According to Blockworks, Belgium-based digital asset market maker, Keyrock, has appointed TradFi veterans Robert Valdes-Rodriguez and Francesco Adiliberti as chief commercial officer and chief operating officer respectively. Both bring extensive experience from large financial institutions. Valdes-Rodriguez previously held foreign exchange sales roles at Crédit Agricole and Scotiabank, and was Abra’s global head of sales. Adiliberti held director positions at Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, and HSBC before his time at Amber Group. Keyrock CEO Kevin de Patoul stated that these appointments are part of the company's strategy to bridge the gap between crypto and TradFi.
In related news, B2C2, a crypto liquidity provider, has recruited a former Goldman Sachs professional, Nickolay Karpenko, to join its sales team focused on Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Karpenko, who spent approximately seven years at Goldman Sachs, was an executive director on the firm’s digital assets team. B2C2 announced his arrival on LinkedIn, highlighting his 15 years of investment banking experience and deep expertise in structured products and strategic trading. This move follows B2C2's acquisition of Paris-based market maker Woorton last year, which enabled the company to facilitate crypto trading across the EU.
Meanwhile, State Street, one of the world's largest custodian banks and asset managers, is also seeking to expand its digital assets-focused unit, as indicated by recent job postings. The company is looking for a head of digital assets solutions and three product managers to lead digital services in the EMEA region, among other roles. The ideal candidates will have a deep understanding of digital asset technology and extensive institutional experience, with a track record in developing and implementing products and services related to blockchain tech, smart contracts, tokenization, wallet technologies, and cryptocurrencies.