The Departure Announcement
In a surprising turn of events, Marieke Flament, the CEO of the Near Foundation, has officially stepped down from her role. The news, shared on September 21, 2023, leaves fans and stakeholders buzzing. To fill the void, Chris Donovan, the foundation’s general counsel, has been appointed as the new CEO. Flament didn’t elaborate on her reasons for leaving, leaving many to ponder the implications of this shakeup in leadership.
A Glimpse into Flament’s Tenure
Reflecting on her time with Near, Flament reminisced about her initial encounter with the protocol. “Two years ago, I had never heard of NEAR,” she shared. After diving deep into research, she quickly realized the platform’s potential, stating it was a fantastic tech ecosystem complemented by a vibrant community. Her journey with Near turned out to be nothing short of transformative, as metrics indicate a meteoric rise during her leadership.
Growth Supernova
Flament’s leadership saw daily active users on the Near Protocol skyrocket from 50,000 to a staggering 3 million. Additionally, the foundation’s Twitter following skyrocketed from a mere 200,000 to over 2 million. And it wasn’t just the numbers; Flament proudly mentioned that Near had garnered more than 2,000 pieces of press coverage, elevating its visibility on the global stage.
Building Bridges
During her leadership, Near signed numerous high-profile partnerships, making waves in various sectors. Notable collaborators include:
- SWEAT
- Playember
- Circle
- Ledger
- Alibaba
- Amazon
- KPMG
- SailGP
- The Littles
- PipeFlare
- Shemaroo
- Kakao Games
- Inven/Vortex
- Netmarble/Marblex in Korea
She was keen on fostering relationships not only with established players in the Web2 world but also with grassroots innovators shaping the future of Web3.
A Strong Financial Position
As Flament wraps up her leadership, she shared some impressive financial insights regarding the Near Foundation—boasting a current treasury balance of 330 million NEAR, which comes out to an approximate value of $350 million. This strong financial position provides a solid foundation for future development and growth under new leadership.
NEAR’s Current Standing
Under Flament’s watch, NEAR climbed the ranks, now sitting at the 40th position among cryptocurrencies by market cap, which is approximately $1.04 billion. The protocol also saw innovative projects sprout, like the NFT platform launched by Czech automobile giant Škoda Auto in June, a testament to the vibrant ecosystem Flament helped to nurture.
“My strategy has been one of driving mainstream adoption, enabling and empowering grassroots communities…” – Marieke Flament
Closure and Future Prospects
As we bid farewell to Flament, the near future looks promising for the Near Foundation with Chris Donovan at the helm. Whether Flament’s departure marks the end of an era or the beginning of new adventures for Near remains to be seen. But one thing’s for certain: the story of NEAR will continue to unfold, and its impact on decentralized technology will likely remain a topic of buzz for years to come.
