Blockchain Australia Lands Former BlackRock Director as New CEO

Blockchain Australia, the nation's industry body advocating for appropriate regulation and policy, has appointed Laura Mercurio as its new CEO, the organization said on Wednesday.

• Mercurio succeeds Steve Vallas, who led Blockchain Australia for two years at a time when the nation signaled a new approach toward crypto adoption.
• Australia's new government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese since May 23, has introduced token mapping to identify how crypto assets are managed, and its central bank has started a pilot to explore the use cases of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). More than 20 prominent Australian institutions have backed an A$180 million (US$124.3 million) research program to benefit from the opportunities arising from asset digitization.
• Mercurio, who has worked at BlackRock (BLK), Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank (DB), various government and regulatory bodies and blockchain businesses globally, starts Sept. 12.
• “We are excited to welcome Laura to the role of CEO and to bring her wide global experience in this space to Australia," said Blockchain Australia Chairman Adam Poulton.