Mehmet A.

Akif K. is a seasoned security leader with over 16 years of experience in fintech, banking, and technology sectors. He has spearheaded global security assurance initiatives, including PCI programs and cloud security efforts, while aligning security strategies with engineering and business priorities. Currently serving as the Director of Information Security at Mastercard in Sydney, Akif leads security operations for global programs such as MPGS across 18 countries, ensuring alignment between compliance and delivery. His expertise lies in security strategy and roadmap planning, cloud security across AWS and Azure, and regulatory frameworks like PCI DSS and ISO 27001. Akif has successfully designed Mastercard's Secure SDLC framework, trained around 1,000 engineers globally, and led vulnerability management efforts for numerous applications. His efforts focus on scalable security models that integrate seamlessly with engineering workflows, advocating for data-driven decision-making and continuous assurance improvements across multi-regional teams. Akif's commitment to predictable and confident delivery is evident in his leadership and capability development among distributed teams.