Theophanis Theophanous

Spear's Review

Cyprus-born Theophanis Theophanous – who holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business – has a practice that is inherently international, focusing on strategic and family office clients in Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. His ultimate aim is to ‘be the trusted adviser who gets the first call when a client has any kind of investment, lending, financing, investment banking or corporate banking need’. His mantra is, in short, that the interests of the client come first. This leads to a modus operandi that he credits as 'the recipe of our success'.

‘We are advisers in a boutique within a large organisation. We like to think of ourselves as personal CFOs to clients,’ continues Theophanous, whose outlook earned him the title of Leading Individual Banker at the Wealth Briefing European Awards in 2019.

Adviser Profile

Theophanis Theophanous is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Strategic Clients & Family Offices for the UK International Private Banking division of Barclays. He is responsible for leading the origination and coverage of select strategic clients and coordinating the delivery of the bank's full range of expertise, products and solutions to Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) individuals, their investment entities, private wealth structures and family offices. He and his team support clients in Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia for their global investment, lending, and wealth planning needs.

He joined Barclays in October 2011 as a Managing Director in the UHNW & Family Offices team, covering Eastern Europe & Russia. He then progressed to head up the Russia & Eastern Europe team for the UK International Private Bank and he was then appointed to his current role.

Prior to joining Barclays he worked for Deloitte. He joined Deloitte in 2001 upon completing a MSc in Mathematics at the University of York and rose to Partner within eight years. At Deloitte he advised clients in Russia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East on their wealth planning needs.

He has been a speaker at numerous wealth management conferences and has published in academic journals. He was named Leading Individual (Banker) at the WealthBriefing European Awards in 2019.

Outside work he mentors a number of young professionals on how to progress in their careers. In addition, he assists students with underprivileged backgrounds with their university or job applications. He is also a Trustee of ArtCity Nights, a UK Charity that promotes the Arts.

He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, a Chartered Wealth Manager and holds a MBA from The University of Chicago - Booth School of Business.