Following last week’s announcement of Ireland as our MiCA entity location, we are pleased to announce that we are strengthening our presence in Benelux and the Nordics, a key market for Coinbase. This move underscores our increased commitment to continental Europe.
Elke Karskens will become the Country Director for Benelux and the Nordics, moving from her current role as UK Country Director. In her new position she will drive growth and innovation in these vital markets. Daniel Seifert, currently serving as Vice President and Regional Managing Director EMEA, has also seen his responsibilities expanded, to oversee Coinbase's activities in the United Kingdom, reaffirming our commitment to strategic expansion across the European region.
These transitions in leadership come as part of Phase II of our ‘Go Broad, Go Deep’ strategy for international expansion, with further announcements coming later in the week.
Elke Karskens, an instrumental figure in Coinbase’s UK journey, brings a wealth of experience and understanding of the crypto landscape. Her journey from UK Country Director to the Country Director for Benelux and the Nordics not only showcases her unwavering dedication but also underscores her relentless efforts in fostering the growth and empowerment of the crypto community within her native region. Just last year Coinbase became the first major global crypto exchange to successfully register with the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank — DNB), allowing us to offer our crypto products and services to the Dutch market.
Speaking on today’s announcement, Elke said, "Returning to my national country, the Netherlands, and leading Coinbase's operations in these dynamic regions is a privilege. I am thankful for my time and experience in the UK market, and having seen firsthand the transformative potential of cryptocurrencies; bringing these learnings to Benelux and the Nordics is really exciting. My goal is to harness Coinbase's trusted platform to drive growth, foster innovation, and create a lasting positive impact in these vital markets."
“Both Elke and Daniel’s transitions show that Coinbase recognises the need to diversify and deepen our presence in key markets with locally based senior leaders. Throughout this international expansion journey we continue to strive to provide a seamless and local customer experience, while leveraging local regulatory clarity, to drive our mission forward around the world,” said Nana Murugesan, Vice President of International and Business Development.
With these strategic leadership moves, we are positioned at the forefront of a transformative phase in our international expansion strategy, further cementing Coinbase's position as the crypto industry leader.
Join us in welcoming Elke Karskens into her new role. We anticipate a bright future under her capable guidance!
International
About Nana Murugesan
Nana Murugesan is the Vice President of International and Business Development at Coinbase where he leads the company’s international operations and global partnerships. Previously, he was the Managing Director of International Markets at Snap Inc. where he led Snapchat’s international expansion and strategic partnerships.
Earlier in his career, Nana was the Vice President and General Manager at Samsung, where he served in a number of strategy, partnerships, and operations roles to launch and grow their Galaxy smartphone and services business, notably Samsung Pay. He also held product roles at Cisco and strategy consulting roles at BCG.
Nana received his BE in Engineering from the University of Madras, MS in Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
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