Global payments technology company Visa has promoted Ellen Richey, the company's chief risk officer, to the additional role of executive vice president and chief legal officer. She replaces former general counsel Josh Floum, who left the company to return to private practice.

Richey will assume responsibility of the risk and legal functions until Visa finds a new chief risk officer. She also will maintain oversight of Visa's compliance and audit teams, and will continue to report directly to Chief Executive Officer Charlie Scharf.

Before starting as Visa's chief risk officer in 2007, Richey worked at Washington Mutual as senior vice president of enterprise risk management and executive vice president of cards services. She was previously vice chairman of Providian Financial Corporation, which Washington Mutual acquired in 2005, and worked at law firm Farella, Brown & Martel as a partner, specializing in corporate, real estate and financial institution matters.