Profiles

Varel Freeman, First Vice President

Varel Freeman oversees all banking operations of the EBRD. He chairs the Operations Committee which reviews all investment and loan proposals before consideration by the Board of Directors, and oversees the formulation of the Bank’s strategy to effectively and efficiently promote the transition of the 27 countries where the EBRD invests. Mr Freeman is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Bank, which is chaired by the Bank’s President, and acts in his absence.

Mr Freeman has extensive experience in emerging market economies working with both the private and public sector.  He joined EBRD in June, 2006 from Baring Private Equity Partners, where he was Managing Partner responsible for Barings’ private equity investments in Latin America and Africa. Previously he was partner at Chase Capital Partners responsible for investments in Latin America.  Before moving to the private sector, Mr Freeman was responsible for a substantial portfolio of sovereign lending at the World Bank and later at its private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation, was responsible for capital markets investments in Latin America and was Director of the Asia Investment Department. 

Mr Freeman graduated from Princeton University with Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Engineering degrees. He also holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

He is a citizen of the United States.