The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has unveiled a major leadership overhaul, appointing two new co-Executive Directors while former Ethereum researcher Danny Ryan returns to lead ‘Etherealize,’ a new initiative aimed at boosting Ethereum’s global branding and adoption.
On Saturday, the Ethereum Foundation announced that Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz Stanczak will serve as co-Executive Directors, taking over from Aya Miyaguchi, who has transitioned to the role of President after leading the organization for seven years.
The appointment signals a new era for Ethereum’s governance, with the Foundation reaffirming its commitment to permissionless innovation and decentralization.
“Ethereum is evolving into a robust, permissionless, and censorship-resistant base layer for global finance and software,” the EF stated in its announcement.
Who Are the New Leaders?
- Hsiao-Wei Wang – A Taiwan-based Ethereum researcher and community organizer, Wang has played a key role in Ethereum’s staking and consensus research. She reassured the community that while the Ethereum Foundation is evolving, its core values remain unchanged.
- Tomasz Stanczak – Founder of Ethereum infrastructure firm Nethermind, Stanczak has been instrumental in Ethereum’s technical development. He confirmed he will officially start on March 17, pending paperwork, and emphasized that the co-leadership model will improve accessibility and efficiency.
“You should be able to choose whichever Co-ED you want to communicate with based on your style and needs,” Stanczak said in response to criticism of the dual leadership structure.
Danny Ryan Returns to Lead ‘Etherealize’—Ethereum’s New Marketing Arm
Beyond the leadership shakeup, the Ethereum ecosystem is also witnessing the return of a familiar face Danny Ryan, a former Ethereum Foundation researcher who played a pivotal role in Ethereum’s Merge to proof-of-stake.
Ryan, who stepped away in September 2024 after seven years of contributions, will now co-found Etherealize, a newly established institutional marketing and product arm for Ethereum.
Why Ryan’s Return Matters
Ryan’s return comes amid growing support from major ETH holders, with wallets holding over $120 million worth of ETH informally voting for him to be the next Executive Director of the EF. While he did not assume that role, his involvement in Etherealize suggests a major push toward Ethereum’s global branding and outreach.
Alongside Vivek Raman, Ryan aims to bridge the gap between institutional adoption and Ethereum’s evolving infrastructure.
“Our work at Etherealize sits at the confluence of real adoption, commonsense regulation, ecosystem development, and critical R&D across L1, L2, and the application layer,” Ryan said.
Vitalik Buterin Congratulates New Leadership as Ethereum’s Future Takes Shape
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin congratulated Wang, Stanczak, and Ryan on their new roles, signaling his support for the Foundation’s evolving leadership.
Ethereum is currently down 1.9% in the past 24 hours, but long-term holders remain focused on Ethereum’s roadmap. Buterin and other Ethereum researchers recently discussed the blockchain’s “endgame” strategy in an extensive Reddit AMA session, outlining their vision for scalability and decentralization.
What’s Next for Ethereum?
With a revamped leadership team and a renewed focus on branding through Etherealize, Ethereum appears to be entering a new phase of institutional outreach and global adoption.
- The Ethereum Foundation’s governance shift under Wang and Stanczak will define Ethereum’s development priorities.
- Etherealize, led by Ryan and Raman, could play a key role in positioning Ethereum as a mainstream financial and technological powerhouse.
- Ethereum’s roadmap discussions suggest further enhancements in scalability, staking, and protocol upgrades in the near future.
A Strategic Evolution for Ethereum
Ethereum’s technical development, governance, and market positioning are all undergoing a transformation. With Ethereum Foundation restructuring its leadership and Etherealize aiming to amplify Ethereum’s brand, the blockchain’s next era could see deeper institutional adoption and stronger ecosystem growth.
The question now is how will these new leaders shape Ethereum’s trajectory, and will the community embrace this shift?
