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Alexandre Kech Steps Up to Role of GLEIF CEO as Stephan Wolf Steps Down

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Following the decision by Stephan Wolf, CEO of the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), to step down from the role on 24 June 2024 after a decade of leading the foundation from its start-up phase to the growing organisation it is today, the GLEIF board of directors has appointed Alexandre Kech to the position. Kech will become CEO on 26 June 2024, but will join the foundation as CEO-elect on 1 May 2024 to allow a smooth transition.

Kech has experience in finance, infrastructure, blockchain, and standardisation gained through a variety of leadership positions held over the past 25 years. In his role as GLEIF CEO, he will be pivotal in driving further adoption of the LEI and verifiable LEI (vLEI).

Dessa Glasser, chair of the GLEIF board of directors, says: “Alexandre Kech’s mission is clear, to enable GLEIF to realise its full potential and create sustainable value for the whole Global LEI System, including partners, employees, and LEI stakeholders everywhere.”

Paying tribute to GLEIF’s outgoing CEO, Stephan Wolf, she adds: “On behalf of the GLEIF board of directors, I would like to sincerely thank Stephan Wolf for his ten years of dedicated service as CEO. Under his leadership, GLEIF has established a global trust network that enables legal entities and their business partners to demonstrate ownership and relationships transparently. It has also made enormous strides while continuing to innovate fearlessly, particularly in the digital space with the introduction of the vLEI.”

Commenting on his upcoming role at GLEIF, Kech says: “The potential of the LEI to enhance private and public sector efficiencies, strengthen regulatory oversight, and expand economic inclusion increases exponentially with the integration of digital technologies. I look forward to enhancing both the reach and the impact of the LEI and vLEI.”

Prior to joining GLEIF, Kech was executive board member and business head of digital securities at SDX, a SIX company, where he was instrumental in driving growth and implementing strategic initiatives that enhanced business performance. He has specialised in finance at BNY Mellon, payments and securities infrastructure and standards at SWIFT, blockchain and digital assets at Onchain Custodian (ONC), and most recently, at Citi Ventures.

He is also involved in industry and standardisation initiatives as the convenor of ISO TC 68 / SC8 / WG3, which produced the ISO 24165 Digital Token Identifier (DTI) and is a member of the DTI Foundation Product Advisory Committee. He also recently served as co-chair of the Global Digital Finance (GDF) custody working group.

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