Alumni Excellence Spotlight on: Sasha Krstic, IMBA ’03 Executive Vice President, Security Solutions (Integration), Mastercard
Sasha Krstic (IMBA ’03) has spent her career helping the world connect, pay, and thrive, all while embodying Mastercard’s vision to power economies and empower people. With a career that has spanned continents and redefined payment innovation, she blends global insight with human-centered leadership. Whether in the boardroom or the classroom, her story is one of purpose, perspective, and the power of staying true to who you are.
Over the past two decades at Mastercard, Sasha has held a series of senior leadership roles across the globe, including President of Mastercard Canada, Executive Vice President of Services for Asia Pacific, and Head of the Nordic and Baltic Division. Today, as Executive Vice President, Security Solutions (Integration) for Mastercard, she brings a unique blend of strategic vision, cross-cultural fluency, and human-centered leadership to the forefront of the company’s global business.
What makes Sasha truly impressive isn’t just her résumé — it’s her authenticity, warmth, and unwavering commitment to empowering others. Known for her ability to connect with people, listen deeply, and bring fresh, thoughtful perspectives, Sasha has built a leadership style shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and a steadfast commitment to staying true to herself, even as the world around her shifts. When she recently visited the Schulich School of Business to share her journey with us, she didn’t just talk about business strategies — she spoke about the importance of resilience, authenticity, and leading with purpose.
Charting a Global Path: From Schulich to Mastercard
For Sasha the journey to Mastercard was never part of a rigid plan — it unfolded organically, shaped by curiosity, opportunity, and a passion for cross-cultural learning.
“My journey to Mastercard actually began back when I was at Schulich,” Sasha recalls. “I was part of the York Consulting Group, and my very first project was with Amex Canada. That experience opened the door to an internship during my IMBA program, which I completed with Visa in their Tokyo office. So, by the time I graduated, I had managed to connect with nearly all the major payment networks!”
Sasha’s path to Mastercard unfolded as a natural progression, shaped by the experiences and connections she built during her time at Schulich. Her international internship, consulting projects, and the global network she developed all played a role in leading her to that first opportunity. “I hadn’t set out with a specific plan to work at Mastercard,” she reflects. “It was more of an organic evolution, shaped by the doors that opened and the experiences I gained along the way.”
A Deliberate Balance: Moving Between Externally and Internally Focused Roles
While Sasha’s early path to Mastercard unfolded organically, once she joined the company, her career became a story of deliberate choices — intentionally alternating between externally focused roles that deepened her understanding of the end customer and internal positions that strengthened her strategic and operational expertise.
“I love being customer and market facing — there’s so much energy and insight you get from being close to clients,” she explains. “But equally, I’ve found that taking those insights back into the product development or service development cycle adds immense value.”
“Moving intentionally between externally and internally focused roles has shaped not just my career trajectory, but how I lead.”
The Power of Global Perspective
One of the defining forces behind Sasha’s career has been her deep-rooted appreciation for cultural diversity and global experience. As a first-generation Canadian raised by immigrant parents, Sasha grew up with a strong sense of heritage and an early awareness of differing worldviews. “When you grow up in a multicultural country like Canada,” she reflects, “you’re constantly reminded that there’s more than one way of seeing and solving a problem.”
That foundation paved the way for a global leadership journey at Mastercard, where she has held senior roles across Canada, Sweden, and Singapore — adapting to new markets, leading cross-cultural teams, and gaining first-hand insight into diverse business environments. “Working across regions has shown me the importance of cultural intelligence, adaptability, and listening deeply to diverse viewpoints,” she says.
Speaking with Sasha, it’s clear that these global experiences have profoundly shaped her leadership style; one that is authentic, inclusive, and deeply focused on empowering others, no matter their background or geography.
Sasha’s choice to pursue an MBA at Schulich was also guided by this global mindset. “I could have chosen any MBA program, but Schulich’s stood out for its international student mix and cultural experiences,” she recalls, citing exchange opportunities, themed pub crawls, and cultural nights as some of the most formative moments.
Ultimately, Sasha believes a global perspective doesn’t just make you a better leader; it makes you a better problem solver.
“Any business challenge is a puzzle,” she explains. “To solve it, you need the right pieces of information, the right perspectives — and the wisdom to bring them all together.”
Innovation with Purpose: Leading Trust and Transformation in Payments
As the payments landscape continues to evolve, Sasha sees technology not just as a disruptor, but as an enabler of progress. Sasha sits at the critical intersection of two of the most pressing forces in the payments industry: innovation and trust.
“If you think about the way we pay for things, there’s been a huge — and very rapid — transformation, especially over just the last five to ten years,” she explains. “We used to all carry around a little piece of plastic, but now, many of us don’t even carry that anymore because our payment methods are embedded in our phones or wearable devices.”
For Sasha, this shift toward frictionless payments, seamlessly integrated into daily life, is just one example of how Mastercard continues to innovate at the intersection of technology and human behavior.
Of course, in an industry where transformation moves quickly, maintaining consumer trust is just as critical as driving change. According to Sasha, trust is the connective tissue between innovation and security.
“Trust is what connects security and innovation. We build it through transparency, understanding customer needs, and delivering reliable, forward-looking solutions.”
