The Sui Foundation, the organization dedicated to the advancement and adoption of the flourishing Sui ecosystem, today appointed Christian Thompson as its new Managing Director. Thompson’s elevation to the Foundation’s most senior management position comes at the end of a landmark year that saw Sui emerge as a leading Layer 1 blockchain, known for its unmatched speed, scalability, and efficiency.
Thompson’s appointment marks a new chapter for the Foundation after a series of achievements in its first 18 months of Mainnet that include:
- Surpassing $1.5B in Total Value Locked (TVL)
- Entering the top 10 of all blockchains in weekly DEX volume
- Natively launching two multi-billion dollar stablecoins in USDC and FDUSD
- Onboarding institutional giants including Franklin Templeton, VanEck, and Grayscale
“Mainstream adoption of decentralized technology has never been more obtainable,” said Sui Foundation Board Member and CEO of Real Vision, Raoul Pal, “I believe Sui will be the entry point for the next billion crypto users. As Managing Director of the Sui Foundation, Christian will be able to bring that vision to life.”
As Managing Director, Thompson will devote his full attention to advancing the Foundation’s mission from the Cayman Islands—tapping into broad expertise gained from working across tech, financial, and blockchain to build engagement among enthusiasts, developers, and Sui’s growing global community.
Previous to Mysten Labs, Thompson made impactful contributions as Deputy CISO at Meta and as an early member of the Libra/Diem project. Prior to Meta, he founded Knowledge Preserve and OnDetail, and served nearly a decade in various law enforcement roles. In finance, he founded The Capital Quorum and co-founded The Capitola Public Safety and Community Service Foundation.
“In less than two years, due to its scalable and accessible design, Sui has grown into a top destination for millions of crypto users," said Thompson. "Now, we face a critical juncture—where billions more users can realize the benefits of Web3—and it’s my honor to help the Sui Foundation empower this next wave of builders. I look forward to engaging developers, growing the community, and showcasing Sui as the gateway to the world’s digital future.”
Thompson succeeds Dr. Greg Siourounis, who served as the Foundation’s Managing Director at its inception in 2023. Siourounis was instrumental in guiding Sui through its launch and early achievements, including the debut of innovative products and features such as zkLogin, liquid staking, and DeepBook – DeFi's innovative wholesale liquidity layer. He remains engaged with the Foundation as a strategic advisor.
