Planet (formerly Fintrax Group Holdings)
Overview
Planet (formerly known as Fintrax and Premier Tax Free) is a financial services company specializing in multicurrency payments, credit card processing, and tax-free VAT refund management for tourists. It provides its services to international retail groups, hotels, and banks, and is one of the largest tax refund providers globally.
The company traces its roots to Cashback Ltd., founded in Galway, Ireland in 1985 to facilitate VAT refunds for international visitors to Ireland. It later became known as Premier Tax Free, then Fintrax Group, before rebranding as Planet in 2018. Entrepreneur Gerard Barry owned Fintrax Group before selling it to private equity firm Exponent in 2012 for approximately 170 million euros; French investment company Eurazeo acquired a majority stake from Exponent in 2015, valuing the company at approximately 550 million euros. In 2021, Advent International and Eurazeo invested in Planet to jointly control the company, positioning it as an integrated digital payment platform offering acquiring, processing, and tax-free services together.
Today Planet operates in 64 markets across 5 continents and employs over 2,500 people worldwide, with global headquarters in London and additional offices in Paris, Galway, Dortmund, Zurich, and Madrid. Brent Warrington serves as CEO. The company remains privately held under the joint ownership of Advent International and Eurazeo.
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