Digital asset financial services company Diginex has appointed Chi-Won Yoon as Chairman. Yoon currently serves on the board of Hyundai Motor Company and previously served on the executive board of UBS AG. He brings three decades of financial services and listed company experience to Diginex, as it prepares for a listing on Nasdaq, expected in September 2020.
Yoon succeeds Miles Pelham, Founder of Diginex, who will continue to act as an advisor to the company and remains a significant shareholder. Yoon, who previously acted in the capacity of Asia Chairman of Diginex, will lead the company into the next stage of its evolution which will see a planned business combination with 8i Enterprises Acquisition Corp, a Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition vehicle (JFK US).
During his twenty-two year tenure at UBS, Yoon served as President and CEO of UBS AG, Asia Pacific, and was a member of the UBS Group Executive Board from 2009 to 2015. He oversaw the entire bank in 13 countries around the region and was responsible for UBS’s three main divisions: Investment Banking, Wealth Management and Global Asset Management. Yoon also held various positions including Hong Kong Country Head, Head of Equities, and Head of Securities Asia Pacific, and established UBS’s equity derivatives business in Asia.
Pelham says: “Diginex is building a digital asset financial services company that is focused on delivering a comprehensive crypto-asset offering, including bringing capital markets expertise, innovative spot and derivatives products and custody solutions to what is a nascent and under-served market. Chi-Won’s wide and deep financial services experience, including building one of the most successful equity derivatives businesses in Asia, means that he has a unique understanding of what is required to build a leading spot and derivatives platform that investors can trust.
“Chi-Won is ideally equipped to lead the Board through the next phase of Diginex’s development. His expertise will support our strategy going forward as we list on Nasdaq, enhance our customer offerings, and continue to build on our leading position in the digital assets market.”
Yoon says: “I am delighted to be stepping into the role of Chairman at such a pivotal time for the company. I look forward to working with the board and the executive leadership team to drive the next phase of growth, which will include substantially growing what is currently a nascent derivatives market in the digital asset space.”
Yoon, who also held positions at both at Lehman Brothers in New York and Hong Kong and, before that, at Merrill Lynch in New York, has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from MIT and a master’s degree in finance from MIT’s Sloan School of Management.
