Nikolay Storonsky

Nikolay Storonsky
Storonsky in November 2022
Born	(1984-07-21) 21 July 1984 (age 40) Dolgoprudny, Russian SFSR
Occupation	Businessman

Nikolay Storonsky (born 21 July 1984) is a Russian-born British businessman. He is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Revolut, the most valuable fintech company in the UK. Revolut is now operational in more than 35+ countries and serves 50 million customers.

Early life and career

Nik Storonsky was born on 21 July 1984^[1] in Dolgoprudny, a town located about 20 kilometers North of Moscow's city centre.

As a child, Storonsky boxed and took up swimming as a teenager, becoming a state champion later at his university. He is also keen kite surfer and a mountaineer in his free time. He always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur since childhood, and started reading books on economics and business when he was six.^[2][3] His father, Nikolay Mironovich Storonsky,^[4] has been Deputy General Director of Science for the natural gas research institute Gazprom Promgaz.

Nik completed his master's degree in General and Applied physics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.^[5] He graduated with another Master's in Applied Economics and Finance at New Economic School in Moscow.^[5]

Nik started his career as an equity derivatives trader at Lehman Brothers from 2006 - 2008 and later moved on to work at Credit Suisse where he continued till 2013. He left the banking industry to co-found the digital banking app Revolut in 2015.^[6][7][8] In 2021, Revolut became the most valuable fintech firm in the UK.^[9][10]

Awards and Recognitions

Storonsky made the 2022 Forbes Billionaires List with an estimated wealth of $7.1 billion and occupied the 336th position.^[10] Welp Magazine also named him in the following lists: '101 UK Founder & CEO’s To Follow in 2022' and '101 UK CEO’s To Follow in 2022'.^[11][12]

Personal life

Storonsky moved to England in 2004 and later acquired British citizenship; in 2022, he condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine^[13] and became the fourth Russian billionaire to renounce his Russian citizenship in protest of the invasion.^[14]

References

1. Treanor, Jill (10 September 2022). "Revolut chief Nikolay Storonsky: We can still be banking's super app". The Sunday Times.
2. England, Joanna (2 September 2022). "Fintech Trailblazer Nikolay Storonsky, Revolut's dynamic CEO". fintechmagazine.com. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
3. Денисов, Олег (5 March 2022). "Николай Сторонский о начале карьеры и создании Revolut". Бизнес‑cекреты (in Russian). Retrieved 1 December 2024.
4. BNS. "LRT: отец главы Revolut Сторонского работает в "Газпроме"". DELFI. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
5. "Revolut's Nikolay Storonsky on long hours and high staff turnover". Financial Times. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
6. "Revolut co-founder Nik Storonsky set to join the multibillionaire club". The Guardian. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
7. "Lehman Brothers trader to fintech billionaire: Revolut's Nikolay Storonsky". Reuters. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
8. "'Money spoils children': Revolut's $7bn CEO Nik Storonsky on inheritance, growth plans, and IPO". Evening Standard. October 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
9. "Revolut becomes UK's biggest fintech firm with £24bn valuation". The Guardian. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
10. "Nik Storonsky". Forbes. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
11. "Top Influencers: 101 UK Founder & CEO's To Follow in 2022 - Welp Magazine". Welp Magazine. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
12. "Top Influencers: 101 UK CEO's To Follow in 2022 - Welp Magazine". Welp Magazine. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
13. "War is never the answer: Revolut's Russia-born co-founder Nik Storonsky condemns the invasion". Silicon canals. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
14. "Fourth Billionaire Renounces Russian Citizenship Over Ukraine". themoscowtimes.com. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2023.