Coinbase Appoints Supreme Court Lawyer and Former US President’s Aide to The Board

Coinbase has taken a bold step by adding three influential and experienced executives to its board of directors. Among the new appointees, one was a top OpenAI executive, Chris Lehane, formerly a political strategist to former US President Bill Clinton in 1992.

Today we announce that Chris Lehane, Paul Clement, and Christa Davies are joining Coinbase’s Board of Directors.

They each have different political philosophies and career paths but all have arrived at the same conclusion: crypto is a powerful tool to update the system. pic.twitter.com/bQyEtO6thl

— Coinbase (@coinbase) July 25, 2024

According to Coinbase’s blog post, the crypto exchange Chris Lehane will play an advisory role on the board, offering strategic counsel to the exchange’s leadership. 

This development marks a step forward for Coinbase as it vies to lead the US and global crypto industry.

Coinbase’s Newly Appointed Board Members

In 1992, Lehane worked as Bill Clinton’s Democratic strategist before his tenure as the US President from 1993 to 2001. Lehane made a significant impact in his service as Clinton’s aide.

He also helped make Airbnb, the homestay rental marketplace, a legal service provider in all 50 US states and worldwide. 

Moreover, Chris Lehane is the VP of Public Works at the artificial intelligence developer OpenAI. According to the announcement, Coinbase hopes to leverage Chris Lehane’s assistance to enhance crypto adoption and make blockchain and digital assets a mainstream financial system.

Meanwhile, before his latest appointment to the Coinbase board, Lehane was already part of Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council. 

Coinbase onboarded two other executives to its board of directors, in addition to Chris Lehane. One is Christa Davies, a former chief financial officer of the management consulting firm Aon. 

In addition, Christa Davies was Microsoft’s platforms and services division’s chief financial officer. Davie will join Coinbase’s audit and compliance committee while supporting the crypto exchange’s financial operations. 

The third appointee is Paul Clement, a former partner at Clement and Murphy law firm and an ex-solicitor general for Former US President Bush’s administration. 

Clement’s former law firm, Clement and Murphy, specializes in litigation, which allows him to appear before the US Supreme Court frequently. In the past years, he has handled over 100 cases. 

In addition, Clement served as the US Solicitor General during former US President George Walker Bush’s two-term tenure from 2001 to 2009. Alongside Davies, Clement will assist the Coinbase audit and compliance committee. 

Moreover, Clement’s services could also be helpful in Coinbase’s ongoing lawsuit with the US SEC.

Coinbase Bolsters Its Team Amid Crypto Regulatory Struggles

All three new Coinbase board members are pro-crypto; they believe digital assets can enhance financial inclusion, especially for the underserved group. 

Lehane expressed his excitement about the new appointment at Coinbase and to help improve crypto adoption in America. “I am excited to support Coinbase as they continue to advocate for the 52 million Americans who own crypto…”

Furthermore, Lehane hopes to assist Coinbase in democratizing the benefits of capitalism through digital assets so more people can benefit from the US economy. 

Coinbase has been bolstering its team with influential and capable people as the fight to strengthen crypto’s legitimacy in the US and globally continues. Former Florida lawmaker Stephanie Murphy recently joined Coinbase’s Global Advisory Board. 

Another former Florida congressman, Kendrick Meek, joined the exchange’s advisory council in May to help address crypto regulatory issues. 

That’s not all; other former United States lawmakers, including Tim Ryan and Pat Toomey, joined Coinbase’s Global Advisory Board.

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