Liquid Financial USA (Liquid USA), the joint venture between Liquid Group Inc. (Liquid.com), the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, and Virtual Currency Partners LP (VCP), a venture capital group with expertise in hypergrowth technology companies and public exits, to expand Liquid’s cutting-edge platform and services into the U.S. market, formally announces its executive team.

Justin D. Hertzberg, Esq. | Chief Executive Officer

Justin is uniquely qualified to lead Liquid USA. For the past 6 years, Justin has owned and operated one of the world’s largest introducing brokerage businesses, servicing clients in the OTC foreign exchange industry through regulated offices in the U.S. and Europe. Additionally, Justin was also the founder and CEO of IQX, LLC, which was the predecessor money service business acquired by Liquid USA. Justin began his career as a securities and commercial litigator for a large Florida-based law firm. After leaving the practice of law in 2008, Justin has worked in financial services and held several positions including trader, head of business development and in-house counsel.

Sean T. Gilmartin, Esq. | Chief Compliance Officer

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Sean brings nearly three decades of experience in senior compliance roles, both in the broker-dealer industry and as a regulator, including positions as the CCO of IQX, LLC, Director of Regulation at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), CCO at Jefferies Execution Services, and as a senior compliance officer at Merrill Lynch. At IQX, Sean was responsible for building its compliance program and surveillance functions. While at the NYSE, Sean was responsible for building its surveillance and investigations program for trading across its five equity and options exchanges.

Apurva Mehta | Chief Technology Officer

Apurva brings over 23 years’ experience as a visionary IT leader with proven track record of managing projects, people and technology within the financial services industry. Having spent over 22 years with multinational banks ING and Société Générale, Apurva has established technical expertise in global asset trading platforms, database management, trade reporting and settlements.

Jerald Tillery | Chief Information Security Officer

Jerald comes to Liquid USA as a proven leader in Security Management, Cyber Security and Cyber Risk Management. He has extensive experience in large-scale security management, cloud computing and threat intelligence analysis optimization with organizations including the Options Clearing Corporation, State Street Corporation and Las Vegas Sands Corporation and the U.S. Department of Defense.

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Jonathan Pfohl | Chief Financial Officer

In addition to his role at Liquid USA, Jonathan is also a partner at VCP. Jonathan most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for a start-up lab-grown diamond manufacturer, Scio Diamond Technology that was focused on disrupting the $80B diamond market. He has over 25 years of financial and management experience with companies ranging in size from start-ups to billion-dollar operations. He previously held senior operational and financial positions with Wireless Express LLC, Main Street Broadband LLC, Movida Cellular, AirGate PCS and Sprint and is a focused, highly accomplished finance and operations executive with extensive leadership experience in fast-growing organizations.

Grady Kittrell | Chief Business Development Officer

As a co-founder of VCP and an angel and seed investor, Grady brings unparalleled digital asset experience to Liquid USA. He has spent over 30 years advising and investing in start-up companies and he is an expert in the digital asset ecosystem. Grady is a successful business development executive and entrepreneur, having most recently served as an advisor to MGT Capital Investments, one of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies in the U.S. Grady also serves on the board of Liquid USA.

According to Mr. Hertzberg: “The U.S. is the largest and most challenging captive audience in the world when it comes to cryptocurrencies.  To build the most trusted digital asset marketplace and win over a discerning investing public requires an executive team with the right combination of vision, experience, skill and passion.  I am extremely proud of the team we’ve built thus far at Liquid USA and how it fits with our go-to-market launch strategy.  When combined with the powerful Liquid trading platform and the ability to leverage the 300+ employees at Liquid Group, Inc. we look forward to onboarding U.S. clients in Q1 2020.”

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Liquid Group Inc. co-founder and CEO Mike Kayamori said: “The U.S. is a large market, but a very challenging regulatory landscape.  To launch Liquid in the U.S., we needed a team with extensive industry experience and a deep understanding of U.S. financial markets.  The executive team we have assembled has surpassed our expectations and we look forward to making our U.S. launch in early 2020.”

VCP Chairman Barry Schiffman said: “From our earliest discussions with Mike and Liquid, we both agreed that, to tackle the U.S. market, we needed a team filled with subject matter experts in U.S. financial services, technology and regulation.  Our team, led by Justin Hertzberg, is comprised of seasoned industry veterans that have a track record delivering results and a passion for the crypto space.  We know they will deliver for Liquid USA.”

SOURCE Liquid Financial USA