After an extensive executive search process, the world’s first publicly listed Bitcoin company DigitalX has announced the appointment of experienced finance industry executive Lisa Wade as CEO.
Wade has nearly 30 years of finance and financial markets experience, most recently as head of digital innovation and sustainability at National Australia Bank (NAB). She has also worked with organisations such as Citigroup and Bendigo Bank.
She comes from a strong background in blockchain project development, recently leading the Project Atom Central Bank Digital Currency project (CBDC), a collaborative research project between the Reserve Bank of Australia, CBA and Perpetual, and Project Carbon, a global strategic alliance tokenising voluntary carbon credits with Latu, CIBC, Natwest and NAB. Wade is also a Non-Executive Director of Blockchain Australia, Australia’s peak blockchain industry body.
Before her current role, she gained extensive experience managing investment portfolios with the Clean Energy Fund and the ESCOR Group. She has also been a Director at Citigroup, specialising in arbitrage and derivatives. Wade is an experienced trader with an in-depth understanding of pricing and investing in derivatives and financial products.
As Head of Community Assets at Bendigo Bank, she specialised in developing financial structures to accelerate impact investment, including co-founding the Bright Energy fund, an early-stage investment in Future Super, and co-creating RARI Australia’s first responsible investment ETF.
The new role will commence after Wade serves her notice period at her current position.
Toby Hicks, chair of DigitalX, says, “Following a thorough search and assessment process, we’re very proud to confirm the appointment of Lisa Wade as the new CEO of DigitalX. Lisa is a highly experienced and knowledgeable individual who has impressed the Board with her passion and knowledge for both financial markets and Blockchain technologies and opportunities.”
He says out of a pool of outstanding candidates, they are pleased that Lisa wanted to come on board and lead DigitalX as it continues to execute its business plan based around three business units of funds management, blockchain ventures and development of distributed ledger technologies.
“I’m truly excited to join DigitalX, they have built the foundations and team to lead Australia and the world in the transition to blockchain as a mainstream part of finance, and to be a leader in this new and fast-moving financial future that blockchain creates,” says DigitalX incoming CEO, Lisa Wade.
“I’m looking forward to working with the great team and building on this foundation together to grow the Company’s opportunities and value for shareholders.”
Wade was recently recognised as ‘Gender & Diversity Leader of the Year’ at the 2021 Australian Blockchain Industry Awards.