MY CAREER IN SIX SPOTLIGHT

Paula Paschoal

Executive Vice President, Market Development, Mastercard Latin America and the Caribbean

Mastercard

Sharing her career journey by answering the six questions below.

Who or what has been your biggest source of inspiration throughout your career?

Throughout my career, I’ve been inspired by people who combine excellence in their field with purpose. In the sports arena, Marta Vieira da Silva, a legendary Brazilian soccer player, brought forth strong advocacy for gender equality, inclusion, and diversity. Serena Williams’ resilience and her ability to reinvent herself also is a powerful example.

In business, I admire Ana Botín for her leadership in banking and commitment to inclusion, and Cristina Junqueira for helping transform the financial ecosystem across Latin America. These leaders demonstrate how success can be used to create opportunities and drive meaningful changes.

Would you say your success is primarily due to luck or hard work?

I wouldn’t attribute my success to luck alone or hard work alone. Throughout my career, what has mattered most is staying curious, embracing new opportunities, building meaningful partnerships, and remaining willing to adapt. From helping establish PayPal in Brazil, to leading initiatives across regions at Google, and now helping scale Mastercard’s impact across Latin America and the Caribbean, each step has required focus, collaboration, continuous learning, and a willingness to pivot when circumstances changed.

I also recognize the privilege of having been given opportunities to grow, lead, and take on challenges that shaped my career. These experiences taught me that while effort matters, creating equitable access to opportunity matters just as much, which is why I feel a responsibility to help open doors for others whenever I can.

What is the driving force behind your career aspirations?

My biggest motivation is expanding economic opportunities through financial inclusion. Throughout my career, I’ve seen how technology can democratize access to financial services and help individuals and businesses participate more fully in the economy. What drives me is precisely the opportunity to create solutions and partnerships that empower people, especially those who have historically been underserved, and to help build a more inclusive financial ecosystem across the region.

If given the chance to do one thing differently in your career, what would it be and why?

Early in my career, I was highly execution driven. Meaning, I was highly focused on delivery and outcomes, but becoming a mother shifted my perspective. That experience made me realize the power of empowering others. I started to see leadership not just as driving results, but as building trust, coaching, and creating space for shared success. It’s a perspective I would have embraced sooner in my career journey.

What was your most favourite job/role and why?

My career in payments has been defined by global exposure, strategic pivots, and a deep commitment to inclusion.

I began at PayPal in 2010, during its establishment in Brazil, where I first witnessed the transformative power of technology to democratize financial access. Becoming the Country Manager of PayPal in Brazil marked one of my biggest turning points. That role gave me a front-row seat to the evolution of digital payments in one of the most dynamic markets in Latin America and strengthened my growing passion for digital payments.

Later, at Google, I led initiatives across different regions, navigating complex regulatory landscapes and diverse consumer behaviors.

Today at Mastercard, I’m energized by what we can build next. There is tremendous opportunity to scale our solutions across 45 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Do you have a favourite motto or quote that guides your professional life?

Our responsibility for creating opportunities for others rises in proportion to our privilege.