Sygnum Expands Board with Industry Heavyweights to Drive Global Expansion

  • Pia Tischhauser, Swiss Re Supervisory Board member and BCG veteran, and Vinod Kumar,
    Vice-Chairman of private equity group Everstone and ex Vodafone Business CEO and Tata
    Communications CEO and MD, join Sygnum’s experienced board[i]
  • Gabriela Maria Payer, having served on the Sygnum board, key governance bodies and strategic working groups since 2018, is appointed Chairwoman[i]
  • Follows former US CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo joining Sygnum in May as Senior Policy Advisor to support global strategy and evaluate US regulatory developments
  • Board expansion is a key element of Sygnum’s next-stage growth strategy, fuelled by its newly minted Unicorn status and strong 2024 business performance which saw total trades surge by 1000%, loan book increase by almost 200% and total assets expand to USD 4.5 billion

Zurich, Switzerland, 17 June 2025 — Sygnum, a global digital asset banking group, today announces the expansion of its board of directors[ii] to support the next stage of its growth and globalisation strategy. New members include Pia Tischhauser, Swiss Re Supervisory Board member and former BCG Executive Committee member, and Vinod Kumar, Vice-Chairman of private equity group Everstone and former Vodafone Business CEO and Tata Communications CEO and MD. Gabriela Maria Payer, Chairwoman acting ad interim since September 2024, is formally appointed Chairwoman.

Pia Tischhauser, Swiss Re Supervisory Board member and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Senior Partner Emeritus, brings over two decades of global leadership in financial services strategy, transformation and growth to Sygnum. Formerly BCG’s Global Insurance Practice Leader and Executive Committee member, Pia possesses deep expertise in driving client-centric innovation and scaling businesses in highly regulated-international markets. “Joining the Sygnum board is a unique opportunity to contribute to an organisation with a compelling vision, industry-shaping ambitions and strong forward momentum. I look forward to working with my fellow board members to continue Sygnum’s growth trajectory, and to playing my part in shaping Future Finance with Sygnum,” says Pia Tischhauser.

Vinod Kumar is the Vice-Chairman of private equity group Everstone and a UST Global board member, where he was formerly CEO and Managing Director. Leveraging his 30 years of experience, which included his role as CEO of Vodafone Business, includes scaling global technology enterprises, entering new international markets and cultivating organisational cultures built on values, passion and teamwork. His expertise will be valuable in navigating dynamic tech-driven ecosystems and driving transformational change to capture Sygnum’s next-stage partnerships. Vinod Kumar says “I have been involved with Sygnum since its early days and share a close alignment with the team in terms of purpose, ambition and integrity. I am delighted to join the Sygnum board and help champion the next wave of innovation for our clients.”

Gabriela Maria Payer, Chairwoman ad interim since Luka Muller who had to take a medical leave of absence since September 2024, has been appointed Chairwoman. An original Sygnum board member, Gabriela has actively contributed to a range of governance boards, committees and strategic working groups since 2018. Previous to Sygnum, she held global roles at UBS, including Founder of UBS e banking, Global Head of Human Resources and Member of the Group Managing Board. Gabriela has a PhD from the University of Zurich and holds board positions at Helvetia Group and Sphaira Innovation.

Gabriela Maria Payer, Sygnum Chairwoman, says “I am honoured to continue my service at Sygnum in the role of Chairwoman and to have Pia and Vinod join the board; each bring the experiences and skillsets essential for the group’s next stage of growth. My priorities, values, and mission have not changed since I became a founding external board member in 2018. I remain deeply committed to continually enhancing our organisational resilience and sustainability – but most of all, to connecting people and empowering them to create real value for our clients.”

Luka Muller, Sygnum Co-Founder and former Chairman, will be welcomed back to continue his board service as Director.[i] Some of the other Sygnum board members include Peter Wuffli, former UBS Group CEO, Thomas Buess, ex Swiss Life CFO, and Kim Leng who was Special Advisor (Financial Supervision) of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

In January, Sygnum completed its oversubscribed USD 58m multi-stage Strategic Growth Round and, with its new 1 billion valuation, achieved Unicorn status. 2024 accelerating business momentum and group operational profitability was driven by core business growth across its European, Asian and Middle East hubs, as well as by Sygnum Protect, the group’s off-exchange custody platform launched with Binance. Last year, Sygnum’s gross revenues increased by 40%, annual trades surged by over 1000% YoY, the loan book grew by almost 200%, and total assets expanded to USD 4.5 billion. Sygnum now provides access to regulated digital asset services for over a third of the Swiss population via its 20+ strong network of B2B banking partners including PostFinance, Zuger and Luzerner Kantonalbanks, Bordier & Cie, and VP Depotbank.

