Board of Directors

President of the Association

Paulo Andrez, FNABA, Portugal

Paulo Andrez is an angel investor. He is Vice-President of FNABA(Portuguese  Business Angels Federation), President of Cascais Business Angels, Member of the Board of DNA Cascais (BIC). He chaired (2010-2012) the EBAN Research Committee, which produced the first EBAN Co-Investment and Tax Breaks reports, in cooperation with BDO. Paulo Andrez was chairman of the World Business Angels Leaders Forum (Estoril, 2007) that decided to create the World Business Angel Association, and participated under FNABA scope in the design of the first Business Angel co-investment fund in Portugal. In 2010 he also participated in the design and implementation of the first Business Angels Tax Break in Portugal. Paulo Andrez has a background as serial entrepreneur and has created several companiesin areas like IT software, training, real estate and industrial resins. In 2000 he participated as entrepreneur (seller) in the IPO in Euronext, of Novabase, the largest national IT provider in Portugal, with more than 1900 employees, working in 33 countries and from then he became Business Angel, helping entrepreneurs to achieve results. He is an IT Engineer and has a MBA from Nova University in Lisbon.

Vice-President of the Association
Ari Korhonen, FiBAN, Finland

Ari Korhonen is an angel investor and the founder of Lagoon Capital. He has been a successful technology entrepreneur and a business angel for over 25 years. He developed his company Komartek into an international success story. Komartek was bought in 2004 by WM-data (presently Logica). His position in WM-data was Vice President.

As an angel investor Ari has made 20 investments during the last five years – these include DealDash, Finnish Web Payments, WOT, SkySQL, Twid, ThirdPresence, Miradore, Helpten, XMLdation, CitySocialising and 360 Cities. Among these companies was also Severa from which he recently made exit.

Ari was nominated by EBAN as European Business Angel of the Year in 2009. He was elected as FiBAN Vice Chairman of the Board in 2010 and EBAN board member in 2012. Ari has been featured in several business magazines and blogs. He holds a Master of Science degree in engineering from Lappeenranta University of Technology.

Executive Committee of the Association

Ari Korhonen, FiBAN, Finland

Albert Colomer, BANC, Catalunya

Albert has been at the forefront of the angel investor movement in Spain. In 2002, he co-founded and became executive director of the Business Angel Network Catalunya BANC, the first Spanish angel network, which he led. Additionally in 2006 he co-founded ESBAN, a private foundation to raising awareness and promoting angel investment and Business Angels Networks in Spain. Since 2003, Albert is member of the Board of EBAN.

Albert has been appointed by the Parliament of Catalonia as member of the Advisory Board of the Catalan Institute of Finance, the public credit institution of the Government of Catalonia.

During his career, Albert has gathered a profound knowledge of the entrepreneurship skills. As a consultant, advisor, coach or business angel, His experience in entrepreneurial field, over 25 years, has helped thousands start-ups and entrepreneurs to born and grow. He is co-founder (1986) and executive director of CPAC (Fundació Privada per a la Promoció de l’Autoocupació de Catalunya), an independent charity with a mission to help people and organizations to be entrepreneurs.

Baybars Altuntas, TBAA, Turkey

Founder of Deulcom lnternational, the first vocational training school of Turkey and named by the Economist – Turkey as one of the top 100 franchise companies of Turkey.Deulcom lnternational became one of the fastest growing trademark of Turkey and was prised by Eurowards. Founder of UFRAD – Turkish Franchise Association. lntroduced lATA Educational System to Turkey.Elected as the Best Businessman – 2010.Was one of the 150 entrepreneurs invited by US President Barack Obama to the White House Presedential Summit in Washington DC.He was the only participant who was given a personal audience by the US President before his summit.After the US President’s speech, CNN lnternational interviewed Baybars Altuntas live at its Washington studios the only delagate interviewed.One of the dragons of Dragons’ Den – Turkey, entrepreneurship TV show.His book ‘My way to Dragons’ Den’ has been the best- seller in Turkey.LinksAngel BAN with his leadership is acting as a business angel platform supporting start-up businesses in Turkey.President of TBAA – Business Angels Association – Turkey. Married and has 2 children.

Members of the Board