Freetrade Appoints Jenny Zhao as CEO

Freetrade, the commission-free investment platform, has today announced the appointment of Jenny Zhao as Chief Executive Officer, subject to regulatory approvals. She succeeds co-founder Viktor Nebehaj, who is stepping down after nearly ten years of building the business. 

Jenny has significant executive experience leading high growth scale-ups. Most recently at Farewill, she supported the business through its sale to funeral services giant, Dignity. She previously led international expansion at green energy supplier, Bulb.

Jenny joins Freetrade following a period of record growth for the platform. The business recently hit £4 billion Assets Under Administration (AUA) following the removal of monthly fees on its ISA, SIPP, and mutual funds, and the launch of its free JISA. Freetrade offers retail investors commission-free investing in more than 7,500 UK and global instruments, including now over 1,000 mutual funds.

Viktor Nebehaj joined Freetrade in 2017 as co-founder, leading growth and operations before becoming CEO in June 2024. Viktor navigated Freetrade through the most critical period in its growth, steering the business to a successful exit to FTSE 100 IG Group in April 2025. Viktor will remain with Freetrade for the coming weeks to support Jenny as she transitions into her new role. 

Jenny Zhao, Freetrade CEO, said: “I am excited about the opportunity to build on Freetrade’s momentum and take its growth to the next level. Viktor and the team have built an incredible product that simplifies investing and makes it accessible to everyone. Freetrade is not only attracting those investors just getting started, but their fee-free pricing model is challenging the entrenched legacy platforms’ high-priced offerings. I can’t wait to get started.”

Viktor Nebehaj, Freetrade Co-Founder, said: “Jenny brings an impressive track record with deep expertise in leadership positions at category defining consumer brands to Freetrade. I am pleased to be able to leave Freetrade in her very capable hands. 

“This last decade has been an extraordinary journey, full of hard lessons and hard-won successes. It’s never easy to pick the right time to take a step back, but with Freetrade’s recent momentum building, I felt like the time was right. Thank you to our exceptional team and our customers for their trust, support, and honesty over the years.” 

Michael Healy, Managing Director, IG Group, added: “I am delighted to have Jenny on board. She has an impressive track record, combining sharp commercial thinking with a strong bias for action. I am looking forward to working with her and the rest of the Freetrade team as they continue to build momentum.”