CryptoUK has appointed Rob McWilliam as its new non-executive director (NED). The self regulatory trade body wants to make bold moves to fuel adoption of digital assets in the United Kingdom.
Rob McWilliam has held executive roles at two of the most customer-centric businesses in the world, equipping him with the necessary skills to help move the CryptoUK agenda in the country.
The qualified accountant and experienced non-executive director was finance director and vice president of Amazon UK and most recently as chief financial officer of Asda Walmart. He also holds non-executive director roles at Card Factory PLC and Jisc.
Rob McWilliam, Non-Executive Director at CryptoUK, commented: “Crypto is approaching an inflection point of global adoption, and the UK is already the home of many of the world’s most innovative companies, entrepreneurs and developers. I am excited to support CryptoUK in helping create an environment in which the UK is at the centre of innovation, investment and job creation as the technology goes mainstream. Whether it’s sending payments, helping us save for the future or simplifying accounting, all of this can be faster, cheaper, more secure and more accessible with crypto.”
The new board member believes that the development of a regulatory framework is critical to build trust, protect customers, whether individuals or companies, and to provide crypto businesses with a clear framework within which to operate.
From there, it will be easier to fuel adoption of crypto and blockchain technologies across UK businesses and build confidence with business leaders of the benefits of adoption.
Ian Taylor, executive director of CryptoUK, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Rob to the team. His extensive experience in the governance of large customer-centric organisations combined with a history of managing stakeholders including government regulators and a genuine passion for all things crypto make him the perfect non-executive director for CryptoUK.”
The independent industry body was founded in 2018 by a few leading firms within the digital asset ecosystem, including BlockEx, CEX.IO, Coinbase, CoinShares, CommerceBlock, CryptoCompare, and eToro.
The organization provides a credible voice for the UK crypto industry and works directly with policymakers and market players. The Association does not represent Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) with CryptoUK committing to developing a specific Code of Conduct for the process.
CryptoUK’s Code of Conduct includes:
Appropriateness checks to ensure that investors are fit and proper to undertake transactions;
Due diligence checks on platform users to protect against illegal activity;
Segregating fiat customer from company funds, and to ensuring customer funds are payable upon an insolvency event;
Ensuring communications with customers is fair, clear and not misleading;
Proactive disclosure of clear information on pricing, leverage and fees and any associated risks;
A requirement onthe use of “cold” wallets where appropriate.
