Copper named Mike Kuehnel chairman on April 10, 2026, succeeding Lord Hammond on the board of the digital asset custody firm1. Kuehnel once ran Flow Traders as chief executive. He also held senior roles at Bain & Company and Goldman Sachs. Foresight News reported on April 10, 2026, that Copper's UK operations posted a $40 million loss in its latest financial report, and that the company was holding initial discussions about a potential IPO2.
The second board appointment at Copper on the record since 2026
Leadership moves CryptoLately has verified at Copper, by year
- 2026: 3
- 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 3 |
29 board appointments on the record in 2026, the most of any year
Board appointments CryptoLately has verified, by year; 2026 through Oct. 2, 2026
- 2026: 29
- 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 | 29 |
The move
Kuehnel described the opportunity he sees in the role. “Copper has established itself internationally as a trusted provider of secure and efficient digital asset infrastructure for institutional clients. As market structure continues to evolve, there is a significant opportunity to build on that position in the United States,” Kuehnel said1. Copper's chief executive, Amar Kuchinad, pointed to timing. “Institutional adoption of blockchain and digital assets is moving from exploration to implementation, and the US is becoming the defining jurisdiction for that shift,” Kuchinad said. Foresight News reported that Copper failed to win UK registration in December 2024 and secured a Swiss license instead2.
Before and after Kuehnel
Hammond chaired Copper's board for the three years before Kuehnel took over on April 10, 20261. He called Kuehnel "a Chair of Mike Kuehnel's caliber" in the same release and said the company was "ready to pursue substantial opportunities emerging in the US". Kuehnel had stepped down from Flow Traders to focus on artificial intelligence's role in financial markets, Copper's release said.
What to watch
On September 27, 2026, Copper named Elin Cherry and Sam Goh co-chief executives and moved Kuchinad to an advisory role. Kuehnel, still chairman, endorsed the new team on the record3. The next test is whether Copper builds the U.S. business Kuehnel and Kuchinad described on April 10, 20261. A second test is whether the IPO talks Foresight News reported in April 2026 move toward a filing2.
Sources
- Copper, "Copper Appoints Mike Kuehnel as Chairman and John Meserve as Non-Executive Director," April 10, 2026, https://copper.co/en/insights/company-news/copper-appoints-mike-kuehnel-as-chairman-and-john-meserve-as-non-executive-director
- ForesightNews, "Former UK Chancellor resigns as Chairman of crypto custody firm Copper," Bitget, April 10, 2026, https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560605354977
- Crypto Reporter PR, "Copper Announces Leadership Transition and New Management Team for Next Phase of Growth," Crypto Reporter, September 27, 2026, https://www.crypto-reporter.com/press-releases/copper-announces-leadership-transition-and-new-management-team-for-next-phase-of-growth-131879/