Blockchain Australia chief executive Laura Mercurio swiftly departed the cryptocurrency sector’s peak body just weeks after her appointment, leaving the troubled industry with a leadership vacuum amid the collapse of global exchange FTX.that Ms Mercurio “is no longer with” the organisation. A former executive with BlackRock and Merrill Lynch in London and consultant to ASX-listed wealth giant AMP, Ms Mercurio joined the ambitious lobby group in September.
FTX itself withdrew its membership of Blockchain Australia on November 10, one day before administrators KordaMentha wereThe association also represents local exchanges such as Swyftx and BTC Markets, as well as traditional finance and professional services companies including KMPG, Deloitte, PwC, BDO, Mastercard and the Australian Securities Exchange.
The board will on Wednesday continue the process of leadership renewal as it votes for a new chairman and deputy chairman at a meeting ahead of its annual Blockies awards in Sydney. It is not clear whether current chairman Adam Poulton will stand for re-election., under which they agreed to hold customer balances in full reserve and provide ongoing proofs to avoid the alleged mismanagement and “co-mingling” of funds at FTX.