Lado was the architect of the modern financial services sector in Georgia and creator (2004-2007) of Bank of Georgia, one of the most sophisticated and profitable banks in Eastern Europe, and Liberty Bank, one of the most technologically advanced mass-market retail banks in the frontier markets, the turnaround of which he spearheaded in 2009-2017. Lado currently serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board of Raisin, where he has been an investor for the past ten years. He was also an early investor in GoHenry and Wise, among other Fintech investments, most of which he has successfully exited.
From October 2009 through September 2015, Lado served as Chairman of the Board of Bank of Kigali, the largest bank in Rwanda, and led the bank’s modernisation and IPO in 2011. From 2015-2018, Lado also served as non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bayport Management Limited, a consumer lender in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. In 2017-2019, Lado served as Executive Chairman of the Supervisory Board of 4finance Group S.A., a leading digital lender to individuals active in Europe and Latin America, including through its wholly owned subsidiary TBI Bank.
In 2007-2008 Lado led the Government of Georgia as Prime Minister, building upon the reforms of the previous cabinet and implementing many far-reaching, bold reforms in the areas of fiscal policy and taxation, monetary policy, financial sector supervision, deregulation, and elimination of trade barriers, bringing in record amounts of the FDI and portfolio investments.
Kiyan Zandiyeh (Sturgeon Capital Managing Partner): “Given Lado’s experience, there isn’t a conversation with him where you don’t come away learning a tremendous amount. We couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity to work with him to enhance our investment process and post-investment support to portfolio companies”.