Baiju Bhatt, the Indian American Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Robinhood Markets, is leaving his executive position at the investment platform after more than a decade in leadership, expressing his desire to explore other entrepreneurial ventures. Despite this transition, Bhatt will continue to serve as a member of Robinhood’s Board of Directors, as announced by the Menlo Park, California based company on March 21.
Reflecting on his tenure, Bhatt expressed profound dedication to Robinhood’s mission of democratizing the financial services industry, emphasizing that the company has been his life since its founding in 2013. He acknowledged the collective efforts of the team in driving this mission forward and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated individuals who have consistently delivered value to customers and shareholders.
While stepping down from his executive role, Bhatt affirmed his commitment to supporting Robinhood’s mission as a member of the Board of Directors. He indicated that he would soon share details about his future endeavors, expressing optimism about what lies ahead.
Vlad Tenev, CEO and Co-Founder of Robinhood, paid tribute to Bhatt, highlighting their longstanding partnership and friendship spanning over a decade. Tenev praised Bhatt’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to democratizing finance, which played a pivotal role in shaping Robinhood into a global public company.
Bhatt’s contributions to Robinhood have been significant, as evidenced by his 8% stake in the company following its listing on the Nasdaq exchange in July 2021. Since its inception in 2013, Robinhood experienced substantial growth, particularly during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, amidst the surge in online trading interest. The company gained further prominence through its involvement in the meme stock trading phenomenon, exemplified by the GameStop short squeeze in early 2021.
Born to Indian immigrants in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, Bhatt holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in Mathematics from Stanford University. He is married to Adrienne Sussman, and together they have a son.
