Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo posted on X on Jan. 15, 2026 that he was stepping down as chief strategy officer of Ava Labs. He had held the role for close to five years at the company behind the Avalanche blockchain1. Bitget News, citing Foresight News, carried the same announcement the next day, Jan. 16, 20262.
Four of Ava Labs' 6 leadership moves on the record came in 2026, its busiest year
Leadership moves CryptoLately has verified at Ava Labs, by year
- 2026: 4
- 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 |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 4 |
27 executive exits on the record in 2026, the most of any year
Executive exits CryptoLately has verified, by year; 2026 through Oct. 2, 2026
- 2026: 27
- 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 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 | 27 |
The move
D'Onorio DeMeo's own post gave the timeline. “Some personal news* - After nearly 5 years, I've made the decision to step down from my role as Chief Strategy Officer of @AvaLabs,” he wrote. “This comes after a lengthy period of conversations and reflection. Officially, and for the past several months, I've been transitioning out of my responsibilities and preparing for a new chapter.”1 Foresight News, through Bitget, reported the same move in its own translation: “This is a decision made after a long period of discussion and reflection. Over the past few months, I have been formally completing the handover of my responsibilities and preparing for a new chapter in my life.”2
He dated his start at the company to “early 2021, just months after Avalanche's mainnet launch, when our team was a lean group of ~20 people.”1 He thanked four colleagues in the same post by their X handles: @el33th4xor, @John1wu, @kevinsekniqi and @JohnNahas84.
What D'Onorio DeMeo said he built
The post listed what he said Ava Labs delivered during his tenure: "countless upgrades," a network that attracted "billions in capital across more than 80 chains," and onboarding of "major banks, asset managers, and enterprises"1. Those figures rest on his own post alone, and an independent outlet has yet to confirm them.
D'Onorio DeMeo kept one formal tie to the company. He wrote that he plans to finish his “non-operating term as one of the Board Directors for the Avalanche Foundation, which concludes in a few months.”1 His post also mentioned family time, including a third child who had turned six months old by then. D'Onorio DeMeo said he was deciding his next move, "perhaps as a founder or in another role."
What to watch
D'Onorio DeMeo named two options for his "next chapter": a founder role or another position, and he left the choice for later1. Watch for his own announcement of which he chose, and for an Ava Labs announcement naming a new chief strategy officer. His term on the Avalanche Foundation board was due to end "in a few months" after Jan. 15, 2026, by his own account, so the foundation's list of directors will show when he left it.
Sources
- Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo, post announcing his departure as chief strategy officer, X, Jan. 15, 2026, https://x.com/luigidemeo/status/2011814169146732979
- Foresight News via Bitget News, "Ava Labs Chief Strategy Officer Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo has resigned," Bitget, Jan. 16, 2026, https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560605155645