Valla Vakili is the Global Head of Innovation at Visa, where he leads teams advancing digital payments and commerce through Visa's global network of Innovation Centers and Studios. He is passionate about fostering growth by deeply understanding digital technologies, behaviors, and business models. Before joining Visa, Valla was Managing Director and Head of Citi Ventures Studio. There, he built and expanded Citi's startup accelerator D10X, developed award-winning digital products, and established centers of excellence in emerging technologies. Earlier in his career, Valla spent 15 years in digital media and technology, including roles as a startup founder and entrepreneur, and in product leadership at Yahoo and iHeartMedia. He holds patents for innovations in interactive television and commerce. Valla graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and completed doctoral research in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford. He is Board Co-Chair at Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley and resides in the Bay Area with his wife and two children.