MasterCard Inc. confirmed that it is hiring Mung-Ki Woo as group executive for its mobile business.
Woo, who was vice president of electronic payments and transactions for the French wireless carrier Orange, earlier had been reported to be moving to the Purchase, N.Y., card network, though last week an Orange spokeswoman said she was unaware he was leaving Orange.
MasterCard said in a Monday announcement that Woo had been hired that day. Woo will handle the development and commercialization of its mobile payment strategies worldwide, MasterCard said in a press release.
"Mobile is a critically important strategic initiative for MasterCard and we are excited to have Mung-Ki join our team," Ed McLaughlin, MasterCard's chief emerging payments officer, said in the press release. "Mung-Ki will enhance our global perspective and lead MasterCard's future growth in mobile commerce."
At Orange, a unit of France Telecom SA, Woo led the development of a mobile payment program for some African countries, MasterCard said. He also led the deployment of mobile contactless systems in Europe, including one system in Nice, France.
