Joseph Saunders Named Executive Chairman of Visa Inc.'s Board of Directors

Joseph Saunders Named Executive Chairman of Visa Inc.'s Board of Directors

February 12, 2007

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Visa
announced today that Joseph W. Saunders has been named
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Visa Inc. 
In this position, Saunders will be responsible for leading
Visa's transition to a global public company.  He also will
help recruit a chief executive officer and board members for
Visa Inc.  

    Initially, Saunders will begin fulfilling the
responsibilities of this position as a designated appointee
of Visa Inc. and will officially assume the title of
Executive Chairman of the Board once Visa Inc. is formed
later this year.  Pending member and regulatory approval,
Visa Inc. will be created through a series of mergers
involving Visa Canada, Visa USA and Visa International.  

    "Joe will play a critically important role at Visa
during our transition, using his experience as a leader at
public companies in the payments industry to help us create
a world-class organization that is well positioned for
growth," said William I. Campbell, chairman of the
Visa International's Board of Directors.  "His strong
reputation and contacts within the business community will
enhance our ability to attract top-tier talent to lead Visa
Inc."

    "This is an exciting time in Visa's history and I
am very proud to join the team leading the company through
this transition," said Saunders.  "I look forward
to using my industry knowledge and my experience helping
companies with significant integration and restructuring
projects to contribute to Visa's continued success."

    Visa's boards of directors unanimously approved
Saunders' appointment to this position based on his vast
industry experience and his role as a member of the boards
of directors for Visa USA and Visa International.  Based in
San Francisco, he will report directly to Visa Inc.'s
Transition Governance Committee, which has governance
authority over the restructuring process and is comprised
of representatives from all of the Visa regions, Inovant
and Visa International.  As a result of his appointment to
this position, Saunders relinquished his role on other Visa
Boards.  He will serve as chairman or lead director of Visa
Inc.'s board of directors through its eventual initial
public offering. 
   
    Campbell said, "The depth and variety of Joe's
experience will allow him to provide valuable input to the
governance, structure and organization of Visa Inc. as we
prepare to eventually become a public company.  His
experience and insight will be particularly valuable to
such important tasks as developing Visa Inc.'s board of
directors, organizational structure and corporate
policies."

    Saunders' career in financial services spans more than
30 years.  Most recently, he served as president of card
services for Washington Mutual, having joined the company
following its acquisition of Providian Financial in 2005. 
Saunders joined Providian Financial in 2001 as president
and chief executive officer, and was elected chairman of
its board of directors in 2002.  From 1997 to 2001, he
served as chairman and chief executive officer of Fleet
Credit Card Services at FleetBoston Financial Corporation. 


    Prior to joining FleetBoston, Saunders spent twelve
years at Household International, where he held various
senior roles, including chief executive of card services
and head of the private label credit card business.  While
at Household, he also served as a member of MasterCard
International's board of directors from 1993 to 1997 and
served one term as chairman of that board in 1996.  

    Saunders received a Bachelor of Science degree and a
Master of Business Administration, both from the University
of Denver.  

    About Visa: Visa connects cardholders, merchants and
financial institutions through the world's largest
electronic payments network. Visa products allow buyers and
sellers to conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both
the physical and virtual worlds. Visa is committed to the
sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support
the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic
growth.

    Visa products currently generate more than $4 trillion
in sales volume worldwide. Visa has acceptance at more than
24 million locations worldwide including one million ATMs.
For more information, visit http://www.corporate.visa.com
.

    This press release is not intended, and should not be
construed, as an offer to sell, or as a solicitation of an
offer to purchase, any securities. A consent will be made
only by means of a consent solicitation
statement/prospectus, which you should read carefully when
it becomes available.

    This press release contains forward-looking statements.
These statements may be identified by the use of words such
as "will," "believes,"
"anticipates," "intends,"
"estimates," "expects,"
"projects," "plans" or similar
expressions. Such forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, statements about the proposed
restructuring and related transactions, strategy, future
operations, prospects, plans and objectives of management
and events or developments that we expect or anticipate
will occur. The forward-looking statements reflect Visa's
current views and assumptions and are subject to risks and
uncertainties, which may cause actual and future results
and trends to differ materially from the forward-looking
statements, including but not limited to ability to obtain
approval by Visa's members for the proposed restructuring
and related transactions; successful completion of the
restructuring and related transactions; the outcome of
legal proceedings; uncertainties inherent in operating
internationally; and the impact of law and regulations.
Many of these factors are beyond Visa's ability to control
or predict. Given these factors, you should not place undue
reliance on the forward-looking statements.



    For more information, please contact:

     Paul Cohen
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]


SOURCE  Visa International