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The Western Union Company

Cross-border paymentsFounded 1851
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

Western Union: CEO History

3 leaders · 2006 to present

Who is the CEO of Western Union?

Devin McGranahan is the CEO of Western Union, in the role since 2021. The first chief executive was Christina Gold, from 2006.

Current CEO
Devin McGranahan (since 2021)
First CEO
Christina Gold (2006)
Leaders documented
3
Founded
1851
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Devin McGranahanPresident and CEO2021Present5
Hikmet ErsekPresident and CEO2010202111
Christina GoldPresident and CEO200620104

Company Overview

Western Union had about 9,600 employees at the end of 2025. It reports two segments, Consumer Money Transfer and Consumer Services. Devin McGranahan has been CEO since the end of 2021. The stock trades on the NYSE as WU. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Western Union earns money mainly from transfer fees and from the margin between the exchange rate it gives customers and its own cost of currency. Most transfers are still sent or paid out through third-party agent locations, which receive commissions. Branded digital transfers through westernunion.com and the app made up 32% of Consumer Money Transfer revenue and 43% of its transactions in Q2 2026. A second segment, Consumer Services, covers bill payments, travel money, and related products.

Devin McGranahan

President and CEO

2021 – Present

5 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

McGranahan orchestrated the absolute massive, highly urgent 'Evolve 2025' strategy, aggressively pivoting the dinosaur brand into a modern digital wallet to fiercely combat existential threats from agile fintechs like Wise and Remitly.

Legacy

As the current CEO, he acts as the absolute critical turnaround architect, attempting to save the incredibly profitable but heavily stagnating legacy giant from technological obsolescence.

Source →

Hikmet Ersek

President and CEO

2010 – 2021

11 years

Legacy

Serving as CEO for over a decade (2010 to 2021), the Turkish-born executive massively expanded Western Union's footprint in critical emerging markets like India and Mexico.

Source →

Christina Gold

President and CEO

2006 – 2010

4 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Gold executed the highly successful, massive corporate spin-off of Western Union from First Data in 2006, re-establishing the legendary 150-year-old brand as a fiercely independent, highly profitable public company.

Legacy

Serving as CEO from 2006 to 2010, she aggressively expanded the company's massive global agent network, deeply cementing its absolute dominance in international remittance.

Source →

Challenges & Strategic Context

Retail remittance volume in the Americas has weakened, digital rivals compete hard on price, agent commissions add cost, and the Intermex deal has been delayed by a California regulatory hold. Revenue has fallen in each year from 2022 to 2025.

Western Union CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is the current CEO of The Western Union Company?

Devin McGranahan is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Western Union, having assumed executive leadership in late 2021.

What was Devin McGranahan's background prior to Western Union?

Before joining Western Union, McGranahan served as Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Global Business Solutions at Fiserv, and spent over two decades as a senior partner at McKinsey & Company.

Who was CEO of Western Union before Devin McGranahan?

Hikmet Ersek served as President and CEO of Western Union for over 11 years (2010 to 2021), steering the company through massive international footprint expansion and early digital website launches.

What was Christina Gold's role in Western Union's history?

Christina Gold served as CEO from 2006 to 2010, orchestrating Western Union's successful spin-off from First Data Corporation and establishing it as an independent public titan on the NYSE.

What major executive changes has Devin McGranahan implemented?

McGranahan restructured senior leadership, appointing Matt Cagwin as CFO, bringing in veteran consumer fintech executives, and aligning organizational incentives directly around digital transaction growth.

What strategic changes did McGranahan mandate with 'Evolve 25'?

He shifted company focus from protecting legacy retail margins toward aggressively competing on digital pricing, expanding digital banking ecosystems, and stabilizing core US-outbound remittance market share.

Where is Western Union's corporate headquarters located?

Western Union is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, having relocated its corporate global headquarters from Englewood, Colorado, in 2018.

How did former CEO Hikmet Ersek impact global financial inclusion?

Under Ersek, Western Union championed global remittances as a vital economic lifeline for developing countries, forging partnerships with the United Nations and national postal systems worldwide.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.