New Crypto Valley Association President seeks to heal divisions
This content was published on
2 minutes
When not covering fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, banks and trade, swissinfo.ch's business correspondent can be found playing cricket on various grounds in Switzerland - including the frozen lake of St Moritz.
The new President of the Crypto Valley Association has vowed to turn around the divided organization. Daniel Haudenschild was elected on Thursday evening together with a new board following months of unrest.
Speaking to swissinfo.ch two days after his shock departure from Swisscom Blockchain, Haudenschild said his priorities are to heal divisions, build bridges between other blockchain groups in Switzerland and bring international business and capital to Crypto Valley.
“We are in the warring states period of Japan. We haven’t done ourselves any favours in putting Switzerland forward as a fertile ground for crypto in the world. We have stopped bringing venture capital and entrepreneurs and skills and talent into the Valley,” he said.
“We need to keep Switzerland right at the vanguard of being the best place to do business. If we don’t do that, capital and talent have legs, and we already see it seeping out. I couldn’t get five venture capitalists around a table in Crypto Valley right now. They have moved on to London, Amsterdam and Berlin. We have to get them back here.”
Haudenschild is joined on the boardExternal link by CVA’s former chief executive Kevin Lally, lawyers Mattia Rattaggi and Martin Berweger plus consultant Kamales Lardi. Founding board member Soren Fog was not re-elected.
But on Thursday evening, two other serving board members, Jenna Zenk and María Gomez, indicated that they would resign. Zenk appeared to object to the board being full of lawyers and consultants rather than programmers and start-up representatives.
Switzerland’s largest blockchain representative group stands at a crossroads after a difficult period of conflict among its 1,200 members. In November, former president Oliver Bussmann and three other board members announced they would not be standing for re-election.
In a statementExternal link, they said it was time for an injection of fresh blood to take the organisation forward. But behind the scenes, divisions have been forming within the Swiss blockchain community. Some members believe that personal commercial interests were being put above blockchain’s ideals of building a better society.
Haudenschild’s full interview will shortly appear on swissinfo.ch.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
This content was published on
In many cases, China's use of AI undermines the national security of the US and its allies, according to a US government representative.
Swiss Hells Angels trial alleges rape and money laundering
This content was published on
An allegedly high-ranking member of the Hells Angels is accused of money laundering totalling millions and rape, among other serious crimes.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Crypto Valley Association board members to step down
This content was published on
Bussmann, vice-president Vasiliy Suvorov, René Hüssler, who holds the positions of secretary and treasurer, and board member Nicolas Schobinger announced on Friday that they would step down at the next annual general meeting at the end of January. “We have been with the Association as board members since January 2017 and, after a rewarding two…
Crypto Valley Association elects women board members
This content was published on
María Gomez, Lead for Ecosystem Development at blockchain-based project Aragon and Jenna Zenk, CTO of Zug-based blockchain asset management startup Melonport were voted in by members on Thursday evening. The CVA board has therefore been expanded to seven members following a resolution during June’s AGM to expand diversity at the association. In the build-up to…
Women aim to shake up Crypto Valley’s “old boys’ club”
This content was published on
“We want to create a space that works for everyone rather than just carry on with the same old boys’ club and their cronies,” Leeanne Abapo Senn told swissinfo.ch. “Our objective is to elevate the dynamic women who have contributed to Crypto Valley and to create a stronger, more inclusive ecosystem.” The Crypto Valley AssociationExternal…
Switzerland sets legal foundations for blockchain industry
This content was published on
The Swiss government has announced a wide-ranging blockchain strategy that aims to create a legal foundation for the new technology.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.