Gemini Trust Company named David Damato its chief security officer on August 19, 2019. The exchange made the announcement in a release distributed over PR Newswire1. Damato arrived from Tanium, where the release said he had served as chief security officer at "the world's most valuable privately-held cybersecurity company".
Two of Gemini's 10 leadership moves on the record came in 2019
Leadership moves CryptoLately has verified at Gemini, by year
- 2019: 2
- 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
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 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 6 |
11 executive hires on the record in 2019
Executive hires CryptoLately has verified, by year
- 2019: 11
- 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 27 |
| 2022 | 37 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2024 | 39 |
Gemini's release gave Damato's mandate in plain terms. “Damato will lead Gemini's security program as it continues to deliver the most secure exchange and custody solution in the cryptocurrency industry,” the company said1. AMBCrypto framed the hire against Gemini's growth curve on August 19, 2019, writing that "Damato joins Gemini during a period of tremendous growth" and noting the exchange planned to lean on "Damato's extensive experience at Tanium"2.
A co-founder's endorsement
Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss tied Damato's resume directly to the custody pitch in his own statement. “His depth of security knowledge and his experience defending global networks will be invaluable as we continue to build the market's most secure cryptocurrency offering,” Winklevoss said1. The quote put Gemini's leadership behind the hire in public. It also named custody, the product the company sells, as the reason the hire mattered.
Damato's prior post placed him inside one of cybersecurity's highest-valued private companies. Gemini's own release leaned on that pedigree to sell its custody product. It named Damato's resume at Tanium as the sole qualification for the job1. AMBCrypto's report pointed to that same credential: his years defending networks at Tanium2.
Gemini custodies customer crypto directly, a role that raises the stakes on a security hire well beyond what a company that only brokers trades between buyers and sellers would ever face. The exchange had built its brand around custody and trust years before 2019, and Damato's hire carried that pitch into its security leadership team.
What came next
By Nov. 13, 2025, Damato had left Gemini. He now works as chief information security officer at the hedge fund Citadel, eFinancialCareers reported3. Kevin Nassery took Damato's old job at Gemini, then left for Citadel too. The outlet reported on Nov. 13, 2025, that Nassery leads Citadel's security risk and compliance for the Americas.
Sources
- "David Damato Joins Gemini as Chief Security Officer," PR Newswire (Gemini), August 19, 2019, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/david-damato-joins-gemini-as-chief-security-officer-300903224.html
- Chayanika Deka, "Gemini exchange welcomes David Damato as new Chief Security Officer," AMBCrypto, August 19, 2019, https://eng.ambcrypto.com/gemini-welcomes-david-damato-as-new-chief-security-officer/
- eFinancialCareers, "Hedge fund Citadel hired an ex-tech executive of crypto firm Gemini," eFinancialCareers, Nov. 13, 2025, https://www.efinancialcareers.com/news/hedge-fund-citadel-hired-an-ex-tech-executive-at-crypto-firm-gemini