Yi He, the entrepreneur who co-founded cryptocurrency exchange giant Binance with its former leader Changpeng Zhao, will be co-CEO of the company, Binance CEO Richard Teng announced Tuesday at Binance Blockchain Week.
Yi He, who held the position of head of marketing at Binance, has stayed out of the spotlight until now. Unlike Zhou (commonly known as “CZ”), who often appears in public, Yi He chooses to operate quietly, focusing on strategic planning, branding and business expansion.
Born in 1988 in China, he is widely regarded as the strategy and innovation powerhouse complementing CZ’s leadership as Binance grew to become the largest crypto exchange on the planet.
His co-leadership role will also complement the steady hand of Teng, a former regulator who has guided the company through US enforcement actions and the ouster of CZ as CEO.
“Yi has been an integral part of the executive leadership team since the launch of Binance. His innovative and user-centric approach has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision, culture and bottom-up business strategy,” said Binance CEO Richard Teng. “This appointment is a natural progression and she will continue to lead the organization from strength to strength.”
“We remain dedicated to being the most trusted and regulated exchange in the world, always putting our users first. Yi plays a critical role in growing our community and driving product innovation as we work to reach one billion users. Together, we are focused on building the Web3 infrastructure and promoting financial freedom, empowering people to participate in a more open and fair financial system,” Teng added.
“I am honored to work alongside Richard, who brings decades of experience in regulated financial markets and was one of the first to regulate cryptocurrencies in their infancy,” said Yi He. “Together, we bring diverse perspectives and are confident to lead the future of the industry during this crucial time, as we responsibly expand our global presence and drive sustainable innovation with our users always at the center.”
