Johann Kerbrat has become quite an influential name in Blockchain. As the Vice President and Crypto General Manager of Robinhood, Kerbrat has been at the frontline of democratizing finance for all and opening up access to crypto.
But who is Johann Kerbrat? How did he make a name for himself in a such a competitive industry? This profile dives deeper into who Johann Kerbrat is from his early life and education to the Vice President and Crypto General Manager of Robinhood and a key figure in the Blockchain space.
Early Life and Education
Johann Kerbrat was born and raised in Nice, France.
From a young age, Kerbrat showed a keen interest in technology and engineering. This passion led him to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Master of Science in Software Engineering from Oxford Brookes University. Kerbrat also holds a master’s of Science in Computer Science from SUPINFO.
Career Beginnings
First Steps
Quite different from most, Kerbrat’s professional journey began with founding his own company.
In 2007, he started MagAvenue, an e-commerce and payments platform company, showcasing his ability to identify market needs and develop solutions to meet them. Kerbrat was also the Head of Software engineering at MagAvenue. He left MagAvenue in 2014 for Milestone Project Inc. as the lead engineer. Kerbrat has also worked at Tilt, Uber, Iron Fish, and Airbnb.
In 2017, Kerbrat joined Airbnb as a software engineer. He quickly rose to Engineering manager, a position he held until he left Airbnb for Uber. He significantly contributed to the company’s infrastructure and user experience during his tenure at Airbnb.
Rise to Prominence
In 2020, Johann Kerbrat took on a role at Iron Fish, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency startup – and his first-ever crypto company, deepening his expertise in the crypto space. Although, cryptocurrency was not new to Kerbrat. He mined his first Bitcoin in 2010 and since then he has kept a close eye on the industry although from outside.
Working at Iron Fish pushed him to dig deeper and see what could be done differently to increase accessibility, and in 2022 Kerbrat joined Robinhood as the Vice President and General Manager of Robinhood Crypto. This position placed him at the forefront of the company’s crypto initiatives.
Key Projects and Initiatives
Johann Kerbrat has been instrumental in democratizing finance through his work at Robinhood. As the Crypto General Manager, he has pioneered great projects that continue to disrupt industries.
Leadership and Vision
Leadership Style
At Robinhood, Kerbrat is known for his visionary leadership and commitment to democratizing finance. His leadership style is characterized by a focus on innovation, user-centric design, and accessibility. His vision revolves around the same.
Vision
Kerbrat envisions a future where cryptocurrency is accessible to everyday investors, aligning with Robinhood’s mission to democratize finance for all.
Robinhood acquired Bitstamp, a cryptocurrency exchange, in an attempt to service more people and reach new markets. In an interview with the FXStreet Team last year, Kerbrat talked about how the acquisition would help them reach their goal.
“Bitstamp holds about 50 licenses across the world and they have a globally used exchange, which we didn’t have. Then we have the institutional factor: Bitstamp already has a well-established business with institutions, so it is a huge accelerator for us. Until now, we have been focused mostly on retail, and this will actually allow us to offer a lot of products that institutions can use.” – Johann Kerbrat.
Personal Insights
Personal Life
Outside of Robinhood and cryptocurrency, Kerbrat maintains a private lifestyle. Very little is known about his personal life besides his love for technology. He occasionally posts opinion pieces on his Twitter and LinkedIn on this and cryptocurrency.
Challenges and Controversies
Leading a crypto division in a rapidly evolving industry comes with its challenges. Kerbrat has navigated regulatory uncertainties and market volatility, steering Robinhood through complex landscapes. His approach emphasizes transparency, user education, and compliance, ensuring that Robinhood remains a trusted platform for crypto investors.
Lesson Learned
His journey reminds us of the importance of dedication, especially in the face of challenges, and remaining true to our goals.
Upcoming Projects
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Kerbrat aims to expand Robinhood’s crypto offerings and enhance the platform’s features to better serve users. He is particularly interested in integrating blockchain technologies to power more aspects of the platform, with the goal of tokenizing real-world assets to increase efficiency. This forward-thinking approach positions Robinhood to capitalize on the evolving crypto market and meet the needs of a diverse investor base.
Without a doubt, Johann Kerbrat has significantly contributed to the widespread use of cryptocurrency, whether through his solo projects or leadership at Robinhood Crypto. But he is far from done. As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, Kerbrat is a name to watch out for.
