Dave Ripley has been appointed as the new CEO of Kraken, a leading cryptocurrency exchange. Ripley is determined to lead Kraken into its next phase of growth and expansion, following a successful period of trading over the past year. With extensive experience in the financial sector, Ripley plans to take Kraken to new heights in the industry. Stay tuned for updates on Kraken’s progress under Ripley’s leadership.
Kraken, the popular cryptocurrency exchange, has announced the appointment of Dave Ripley as its new CEO. This move comes after the company’s leadership succession plan, which was made public in September 2022, and took effect from April 27. Ripley is taking over from Jesse Powell, who is moving to his new role as Chairman of the Board.
Since the announcement of the appointment, Kraken’s leadership team has been working to ensure a smooth transition, preparing the company for the next phase of growth under Ripley’s leadership. This included the appointment of new senior executives to shore up operations for the challenges ahead, such as Guy Hirsh as Managing Director for North America, CJ Rinaldi as Chief Compliance Officer, and Dan Ciporin as Board Member.
Kraken has also been rolling out new products, such as the Kraken NFT marketplace and Kraken Pro trading interface, and has successfully applied for an Irish Virtual Asset Service Provider license while working toward a Canadian “Restrictive Dealer” registration.
So who is Dave Ripley? He held the COO position at Kraken for almost seven years, from October 2016, before his appointment as CEO. Before joining Kraken, Ripley co-founded and was CEO of blockchain firm Glidera, which Kraken acquired in December 2016. He also has experience as a consultant and project lead, as well as a software engineering and development background.
Commenting on Ripley’s appointment, Powell congratulated him, saying it’s a new era for Kraken. He jokingly added that the Board expects Bitcoin to reach $100,000 by year-end under Ripley’s watch. Powell will continue with Kraken as Chairman of the Board in a non-executive position, guiding the company to the best of his ability, including meeting with Ripley regularly.
In conclusion, Kraken’s appointment of Dave Ripley as CEO, coupled with the recent shoring up of its leadership team, seems to be a strong signal that the company is preparing for its next phase of growth and expansion. With new products already rolling out and more on the horizon, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for one of the cryptocurrency industry’s most popular exchanges.