Protocols and Projects Are Thirsty for Talent Who Can Bridge the Two Worlds of Finance and Digital Assets

Example: Morpho co-founder Paul Frambot told DL News that the future of decentralised finance is teaming up with fintech providers like Robinhood

People are leaving traditional finance roles to join crypto projects at a record pace.

The latest examples include Wintermute hiring a former ExodusPoint head of transaction technology and Solana’s Marinade protocol appointing a former Fidelity executive.

Crypto trading firm Wintermute has hired Mykola Garkusha, who was previously head of transaction technology at hedge fund ExodusPoint, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Garkusha, who also had stints at JPMorgan and Bank of America, will become Wintermute’s Trading Platform Developer.

The role will see him lead the development of crypto trading infrastructure, tools and pipelines for the firm’s traders.

Garkusha will report to Wintermute head of trading Nikita Fadeev.

Solana’s native staking protocol Marinade has appointed Hadley Stern as its new chief commercial officer.

According to a statement, Stern will lead commercial strategy, business development, sales and marketing at Marinade.

He will also work closely with the protocol’s community and ecosystem partners.

Prior to joining Marinade, Stern worked at Fidelity Investments for over a decade, where he was founding president of the firm’s digital assets unit, Fidelity Digital Assets.

During his time at Fidelity, Stern also led the launch of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) custody for institutional clients at BNY Mellon.

Market maker B2C2 has appointed Cactus Raazi as its US CEO, who will report to group CEO Thomas Restout.

According to a statement, Cactus will oversee B2C2’s operations in the Americas, working to expand the firm’s footprint and product offerings in the region.

Prior to joining B2C2, Cactus was US CEO and co-head for the Americas at digital assets trading platform Amber Group.

During his time at Amber, the firm obtained a Money Transmitter License from the New York State Department of Financial Services.

Before Amber, Cactus held regional and global leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, Nomura and Tradeweb in the USA and Europe.

He also founded and exited a fintech startup.

Crypto market data provider Kaiko has hired Anne-Sophie Cissey as general counsel.

According to a LinkedIn post, Cissey joins Kaiko from market maker Flowdesk, where she was head of legal and compliance.

During her time at Flowdesk, the firm became the first market maker to gain a digital asset service provider registration in France, Cissey wrote.

Cissey, who is also a member of the Paris Bar, previously worked at Linklaters and Shearman & Sterling.

The Wyoming Stable Token Commission is seeking to fill senior roles, including a chief information security officer (CISO) and a chief financial officer (CFO).

The commission, which was established by Wyoming state legislation, is working to launch the first fiat-backed stablecoin to be issued by a public entity in the US.

Candidates for the CISO role will need at least seven years of experience in cybersecurity, including three years in a senior leadership role.

They will also need experience working with blockchain technology and stablecoins.

Candidates for the CFO role will need at least seven years of experience in finance, including three years in a senior leadership role.

They will also need experience working with stablecoins and digital assets.

Both roles will report directly to the commission’s executive director.