Leading Institutional Digital Asset Custodian Komainu Appoints Matthew Chamberlain As New Chief Executive

By AIT News Desk On Jan 22, 2022

Komainu, a regulated institutional-grade digital asset custody services provider safeguarding over US$5bn in assets, announced the appointment of Matthew Chamberlain as its Chief Executive Officer. For the past five years, Chamberlain has served as CEO of the London Metal Exchange, the world centre for industrial metals trading, and brings to Komainu his strong track record of operating regulated and mission-critical financial market infrastructure.

Prior to serving as CEO of the London Metal Exchange, Chamberlain started his career in M&A (with a specific focus on exchanges and financial market infrastructure) at Citibank, Perella Weinberg Partners and UBS. In addition to his prior work experience, he holds an MA in Computer Science from Trinity College Cambridge.

Commenting on his appointment, Chamberlain said: “I have always been passionate about building safe and efficient solutions to ensure global markets function as effectively as possible. I am therefore hugely honoured to have the opportunity to join the Komainu team. With its regulated institutional custody platform for cryptocurrencies and broader digital assets, Komainu’s hybrid servicing model combines the best of traditional and decentralised finance, and truly represents the natural evolution of our industry.”

Chamberlain joins Komainu during a period of strong growth for the Company. In 2021, Komainu raised US$25m in its Series A funding round, and achieved key ISO and ISAE operational certifications. In his role as CEO, Chamberlain will be responsible for the continued growth of the Company, as it further develops its platform to offer a comprehensive range of services for institutions looking to expand and establish their digital asset footprint.

Komainu was founded in 2018 as a joint venture between global investment bank Nomura, digital asset security firm Ledger, and digital asset investment house CoinShares, to fill a gap in the marketplace and provide institutions with secure and compliant custody solutions for digital assets investments. The organisation draws on expertise from banking, fund management and cyber-security to provide best-in-class regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering and insurance solutions.

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Chamberlain continued, “I believe strongly in the transformative capacity of a blockchain-empowered world – but such technologies will only deliver their true potential when robust infrastructure exists to make them easily and reliably available to all those who wish to participate in this unprecedented period of financial democratisation. I am particularly excited to be working with the incredibly talented people at Komainu. I would like to thank Henson Orser for his service as Acting CEO, and am very much looking forward to working closely with Henson going forward in his role as President of Komainu.”

Jean-Marie Mognetti, CEO of CoinShares, remarked: “We welcome Matthew to Komainu. The digital asset industry is maturing and needs experienced professionals to support the institutionalization shift at work. Matthew’s professional background is key for Komainu’s development towards financial institutions. We look forward to the next phase of growth under his leadership.”

Jezri Mohideen, Global Chief Digital Officer, Wholesale at Nomura, added: “Komainu is a custodian built by institutions for institutions, and we are confident that Matthew’s experience will allow us to continue delivering on this vital mission.”

Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger, concluded: “The rapid growth of the crypto asset space will need to be underpinned by professional market infrastructure providers. Komainu is positioned in precisely this sweet spot, and we look forward to its continued growth and development.”

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