Nejc Kodrič, co-founder and former CEO, assumes role as member on Bitstamp’s Board of Directors
Bitstamp today announces that Julian Sawyer has been named Chief Executive Officer of the company. Sawyer becomes the second CEO in the company’s history, as Bitstamp’s co-founder and former CEO Nejc Kodrič moves into a new role as a board member on the company’s Board of Directors.
Read More: Alacriti Announces Cloud-Native, End-to-End Solution for Real-Time Payments
Sawyer brings more than 20 years of banking and fintech experience to Bitstamp. Most recently, Sawyer served as the Managing Director of the United Kingdom and Europe at Gemini. In May 2015, Sawyer co-founded Starling Bank where he served as Chief Operating Officer until 2019, overseeing the expansion of business services and growing Starling into one of the largest mobile banks in the U.K. Prior to this, he has served as a consultant and advisor to other challenger banks and founded Bluerock Consulting, a financial management consulting firm.
“Bitstamp has an unrivalled reputation in our industry that dates back to the start of the company more than nine years ago. I feel privileged to have been asked to join as CEO and become part of a fantastic team across Europe, the US and Singapore,” said Sawyer. “Cryptocurrency is at a pivotal moment with greater interest from institutional firms, regulators and central banks assessing the opportunities and an ever-evolving community of investors and traders. Bitstamp plays a critical role in helping all these stakeholders come together through our industry-leading technology and an unwavering focus on regulation.”
In 2011, Kodrič co-founded Bitstamp in a garage with €1,000, two laptops and a server. Kodrič started Bitstamp based on a vision that Bitcoin would become a key part of the global financial system – at a time when Bitcoin was trading for a few cents. Since then, Bitstamp has grown into the longest-running cryptocurrency exchange in the world, and one of the largest by volume. Over the last nine years, Bitstamp has grown and evolved well beyond Kodrič’s initial vision.
Read More: LoanSnap Secures Strategic Investment from Avanta Ventures
Kodrič said, “After much thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that Bitstamp has already grown beyond what I envisioned it would become and it is time for someone else to expand this vision further. Although we’ve grown exponentially, it still feels like Bitstamp is just getting started. I believe we’re on the verge of great things, all of which entail bringing more financial freedom to millions of people around the world. Over the last several years, we have introduced new partnerships and assets, and I’m proud of where the company is heading.”
Under Kodrič’s direction and strategic guidance, Bitstamp has reached several milestones in just the last 12 months. The company introduced a new matching engine from Nasdaq Technologies, adding a level of speed and reliability that puts the company on-par with the world’s leading exchanges. Bitstamp was the first exchange to go live on BCB Group’s BLINC network and the launch partner for Silvergate’s SEN Bitcoin leverage product.
“Based on the direction of the company, Julian’s expertise in the complexities of global banking makes him the right choice to lead Bitstamp into its next phase. He understands the possibilities that cryptocurrency holds for our world and how to integrate it with existing financial structures,” explained Kodrič.
Kodrič transitions to a role on Bitstamp’s Board of Directors, where he will continue to provide direction and play an important role in the future of the company. Kodrič was an active part of the search committee to find his replacement to ensure the future success of Bitstamp.
Read More: HES FinTech Joins Canadian Lenders Association to Drive Digital Lending Transformation Across Canada
