Cardano Foundation appoints Stephen Wood as Chief Financial Officer
The Cardano Foundation has named Stephen Wood as its new Chief Financial Officer. Wood will oversee financial strategy and risk management for the Swiss-based not-for-profit organisation.
Wood most recently worked at Copper.co. He served as Finance Director and was a member of the Executive Committee. Copper.co operates in the digital asset infrastructure sector.
Wood brings more than two decades of experience to the Cardano Foundation. He has worked in both traditional finance and digital assets. His career began at Verint, where he spent 15 years in various finance positions. These included roles in financial planning and managing global enterprise performance. He then held a senior post at Keyko, where he integrated blockchain technologies into accounting. He also worked at Proton, focusing on financial scaling and treasury strategies.
Leadership Changes
The Cardano Foundation supports the Cardano blockchain ecosystem. The organisation aims to develop tools and governance structures for digital infrastructure. The foundation also focuses on strengthening operational resilience and encouraging real-world blockchain use cases.
Cardano is one of the largest public blockchains by market capitalisation. It is used for decentralised applications and financial services. The Foundation maintains its headquarters in Zug, Switzerland.
"We are pleased to welcome Stephen to the Cardano Foundation. His extensive experience bridging traditional finance and digital assets and scaling finance functions will be invaluable as we advance Cardano's mission. His expertise in financial governance will ensure the Foundation plays a crucial role in analyzing protocol economic parameters and community incentives towards an optimum future, while exploring important opportunities to help close the finance gap for startups," said Frederik Gregaard, CEO, Cardano Foundation.
Focus on Governance
Wood's background includes both operational finance and the integration of new technologies. At Verint, he managed financial planning and enterprise performance. At Keyko and Proton, he helped deploy blockchain solutions in financial processes. The Foundation stated that he will guide treasury activities and manage financial risks.
Wood said his values align with the Foundation's priorities.
"I am honoured to join the Cardano Foundation and to be working alongside such a talented team within the foundation and across the broader Cardano community, at such a pivotal time for blockchain adoption. The Foundation's commitment to transparency, operational resilience, and long-term thinking aligns closely with my own values as a finance leader. I look forward to working with the team to strengthen our financial foundations and support the continued growth of Cardano as a trusted infrastructure for positive global change," said Wood.
The Cardano Foundation continues to expand its leadership team as blockchain adoption increases. The group is based in Switzerland and operates globally.