In May, Former U.S. CFTC Chair J. Christopher “Chris” Giancarlo also recently joined Sygnum as Senior Policy Advisor. A new member of Sygnum’s Advisory Council, Giancarlo is leveraging his regulatory expertise and extensive public private network to support Sygnum’s global strategy and evaluate ongoing U.S. regulatory developments.

[i] All new roles are subject to FINMA approval

[ii] Refers to the Board of Directors of Sygnum Bank AG

About Sygnum
Sygnum is a global digital asset banking group, founded on Swiss and Singapore heritage. We empower professional and institutional investors, banks, corporates and DLT foundations to invest in digital assets with complete trust. Our team enables this through our institutional-grade security, expert personal service and portfolio of regulated digital asset banking, asset management, tokenization and B2B services.

In Switzerland, Sygnum holds a banking license and has CMS and Major Payment Institution licences in Singapore. The group is also regulated in the established global financial hubs of Abu Dhabi and Luxembourg and is registered in Liechtenstein.

We believe that the future has heritage. Our crypto-native team of banking, investment and digital asset technology professionals are building a trusted gateway between the traditional and digital asset economies that we call Future Finance. To learn more about how Sygnum’s mission and values are shaping this digital asset ecosystem, please visit sygnum.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Media Contact:
Dominic Castley, Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected]

Sygnum Bank AG,
Uetlibergstrasse 134a,
8045 Zurich, Switzerland

Disclaimer: The information in this publication pertaining to Sygnum Bank AG (“Sygnum”) is for general information purposes only, as per date of publication, and should not be considered exhaustive. This publication does not consider the financial situation of any natural or legal person, nor does it provide any tax, legal or investment advice. This publication does not constitute any advice or recommendation, an offer or invitation by or on behalf of Sygnum to purchase or sell any assets. No elements of precontractual or contractual relationship are intended. While the information is believed to be from accurate and reliable sources, Sygnum makes no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information. Sygnum expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information, omissions, or errors thereof. Any statements contained in this publication attributed to a third party represent Sygnum‘s interpretation of the data, information and/or opinions provided by that third party either publicly or through a subscription service, and such use and interpretation have not been reviewed by the third party. Sygnum reserves the right to amend or replace the information, in part or entirely, at any time, and without any obligation to notify the recipient of such amendment / replacement or to provide the recipient with access to the information. Simultaneously, there is no obligation of Sygnum to inform recipients of information, if before provided information later becomes outdated, inaccurate or obsolete, unless otherwise provided by applicable law. The information provided is not intended for use by or distributed to any individual or legal entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution, publication or use would be contrary to the law or regulatory provisions or in which Sygnum does not hold the necessary registration, approval authorisation or license. Except as otherwise provided by Sygnum, it is not allowed to modify, copy, distribute or reproduce, display, license, or otherwise use any content for commercial purposes.

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The information in this publication pertaining to Sygnum Bank AG (“Sygnum”) is for general information purposes only, as per date of publication, and should not be considered exhaustive. This publication does not consider the financial situation of any natural or legal person, nor does it provide any tax, legal or investment advice. This publication does not constitute any advice or recommendation, an offer or invitation by or on behalf of Sygnum to purchase or sell any assets. No elements of precontractual or contractual relationship are intended. While the information is believed to be from accurate and reliable sources, Sygnum makes no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information. Sygnum expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information, omissions, or errors thereof. Any statements contained in this publication attributed to a third party represent Sygnum‘s interpretation of the data, information and/or opinions provided by that third party either publicly or through a subscription service, and such use and interpretation have not been reviewed by the third party. Sygnum reserves the right to amend or replace the information, in part or entirely, at any time, and without any obligation to notify the recipient of such amendment / replacement or to provide the recipient with access to the information. Simultaneously, there is no obligation of Sygnum to inform recipients of information, if before provided information later becomes outdated, inaccurate or obsolete, unless otherwise provided by applicable law. The information provided is not intended for use by or distributed to any individual or legal entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution, publication or use would be contrary to the law or regulatory provisions or in which Sygnum does not hold the necessary registration, approval authorization or license. Except as otherwise provided by Sygnum, it is not allowed to modify, copy, distribute or reproduce, display, license, or otherwise use any content for commercial purposes.

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