to roll-out its global strategy to commercialize mobile financial services around the globe," said Visa's Global Head of Mobile Product, Bill Gajda, in an announcement.

Krugel has spent considerable time in the world of financial services as well, with stints at Standard Bank Group, Barclay's subsidiary Absa Bank and start-up Cointel, Visa said.

Fundamo, a mobile money platform providing person-to-person payments, bill payment and branchless banking services to the unbanked and underbanked, was purchased by Visa in June of this year. At the time, Visa said Fundamo was key to its strategy of providing a connection to disparate mobile money systems around the world.