Bitstamp, the world’s longest running cryptocurrency exchange, has appointed James Greenwood as the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO). James’ appointment is part of a series of high-profile hires and internal promotions at a pivotal time of growth for Bitstamp as it looks to strengthen its global team and drive further innovation across its products and services.
Greenwood joins Bitstamp with a background in the global banking and fintech sectors, having driven the transition from traditional to digital banking for several leading players across the globe. James’ most recent position was as Chief Product Officer at Zand Bank (UAE), where he oversaw the launch offerings of the world’s first combined corporate and retail digital bank. Other previous roles include CTO of Tandem, the UK-based challenger bank; Chief Operating Officer of Commercial Bank International; and Digital Platform Director at Barclays.
In his new role, Greenwood will establish the vision and scale the technology organisation to deliver the next generation of DeFi products, whilst maintaining Bitstamp’s envied position for providing stable, regulated, crypto services.
He replaces David Osojnik, who has stepped up to Bitstamp’s Advisory Board. David joined Bitstamp as Head of Systems Operations in 2015, before being promoted to CTO the same year, and is one of the longest-standing Bitstamp employees. His new role on the Advisory Board reflects the critical role he played in the company’s success, being part of the team that helped Bitstamp become the first fully licensed virtual currency exchange in the world and leading the first ever implementation of a multi-sig wallet at a bitcoin exchange.
Additionally, Miha Miklic, who has been at the company since it was a team of just 20 employees, has been promoted to Deputy CTO. Miha has been instrumental in scaling up Bitstamp’s engineering team, improving the company’s software development process and platform implementation as global regulation has evolved, and in helping Bitstamp achieve a CSSF licence of financial institutions.
Julian Sawyer, CEO of Bitstamp, said: “As Bitstamp continues to grow, it’s vital that we continue to push the boundaries of technology whilst also ensuring that our standards are maintained on a global scale.
“I’m delighted to be welcoming James to the team and excited to see him harness his experience from the banking and fintech markets to take Bitstamp to the next level.
“I’m also delighted to congratulate both David and Miha on their new roles. They have been instrumental in creating and maintaining Bitstamp’s legacy, and I’m thrilled that they are continuing with us on the next phase of our growth journey.”
James Greenwood, CTO of Bitstamp, said: “Throughout my career, I have focused on being at the forefront of digital financial services. As Crypto and DeFi become mainstream, this is where that focus now is, and bringing that experience to Bitstamp will help us continue that innovation and expansion.”
“Bitstamp has a clear vision and purpose, and I look forward to cementing its position as a global leader, focused on harnessing the benefits of technology to deliver positive outcomes for crypto investors.”
David Osojnik, Bitstamp’s Advisory Board Member, said: “Over the past seven years, I’ve seen Bitstamp continue to step closer to the global company we have always envisioned. In building Bitstamp’s legacy, I’ve been able to develop my expertise in crypto and DeFi technology and look forward to bringing that experience with me to the board to help Bitstamp to grow further.
Miha Miklic, Deputy CTO of Bitstamp, said: “I see a clear opportunity for Bitstamp to become a bolder player in the global crypto market and build on our foundations as the world’s longest standing exchange – and I’m excited to support this goal in my new position.
“I’m looking forward to drawing on my engineering experience and utilising this to help drive future innovation across our products and services, particularly as regulation continues to evolve and customer demand heightens.”
