Bakkt CEO Mike Blandina is stepping down from his function, a person accustomed to the state of affairs advised CoinDesk.He will likely be changed
Bakkt CEO Mike Blandina is stepping down from his function, a person accustomed to the state of affairs advised CoinDesk.
He will likely be changed by David Clifton, vp of M&A and integration at Bakkt guardian firm Intercontinental Trade (ICE). Adam White, the corporate’s president, will keep his function. The transfer was introduced internally at an all-hands assembly.
Blandina’s future plans weren’t talked about within the press launch past that he was “leaving the corporate to pursue a brand new alternative.”Blandina was named the CEO in December 2019, succeeding now-Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia), who helmed the corporate since its launch in August 2018 by means of her appointment to the U.S. Congress. He’s shifting to tackle a task at JP Morgan, a person accustomed to the state of affairs advised CoinDesk. Neither Blandina nor a spokesperson for JP Morgan instantly returned requests for remark. Blandina’s future plans weren’t talked about within the press launch past that he was “leaving the corporate to pursue a brand new alternative.”
Clifton participated in ICE’s 2013 acquisition of NYSE Euronext, in keeping with the press launch, and can now give attention to Bakkt’s integration of Bridge2 Options, the loyalty program supplier the corporate acquired in February.
In a press release, ICE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Sprecher stated, “David Clifton has been deeply engaged in a lot of our most essential initiatives over time and, after serving to to guide the acquisition of Bridge2 to speed up the rollout of Bakkt’s shopper utility, I do know he’ll present excellent management for Bakkt as its Interim CEO.”
Bakkt, which presently affords bitcoin futures and choices contracts to establishments worldwide, is in the midst of constructing a retail-focused funds and rewards app. The corporate is already testing an integration with Starbucks, and intends its ultimate app to help a variety of rewards, equivalent to airline miles, and distributors.
A spokesperson for ICE didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
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