Group of Ex-Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Execs Join Crypto Unicorn Amber Group

Amber Group, the leading crypto trading and technology firm, today announced the appointments of multiple seasoned executives, including the appointment of Dimitrios Kavvathas as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Todd Miller and Sotirios Kavvathas as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Americas and Europe, respectively, and the addition of three Managing Directors for Europe.

Dimitrios was previously CEO and Executive Charman of Nomisma, Chief Investment Officer of Harmony Advisors, and Partner at Goldman Sachs, where he most recently served as Co-Head of Asia Pacific Securities Division Distribution. As CSO, he will assist CEO Michael Wu in formulating and driving Amber Group’s global strategy with particular emphasis on client business, licensing footprint, regulatory engagement, and leadership position.

Todd was previously COO for Morgan Stanley’s Global Macro business and held other senior positions at notable financial firms such as Chase Manhattan Bank, PricewaterhouseCooper, and UBS. Meanwhile, Sotirios brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in internal audit and risk management, having held leadership positions at high-profile organizations such as BDO, Royal Bank of Scotland, and KPMG. As COO for the Americas and Europe, respectively, Todd and Sotirios will help design and set up regional legal and organization structures, oversee and improve operational efficiency, and spearhead the local implementation of global policies and procedures for the group.

The three Regional Directors who will spearhead Amber Group’s regulatory efforts and build institutional relationships in Europe are:

Francesco Adiliberti - an ex-Goldman Sachs, HSBC Managing Director, former CEO of Nomisma and Swiss Crypto Exchange - brings extensive experience in both the cryptocurrency and traditional finance space.Olaf Ammermann, a derivatives specialist having worked at tier-one financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and HSBC, with a focus on the intersection of product and business development.Sophia Shluger brings investment and analytics expertise, as well as deal-making experience from Goldman Sachs, XP Investments, and Santander Investment Securities.

“We’re pleased to have them on board the burgeoning digital asset ecosystem,” says Michael Wu, Co-Founder and CEO of Amber Group. “Their rising interest in crypto coupled with their proven track record in the global financial industry will be tremendous assets as we continue expanding our business.”

Crypto Finance: The Future of Finance

Prior to joining Amber Group, Dimitrios founded his own fintech firm Nomisma Holdings as a way to start tiptoeing into crypto. The 3-year entrepreneurship journey in that blockchain startup led to his keener interest in crypto and eventually his decision to join Amber Group.

Dimitrios said: “I could not be more excited about the opportunity to work for this founding team, whose vision and amazing execution I was following with curiosity, intrigue, and increasing admiration from their very start. Amber Group aspires towards a leadership role in revolutionizing finance. I am humbled to play a role along this journey.”

Unlike Dimitrios, Todd has just embarked on his crypto journey with Amber Group. In the past 30 years, Todd had been working in the financial service industry, where he held leadership positions at Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Chase Manhattan Bank in the US, Asia, and Europe. He is one of the many witnesses to how the digital revolution is quickly and irreversibly changing the global financial landscape. “If you look at my over-30-year professional career, the banking and finance industry has seen a wave of changes from fintech to DeFi,” says Todd.

Speaking on the move to Amber Group, Todd says: “I am honored and humbled to be joining such a talented and entrepreneurial group of professionals at Amber Group. I look forward to being part of Amber Group’s vision and journey in becoming a global leader in neo-finance in the future.”

Amber Group: The Gateway to Crypto Finance

As the future of crypto finance gradually unfolds, many investment bankers and veterans of traditional finance are migrating to the crypto space. This shift, along with the growing institutional adoption, “is even bigger and has been building for some time, ” says Michael.

However, when considering the news that a group of up to six Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs veterans joining a company at a time, it still makes one wonder. In 2019, the company also appointed ex-Morgan Stanley Asia Derivatives Head Jeffrey Wang as Head of the Americas.

Commenting on it, Michael says: “The additions demonstrate our position as a destination for top talent as well as the traction crypto finance has gained as the future of finance. On the other hand, our traditional finance background and positioning to be the gateway to crypto finance makes us stand out in the market.”

Amber Group was founded by a group of financial professionals from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Bloomberg. Since its inception in 2017, Amber Group has been on a mission to drive mainstream crypto adoption by bridging the gap between the cryptocurrency and traditional finance space. Following its $100 million Series B funding round this year, the firm released its ambitious plans for global expansion and talent acquisition.

“Along with Dimitrios, Todd, and alike, we have added 250 employees in the past eight months, bringing our global workforce to nearly 450. We are looking forward to being the gateway to crypto finance for more people,” says Michael.