Who makes up Ripple's current executive team in 2026?

Ripple's executive leadership team combines enterprise technology veterans, financial services experts, and cryptocurrency innovators. Here's the complete C-suite and senior leadership as of early 2026.

Top Executive Leadership:

Brad Garlinghouse - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Overall company strategy and vision - External relationships with regulators, partners, investors - Primary spokesperson and public face of Ripple - CEO since January 2017

Monica Long - President - Day-to-day operations across all business functions - Product strategy and development - Customer success and business development - Cross-functional coordination - Since May 2023 (with Ripple since 2014)

Stuart Alderoty - Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and General Counsel - Legal strategy and regulatory compliance - Government relations and policy advocacy - Led SEC lawsuit defense - Since August 2019

Kristina Campbell - Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - Financial planning and analysis - Investor relations - Treasury and capital management - Financial operations - Joined Ripple in 2021 from PayPal

David Schwartz - Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - XRPL technical architecture and development - Blockchain innovation and research - Engineering leadership - Original XRPL co-creator - With Ripple/XRPL since inception (2011-2012)

Antony Welfare - Chief Information Officer (CIO) - Internal IT infrastructure and security - Technology operations - Digital transformation initiatives - Joined from Vodafone

Additional Key Executives:

Asheesh Birla - Senior Vice President of Product - RippleNet and ODL product development - Product roadmap and prioritization - Customer feedback integration - Long-time Ripple executive

Brooks Entwistle - Managing Director, APAC and Middle East - Asia-Pacific and Middle East expansion - Regional partnerships and business development - Regulatory engagement in key markets - Previously senior roles at Uber and Nokia

Sendi Young - Senior Vice President of Global Customer Success - Customer relationships and retention - Implementation and support - Customer success metrics - Critical role given 300+ financial institution partners

Cassie Craddock - Chief People Officer - Human resources strategy - Talent acquisition and retention - Company culture and employee experience - Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Ryan Zagone - Director of Regulatory Relations - Government and regulatory engagement - Policy advocacy and education - Works closely with Stuart Alderoty - One of Ripple's longest-tenured employees

Marcus Treacher - Senior Vice President, Global Strategic Accounts - Major financial institution relationships - Strategic partnership development - Former Standard Chartered executive

Key Regional Leaders:

Europe: Senior leadership focused on MiCA compliance and EU expansion

Latin America: Team leading significant ODL growth in Mexico, Brazil

Asia-Pacific: Brooks Entwistle leading major expansion efforts

Middle East: Growing team focused on UAE and regional corridors

Executive Team Characteristics:

Blend of Backgrounds: - Traditional Finance: Many executives from major banks, payment companies (PayPal, Standard Chartered) - Technology: Strong engineering leadership with XRPL expertise - Cryptocurrency Native: Some leaders who grew up in crypto industry - Regulatory Experts: Deep bench in legal and compliance

Tenure: - Long-term Core: Several executives (Schwartz, Zagone, Birla) with 8-10+ years - Mid-term Strength: Many leaders with 3-5 years, providing continuity - Strategic Additions: Recent hires bring fresh expertise (CFO Campbell, regional leaders)

Diversity: Ripple has made efforts to diversify leadership: - Multiple women in C-suite and senior roles - International representation - Various industry backgrounds - Though still male-dominated overall (common in crypto/tech)

How Team Evolved:

Early Days (2012-2015): Small founding team, technical focus

Growth Phase (2016-2019): Added enterprise sales and marketing leaders

SEC Lawsuit Era (2020-2023): Strengthened legal team, maintained operations

Post-Lawsuit Expansion (2024-2026): Adding strategic leaders for next growth phase

Executive Compensation:

While not fully disclosed (private company), Ripple executives likely receive: - Competitive base salaries ($300K-$1M+ for C-suite) - Performance bonuses - Ripple equity (ownership stakes) - XRP allocations - Total compensation packages in millions for senior executives

Board Interaction:

Executive team reports to Board of Directors, which includes: - Brad Garlinghouse (CEO) - Chris Larsen (Chairman) - Representatives from major investors - Independent directors

Decision-Making Structure:

Brad Garlinghouse (CEO): Final strategic decisions

Monica Long (President): Operational decisions, cross-functional coordination

Executive Leadership Team (ELT): Meets regularly for strategic alignment

Functional Leaders: Autonomy within their domains (legal, product, finance, etc.)

Notable Departures:

Over the years, some key executives have left: - Various marketing and sales leaders (pre-Monica Long promotion) - Some technical leaders (though core team remained) - Normal turnover for 12+ year old company

Succession Planning:

CEO Succession: Monica Long positioned as internal candidate

CTO Succession: No clear public plan (David Schwartz seems irreplaceable)

Other Roles: Developing internal talent while selectively hiring externally

Comparison to Competitors:

Coinbase: More traditional corporate structure, public company governance

Binance: More founder-centric, less formal hierarchy

Ethereum: No corporate structure (foundation + community)

Ripple: Hybrid - traditional C-suite with startup culture

Team Strengths:

1. Legal Expertise: Best-in-class legal team for crypto company 2. Enterprise Credibility: Leaders from major financial institutions 3. Technical Depth: Core XRPL architects still leading technology 4. Stability: Low executive turnover, especially vs. crypto industry 5. Global Presence: Strong regional leadership across key markets

Team Weaknesses:

1. Crypto Native Voices: Some say team is too "traditional finance" vs. crypto ethos 2. Decentralization: Centralized leadership contrasts with crypto ideals 3. Diversity: Could improve gender and ethnic diversity further 4. External Perception: Sometimes seen as corporate vs. community-driven

Looking Ahead:

Ripple's executive team is positioned for post-lawsuit growth: - Experienced leaders who survived crisis - Fresh talent for new opportunities - Clear organizational structure - Alignment on vision and strategy

As Ripple potentially moves toward IPO or continues private growth, expect continued evolution of executive team while maintaining core leadership that built the company.

*Last updated: February 2026*