Alena Vranova stepped down as chief executive of SatoshiLabs effective January 17, 2017, the Trezor hardware wallet maker announced on its own blog the same day1. SatoshiLabs named co-founder Marek Palatinus to take over as the new CEO in the same post. CryptoNinjas confirmed the change within the day, reporting that Vranova would “focus exclusively on her new business ideas related to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies”2.
Three leadership moves at SatoshiLabs on the record since 2017
Every move CryptoLately has verified there, by the day it became public
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan. 17, 2017 | Vranova left as CEO. Alena Vranova left as Chief Executive Officer of SatoshiLabs |
| Jan. 17, 2017 | Palatinus became CEO. Marek Palatinus was named Chief Executive Officer of SatoshiLabs |
| Jan. 12, 2023 | Žák became CEO. Matěj Žák was named Chief Executive Officer of SatoshiLabs |
Three CEO exits on the record in 2017
CEO exits CryptoLately has verified, by year
- 2017: 3
- 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 11 |
The move
SatoshiLabs framed Vranova's exit as her own choice. “With much regret, we announce that Alena Vranova will no longer serve as the CEO of SatoshiLabs. Being a talented business developer and an ardent Bitcoin supporter, Alena has decided to step down and leave the company for a new challenge,” the company wrote on its Trezor blog1. The post said she would “start working independently and will focus exclusively on her new business ideas related to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies” from the effective date.
The company described some continued ties to its outgoing chief. “Despite of her departure, some of her new ventures will remain TREZOR-related. Alena will continue to cooperate closely with us as a part of her new business, in order to develop business connections for TREZOR,” SatoshiLabs wrote1. CryptoNinjas repeated the same arrangement, reporting that Vranova “will continue to cooperate closely with SatoshiLabs as a part of her new business, in order to develop business connections for TREZOR”2.
Before and after the exit
Vranova had co-founded SatoshiLabs alongside Marek Palatinus and Pavol "Stick" Rusnak, the company's own post said1. The post credited all three as the original founders behind the Trezor hardware wallet. SatoshiLabs described itself at the time as the company behind TREZOR, CoinMap.org and Slush Pool, which it called the world's first bitcoin mining pool. Its blog post told readers the roadmap would hold steady, saying “the transition has occurred smoothly, with all of the planned projects progressing further, according to the schedule”.
What came next
SatoshiLabs' CEO chair changed hands again in January 2023. Palatinus, who had taken over from Vranova back in January 2017, stepped aside as chief executive and handed the role to Matěj Žák, Trezor's then-chief product officer, Crypto Reporter reported on January 13, 20233. He stayed on at the company he helped found, moving into an advisory role, the outlet said. “The events of the past 12 months have only served to reinforce the importance and value of self-custody for the safekeeping of cryptocurrencies,” Palatinus said, as Crypto Reporter quoted him. His own run in the seat Vranova had vacated lasted close to six years.
Sources
- "Alena Vranova steps down as CEO, Marek Palatinus takes over as the new Chief," Trezor Blog (SatoshiLabs), Jan. 17, 2017, https://blog.trezor.io/alena-vranova-steps-down-as-ceo-marek-palatinus-takes-over-as-the-new-chief-9362f9e7a94e?gi=b7ea234d78b6
- "Alena Vranova steps down as CEO of SatoshiLabs, Marek Palatinus takes over," CryptoNinjas, Jan. 17, 2017, https://www.cryptoninjas.net/2017/01/17/alena-vranova-steps-down-as-ceo-of-satoshilabs-marek-palatinus-takes-over/
- "Trezor appoints Matěj Žák as new Chief Executive Officer," Crypto Reporter, Jan. 13, 2023, https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxQMU1jTkZSNFRtYWk3UVZUV2Ntekg3cURzTWFBa1NmRk11Zk4wemJpZUFzaExhN2tLYUliaS1VSnpMV1lkM29lVEFFUnFGY0NSQjQwblZzaEpRMWg1V0ZPNDdOSTFUU3c2NzVzQ0VNS2FnUVZnQU0wV3UxUWNKeVBuS0djNGR0b19oR2hTTXg1V3hIUk9Q?oc=5