Blending technological advancement with a deeply human-centered approach is what continues to guide Sasha’s work at Mastercard.
Future-Proofing Payment: Choice, Crypto, and Cybersecurity
As the conversation turned toward the future of financial technology, Sasha’s energy and curiosity were unmistakable. When asked about the evolution of digital currencies and their place in tomorrow’s payments ecosystem, Sasha emphasized a core principle that runs through everything Mastercard does: choice, trust and transparency.
“Whether it’s fiat or crypto, our goal is to offer people choice — and that means delivering the same level of security and trust across every method of payment.”
The conversation took a reflective turn when Sasha was asked whether emerging technologies like cryptocurrency could disrupt Mastercard’s traditional processing model — much like Kodak or Nortel were reshaped by earlier waves of innovation. Her response was clear, thoughtful and strategic.
“Every innovation poses some level of risk. The real question is: are we thinking far enough ahead to use that technology to shape the future, rather than letting it disrupt us?”
Rather than viewing crypto as a threat, Sasha sees it as an opportunity to expand Mastercard’s core strength: building infrastructure that enables secure, seamless, and inclusive money movement. “We’re not just a payments company; we’re a technology company,” she said. “Our job is to lay the right pipes, made from the right materials, to allow new forms of value to move safely.”
Of course, as the financial system becomes more digital, so too does its exposure to risk. Cybersecurity, Sasha notes, has evolved from a technical issue to a strategic imperative for nearly every sector. “It’s no longer a question of if you’ll face a cyber threat. It’s about how well-prepared you are when it happens.”
Through partnerships, AI-powered tools, and proactive risk modeling, Sasha and the team at Mastercard are working to ensure that every stakeholder is protected. “We’re embedding cybersecurity into every layer of our business. It’s not just about securing a single transaction anymore; it’s about securing the entire digital ecosystem: your card, your account, real-time payments and increasingly, the entire system that moves money and data.”
Building the Future: Leadership and the Power of Education
After exploring the evolution of payments, innovation, and cybersecurity, our conversation with Sasha naturally shifted towards the lessons she carries with her, the values that define her, and the insights she hopes to pass on to the next generation of business leaders.
As someone who has built a global career while staying deeply grounded in community and family, Sasha brings both a visionary and human perspective to the role of leadership. When speaking about the importance of education, Sasha is clear: it goes far beyond landing a job.
“Education isn’t just a pathway to employment; it’s a foundation for shaping who you become. Schulich excels at designing programs that reflect the world we live in — preparing graduates to contribute meaningfully, not just work effectively.”
To her, the true purpose of education is transformation; developing people who are not only employable but who are equipped to make meaningful contributions.
The influence of Schulich’s faculty also left a lasting mark and personal impression on Sasha. Professors like Theo Peridis and Ashwin Joshi helped her bridge the gap between classroom concepts and real-world leadership challenges. Reuniting with them years later was more than nostalgic — it was a full-circle moment that reminded her of the foundational role educators play in shaping careers.
Championing Inclusive “Humanistic” Leadership with Authenticity
When asked about preparing women and underrepresented groups for leadership, Sasha is both candid and hopeful. She emphasizes the importance of equal access to mentorship, information, and opportunity, as well as institutional commitment to diversity. She believes that inclusive cultures are built not through exceptions, but through deeply embedded values. “It’s not about making exceptions; it’s about making inclusion foundational.”
For young women entering the business world, her advice is to embrace authenticity and build networks that extend beyond natural circles.
“Find your voice, and stick with it,” she urges. “And build a network that doesn’t just support you, but advocates for you when you’re not in the room.”
Her reflections on authenticity are more than philosophical—they come from lived experience. From refusing to alter her appearance for a scholarship brochure, to proudly showing up to a meeting with a peanut butter stain as a working mom, Sasha embraces leadership in its fullest, most human form. She calls it “humanistic leadership” — leading with empathy, curiosity, and respect for people as whole individuals.
Sasha also believes in the long view: persistence, resilience, and the courage to pivot. These, she says, are not just survival tools, but core leadership qualities.
And as a mother, Sasha hopes to instill in her daughter the same self-assurance and freedom she has cultivated over a lifetime. “At some point, society is going to start shaping her to conform,” she says. “My hope is that she’ll always have a strong enough core to carry an unshakable sense of self.”
Staying Connected: A Schulich Champion for Life
Sasha not only embodies the values of leadership that the Schulich School of Business seeks to instill but also brings a deeply human dimension to everything she does: authenticity, global perspective, purpose-driven action, and a deep commitment to community. Her continued connection to Schulich as an alumna, mentor, and advocate underscores her belief in the power of education and lifelong relationships. As an active member of Schulich’s Global Alumni Network, she continues to give back, inspire, and empower future generations of business leaders. From the classrooms of Schulich to the boardrooms of Mastercard, her journey is a compelling example of leadership guided by both intellect and integrity.
To the students, graduates, and future leaders reading this: Sasha’s story is a reminder that leadership isn’t about fitting a mold. It’s about showing up as yourself, using your voice with purpose, and helping others do the same. In an age where innovation and change are constant, authenticity, resilience, and curiosity remain timeless assets – or as Mastercard might define it – “priceless”. And as Sasha proves, those are the qualities that will shape not only successful careers, but a better future for all.
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