Recently, many individuals who have been part of monetary institutions and even government officials have moved to the digital asset ecosystem. A good example is Brian Brooks, who served as US Comptroller of the Currency during Donald Trump’s administration and is currently the CEO of crypto infrastructure provider Bitfury.
An industry group representing Aussie businesses and individuals participating in the crypto industry – Blockchain Australia – has announced the appointment of Laura Mercurio as its next Chief Executive Officer. She has a rich experience in the financial sector as she has working previously for BlackRock, Deutsche Bank and Citigroup.
In a recent announcement, Blockchain Australia revealed that Laura Mercurio will assume her new role from Monday (12th September 2022). The organization believes she will successfully engage with watchdogs and the local government since the country’s officials are currently working to apply a regulatory framework to Australia’s digital asset industry.
Mercurio is joining Blockchain Australia after spending many years in prominent financial, technology, and consultancy companies. For one, she was part of Citigroup from 2001 to 2005. Later, she was made the Global Chief Operating Officer at BlackRock. She will succeed Steve Vallas, who was in charge for the past two years. Blockchain Australia thanked him for his contributions during his reign.
When speaking of people who made their name in traditional finance but later transitioned to the world of digital assets, it is worth mentioning Brian Brooks. The American lawyer served as Acting Comptroller of the Currency in the US between May 2020 and January 2021. Later, Binance’s American affiliate – Binance US – appointed him Chief Executive Officer. He didn’t stay long in that position as he moved to become Bitfury’s new top executive in November 2021.
Philip Hammond is another example. The former Chancellor of the Exchequer in the UK is now an adviser at the cryptocurrency firm Copper. Earlier this summer, he urged British authorities to focus on the digital asset industry so the country could cope better with its economic issues.
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