Ethereum Foundation Shakes Up Leadership Amid Criticism

The Ethereum Foundation, the nonprofit organization behind the Ethereum blockchain, has announced a significant leadership shakeup following mounting criticism of its effectiveness and support for builders. Aya Miyaguchi, the current executive director, will assume a new role as president of the Switzerland-based organization, as revealed in a Tuesday blog post.

In her new role, Miyaguchi will continue to support the Ethereum Foundation's institutional partnerships. She has served as executive director since 2018 and expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for her new position. Miyaguchi had initially proposed the idea of transitioning to the president's role a year ago, and recent events have led her to reflect on her priorities.

The announcement comes amidst growing criticism that Ethereum is losing ground to rival blockchains like Solana and that the network's leadership has been ineffective and too hands-off in supporting builders. Calls for the Foundation to replace Miyaguchi intensified in January, and co-founder Vitalik Buterin has hinted at changes in top positions for months.

In her blog post, Miyaguchi emphasized the Foundation's focus on credible neutrality, stating that its role is not to control or own all domains in Ethereum but rather to promote values that align with decentralization. She stressed the importance of avoiding a traditional corporate evolution and ensuring that Ethereum wins over the long term while staying true to its core values.

During Miyaguchi's tenure, Ethereum has undergone significant changes. The network transitioned to a proof-of-stake consensus model in 2022, reducing its carbon footprint by 99% through the so-called merge. Additionally, the network has embraced a layer-2-centric roadmap, focusing on scaling networks as a key breakthrough in expanding Ethereum's capabilities.

As of publication, it remains unclear who will replace Miyaguchi. However, Buterin thanked Miyaguchi on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, teasing that a new leadership structure for the Ethereum Foundation would be released soon. The Foundation's upcoming changes aim to address the criticism and strengthen Ethereum's position in the competitive blockchain landscape.