## Aya Miyaguchi Takes on the Role of President at the Ethereum Foundation
Aya Miyaguchi, who has served as the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation since 2018, has stepped into the role of president, vowing to enhance institutional relationships and broaden the use of Ethereum. “This new opportunity,” Miyaguchi expressed, “will allow me to continue supporting EF’s institutional relationships and to expand the reach of our vision and culture more broadly.” Before her journey in the crypto world, Miyaguchi dedicated a decade to teaching high school. She then joined the crypto exchange Kraken, where she rose to the position of managing director for the Japanese office. In 2018, she took on the role of executive director at the Ethereum Foundation (EF).
During her tenure at EF, Miyaguchi played a pivotal role in the transition of Ethereum to a proof-of-stake model, emphasizing decentralization and advocating for her concept of “subtraction,” which promotes a more hands-off approach to empower developers. Under her leadership in 2022, Ethereum successfully transitioned to proof-of-stake, achieving a remarkable 99% reduction in its carbon footprint. Additionally, she concentrated on layer 2 technologies, enhancing the coin’s scalability.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has expressed his support for Miyaguchi, noting that she fosters an environment ripe for innovation. “As I see it, the role of an ED is to create an environment where others can shine and do their best work, and so every success of the EF – the steady execution of Ethereum hard forks, client interop workshops, Devcon, Ethereum’s culture and steadfast commitment to its mission and values, and more – is in part a result of Aya’s stewardship.”
However, not all members of the Ethereum community are in favor of Miyaguchi’s leadership. Some critics argue that she has not effectively attracted new developers to the project, leading to a loss of talent to competing coins like Solana. A few even attribute the sluggish Ethereum price to her leadership, despite her recent appointment as president. Conversely, others see the potential for a leadership change to provide a fresh direction that could help the project recover.
A restructuring of the EF might also address concerns related to treasury management and the allocation of funds for new initiatives. The faction within the Ethereum community advocating for Miyaguchi’s resignation has suggested Danny Ryan, an Ethereum researcher and developer, as her potential successor. While Ryan possesses technical expertise, there are concerns that he may lack the leadership qualities that Miyaguchi brings, a common challenge faced by developer leaders who may focus too narrowly on technical details rather than the broader vision and strategic growth of the organization.
Miyaguchi has faced some harsh criticism, prompting Buterin to denounce these negative attacks and remind the community of his significant influence over the foundation’s decisions. She has asserted that her elevation to president aligns with the Ethereum Foundation’s broader strategy, which encompasses sustainability and a long-term vision for the project. One of the key issues she has highlighted involves…
