OKX, a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency spot and derivatives exchange, has hired Maria Stankevich as its Director of Institutional Sales for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Stankevich left her role at EXMO this month after five years of serving as the Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO).

The communications, management and business development executive announced her new role on Wednesday on Linkedin. Stankevich has been a Policy Advisor to CryptoUK, a trade body representing the digital asset sector in the United Kingdom, since August 2020.

The senior executive noted that she decided to leave her role at EXMO, a UK-based cryptocurrency exchange, in order “to grow personally and professionally.” Moreover, she disclosed that she will resume her new role at OKX on Thursday.

OKX Secures Veteran Maria Stankevich

Stankevich’s career dates back to about a decade ago when she served as a Project Manager with an agency-based business. Between July 2015 and April 2018, she worked at Invent Group, a subsidiary of Russia-based InterRAO, which is a leading energy export and import operator. She first served as the Digital Head and later as the Head of Communications at the subsidiary.

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She later joined EXMO in 2018 as the Head of Communications and was promoted to the position of CBDO in February 2019. At EXMO, Stankevich was “responsible for the new markets, listing and initial exchange offering services, partnerships with the banks and payments systems, GR, and VIP-traders relations.”

Maria Stankevich Joins OKX Amid Lengthy Career in Non-Profit Roles

Apart from working with CryptoUK, Stankevich is a Global Ambassador for WomenTech Network, a ​community that promotes ​gender diversity in tech and connects talented and skilled professionals with top companies and leading startups.

In addition, since January 2020, the executive has been serving as a Mentor with the Fintech Advisory Services (FAS), which is an advisory ecosystem that connects blockchain and fintech experts from Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America with small and medium-sized businesses seeking growth opportunities.

Furthermore, Stankevich is a Mentor with Missiontech.co, a body that supports early-stage startups in Latvia. She holds a PhD in New Media from Lomonosov Moscow State University.