Blockchain company Tezos on Tuesday announced that it has appointed Roman Schnider as its new chief financial officer and head of operations.
He will replace Eelco Fiole at the Zug-based firm. Though the announcement did not specify the date of joining, it mentioned that Schnider would take up his new role in the “summer of 2019.”
The new appointment also raised some questions as it led to an early exit of Fiole, who joined the firm last January.
Prior to Tezos, Schnider was a director of financial services at Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) and co-created the audit firm's blockchain initiative in Switzerland. He spent more than 14 years of his career in the firm and worked in various roles around the world with a special focus on investment banking.
Commenting on his role in a blockchain company, Schnider said: “I sincerely look forward to joining the Tezos Foundation. Together, we will work to serve and support the Tezos community in the most effective, efficient and transparent way possible.”
A familiar face
The announcement also detailed that Schnider is already familiar with Tezos' protocols due to PwC Switzerland’s role over the last year as the independent external auditor of the blockchain company's finance and business operations.
“We want to thank Eelco for his contribution to the development of the Foundation and wish him all the best,” Ryan Jesperson, president of the Tezos Foundation, added.
“As the Foundation continues to provide resources to a growing Tezos ecosystem, the CFO and operations lead will be critical to our success. Roman’s experience makes him the ideal finance and operations specialist for our team. He is already familiar with the opportunities and challenges blockchain projects face and has a deep understanding of the Tezos Foundation from his time at PwC Switzerland.”
Despite the technological advancements, Tezos is still facing multiple lawsuits in the United States by its Initial Coin Offering (ICO) ) investors.
