Petr Baron
Petr Baron | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 28, 1980 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, angel investor, banker |
| Known for | CEO of TBI Bank |
Petr Baron (born 28 November 1980) is a British entrepreneur, angel investor, and banker who currently holds the position of CEO at the challenger bank TBI Bank. He has been an early investor in various technology startups. In January 2023, Baron appeared on the cover of the Romanian edition of Forbes Magazine.
Early life
Between 1994 and 1999, Baron was a student at Taunton School. He completed his BSc degree in Investment and Financial Risk Management at Cass Business School in 2002.
Career
At the start of his professional journey, Baron occupied multiple board roles within the European financial sector. Additionally, he has made angel investments in fintech companies such as Silverbird, Finmap, Releva.ia, FintechOS, Lili, 3S Money, Swipe, ANNA Money, and Myos.
VAB Bank
Baron became a member of the Supervisory Board at Ukrainian VABank in 2003 and subsequently advanced to CEO and Chairman roles. During his tenure, he oversaw the consolidation of nine VAB Group entities into a single financial services platform in Ukraine. Under his guidance, VAB Bank emerged as one of the most technologically sophisticated brands in the country, with Baron acknowledged as a prominent figure in Ukrainian banking.
In 2008, he participated as a judge on Ukraine’s version of "Dragons' Den," titled "Business Sharks."
Baron stepped down from his role following a change in ownership at VAB Bank in 2011 and divergent strategic directions.
TBIF Financial Services
In 2012, Baron joined TBIF Financial Services as Vice President of Strategy after the acquisition of Nova Ljubljanska Banka’s Bulgarian branch, which was later rebranded as tbi bank. During his time there, the Kardan Group—then owner of TBIF—opted to sell its financial services division. Baron played a key role in facilitating TBIF’s acquisition by Latvia’s 4finance Group in 2016.
tbi
Baron assumed the CEO position at tbi in 2016. The consumer lending institution operates across Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Germany, and Lithuania. Under his leadership, tbi expanded its digital footprint throughout Europe and formed strategic alliances such as with Raisin in Germany. Recognized as one of Southeast Europe’s most profitable banks, tbi reported a 33% rise in net profit during early 2023. That year also saw Baron featured on Forbes Romania's cover where he discussed his leadership approach and tbi’s development.
Personal life
Petr Baron lives in London with his wife and two sons. He is also known for his interests in art collecting and canine companionship.