Switzerland's nascent cryptocurrency scene is frequently fronted by men – like traditional banking. finews.com looks at some of the top women moving and shaking in Zug.
The Swiss crypto scene has had its difficulties keeping talented women in the fold, and crypto meetings frequently covey the same pale, male, stale vibe that traditional banking does.
From crypto start-ups, technology, banking, regulation, and trade, finews.com looks at some of the top women making a difference in the alpine nation's efforts to become «crypto nation Switzerland».
1. Bernadette Leuzinger, Crypto Fund
The 29-year-old operating and finance chief at Crypto Fund was instrumental in the Zurich-based firm's business and regulatory development, culminating in the first asset management license granted to a crypto asset company two years ago. Before joining Crypto Finance in 2017, she worked in storage at IBM’s system and tech arm, as well as at Credit Suisse as a private banker. The Swiss native studied banking and finance and the University of Zurich.
2. Sanela Luescher, Honesto
The 38-year-old start-up founder’s interest in bitcoin took hold three years ago when a client at the private equity consulting firm she previously founded wanted to pay in digital assets. Three years later, her latest start-up, Honesto, inked a deal with Incore Bank after eight months – and hopes to launch it in the coming months.
3. Katie Richards, Falcon Private Bank
The veteran private banker followed Arthur Vayloyan to Falcon Private Bank to crypto nearly three years ago. U.K-born and Canadian-bred, Richards began her career as a financial analyst in the shipping sector before moving into equity sales, risk management, and finally private banking. The 54-year-old was instrumental in Falcon’s launch last year of accepting digital assets straight into the bank. With prior stints at UBS and Credit Suisse, Richards is a prime talent to grab after the Falcon's wind-down is concluded next year.
4. Georgine Roesle, Sygnum
The head of business-to-business technology at Sygnum is the crypto bank’s first employee, after founders Manuel Krieger and Mathias Imbach. Her conversion to crypto came by way of Leonteq, where she held jobs including running co-founder Jan Schoch’s CEO office and the structured products boutique's strategy and development. A Swiss native, Roesle began her career at HSBC, which sent her to Luxembourg, Hong Kong, New York, and Geneva.
5. Delphine Forma, Lykke
A French lawyer, Forma moved from banking (HSBC) to crypto in 2018, when she joined Lykke as its head of global compliance (she is now the Swiss crypto firm’s head of compliance advisory and partnerships). She is among several weighty financial crime specialists in the sector, including former prosecutor Maria-Antonella Bino at Sygnum. Forma, whose career has taken her to Tokyo, London, and Strasbourg, is also a board member at the Crypto Valley Association, the Zug-based lobby group.
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