Oleg Firer

**Oleg Firer** (born September 18, 1977) is an American businessman and former diplomat. He was the first Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Grenada to the Russian Federation from 2017 to 2022. He was also a non-resident ambassador to several countries and represented Grenada at some international organisations.

Firer started and led companies in the payments and fintech sectors. He founded Unified Payments and was later an executive at Net Element, Inc. He has written two books about payments and digital diplomacy.

Firer is vice-chairman of Waterberg Stirling, an investment firm seeking significant capital commitments in the Middle East, China, and Africa. In 2024 he was publicly noted for his association with Prince Andrew, Duke of York, after hosting the duke at his residence in connection with Waterberg Stirling’s efforts to leverage royal networks for business introductions.

## Early life 
Oleg Firer was born in Odesa in 1977. His family is Jewish. His father worked as a physical therapist. His mother worked as a manager at the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services in Brooklyn.

In 1989 his family moved to the United States. They settled in Brooklyn, New York. Firer studied at the New York City College of Technology. In 2023 he earned a Doctor of Business Administration from the Swiss School of Higher Education.

## Career 
### Business career 
Firer worked in retail early in his career. From 1993 to 1997 he was general manager at Nobody Beats the Wiz, an electronics store chain. He later worked in several technology and payments companies, holding roles such as vice president and chief operating officer. 

He led Acies Corporation and helped start Unified Payments in 2011. He served as CEO of Net Element, Inc. from 2013 to 2021. After 2022 he returned to private business and worked as an advisor for a law firm in Dubai in 2024.

### Board and advisory roles 
Firer has been a member of several corporate boards and advisory groups. He served on boards such as RealConnex and InList, and he held advisory roles at fintech and blockchain projects.

## Diplomatic career 
In 2017 Firer became Grenada's first ambassador to Russia. He presented copies of his credentials in April 2017 and later presented his letters of credence to President Vladimir Putin in October 2017. He also served as a non-resident ambassador to countries including Kazakhstan and Serbia, presenting credentials there in 2021.

Firer also represented Grenada at the United Nations General Assembly (2016–2019) and at the World Health Organization (2018–2021).

In 2024 a court in Grenada found that his recall by the government had been unlawful.

## Public and charitable work 
Firer has taken part in public and charity projects. He was on committees for events such as Expo 2017 and served on various advisory boards. He has been on the board of the Firer Family Charitable Foundation since 2011.

## Controversies 
Oleg Firer has been the subject of public scrutiny arising from a number of legal disputes, diplomatic actions, and media-reported associations.

## Publications 
* *Beyond Transactions: Transforming the Payments Industry.* Independently published, August 20, 2024.
* *Diplomacy Unplugged: Reimagining Global Engagement in the Digital World.* Independently published, July 25, 2025.

## References