who is Kevin Barber
About Me
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I am
Kevin Barber
Until I was 47, I thought I was an accountant, because that was essentially all I had been since I left full-time education. I had never given networking a second thought and, if I had done, I would probably have assumed it meant “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”, – how use the people you know to gain personal advantage. Besides I would need to be outgoing, talk to people, an extrovert – that was not me and for me.
8 years with KPMG in audit and due diligence, firstly in the UK and then in Germany (I originally went for 3 years, but 40 years later I am still there) were followed by CEO roles in the plastics and service industries and 4 years leading a small M&A boutique.
Then in 2004 I was invited to an early morning meeting with a group of business owners, each representing their own specific profession, who met regularly to help each other become more successful. They called themselves the world’s largest and most successful networking organisation, but there was something very strange about them. They were not talking about what they could get from each other but what they could give. By the time the fifth person had asked me even before the meeting started “how can I help you” I realised that the spirit in this group was totally different from anything I had experienced or assumed “networking” to mean (yes, I know – assume makes an “ass” out of “u “and “me”!)
It was something so simple, I wanted to be part of it. That was over 20 years ago. And it turned out to be the best business decision of my life.
Founder. Connector. Speaker.
My Journey
Behind every connection, there’s a story. Mine started in corporate finance and evolved into a mission to empower people and make business more human. This is the journey that shaped who I am today.
Why I Keep Going
Today
The world doesn’t need more ego. It needs more empathy, collaboration, and care. Business can be a force for good, not just for profit.
Helping others, especially children, is not a side project. It’s the heart of what I do. And why I still do it.
Helping the Next Generation Succeed
2018–Today Supporting the BNI® Foundation
Founded in 1998 by Elisabeth and Dr. Ivan Misner, the BNI Foundation empowers children through education. We fund local programs, donate Givers Gain® Grants (typically $1,000), and support the long-term Misner Endowment Fund.
But what inspires me most is Business Voices® – a program where BNI members use their skills and time to mentor young people.
Because children may only be 20% of our population, but they are 100% of our future.
One Country, Many Connections
2017 Connect-5 India
video soon
Connect-5 India was one of the most intense experiences:
Bangalore, Surat, Mumbai, Kolkata – 4 major cities in 5 days.
The energy, the welcome, the business opportunities – unforgettable.
East Meets West – And Everything In Between
2016 New Cities, New Impact
The 2016 journey brought us to:
Bangkok, Turin, Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur
We discovered how values like Givers Gain® can thrive in every culture.
A Different Kind of Journey
2015 Giving Back: Aid Across 5 Nations
In response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Connect-5 became a mission for good. We supported five aid organizations across five countries. It was networking – not for business, but for humanity.
From Germany to Cape Town – One Global Network
2014 A Truly Global Connection
This time, the tour spanned:
Schwäbisch Hall, Dubai, Kenya, Long Beach, Cape Town
The diversity of culture, experience, and business showed just how powerful real connection can be.
Connecting Chapters Across Borders
2013 Connect-5 Continues
The second Connect-5 tour took me to:
Karlsruhe, Dubai, Hong Kong, Japan, Long Beach
Each meeting deepened relationships and sparked new collaborations.
5 Meetings. 5 Days. 5 Continents.
2012 Connect-5 Year One
In its debut, Connect-5 went global:
Long Beach (USA), Melbourne (Australia), Singapore, Dubai, Mannheim (Germany) – all within a single week.
Can You Connect the World in 5 Days?
2011 The Birth of Connect-5
September 22, 2011 – I was sitting alone on my 54th birthday outside an Irish pub in Tel Aviv. Surrounded by tables of people from Germany, Israel, the UK, and Scandinavia, an idea hit me:
Could I meet entrepreneurs on 5 continents in 5 business days – Monday through Friday – using the power of BNI Connect?
That’s how Connect-5 was born.
Building Something Bigger Than Me
2005 Launching BNI Germany South-West
I wanted to join the BNI group I visited – but they were too far away. So I did something unexpected: I bought a franchise. In 2005, I launched my first BNI chapter in Heidelberg. Then another. And another.
As the regional director for South-West Germany, I’ve helped thousands of entrepreneurs grow their businesses – by helping each other. To date, members in my region have generated over €1.1 billion in recorded business through structured referrals.
Discovering a Different Kind of Networking
2004 My First BNI Meeting
In 2004, I was invited to a 7am meeting with a group of local business owners. Each represented a different profession – and they met weekly to help each other grow. But what struck me was their mindset: they weren’t asking “What can I get?” but rather, “How can I help you?” Before the meeting even began, five different people had already asked me that.
It was the opposite of the old “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” cliché. That one meeting changed my entire understanding of what networking could mean. And it turned out to be the best business decision of my life.
The Begining
1980s–2003 My Professional Background
After 8 years at KPMG in the UK and Germany, followed by executive roles in the plastics and service industries, and leading a small M&A boutique, I thought I was simply “an accountant”. What I didn’t know back then: my journey was just beginning.