Theta Capital, the largest European investor in blockchain venture capital, has hired Jeroen Tielman as head of institutional relations.
Tielman (pictued) has had a career with over 35 years of experience in alternative asset management, including having been Founder and CEO of IMQubator and Founder and CEO of FundPartners, as well as 14 years with ABN AMRO in multiple roles including global head of product development.
His role with Theta will be to build relations with institutional investors globally. Theta manages over $1bn in blockchain venture capital through its Theta Blockchain Ventures funds of funds program. By partnering with top-tier specialized VC firms, Theta has supported many leading companies and protocols from their earliest stages.
Tielman said: “I have known Ruud Smets, Theta’s CIO, since I hired him with FundPartners in 2001 and am delighted to be able to work together with him in one of the most dynamic and innovative areas of alternative asset management today.
"I have been an investor in Theta’s BlockChain Ventures for some time and so I am very familiar with the extremely exciting investment opportunities that this space offers investors. I look forward to working with institutions around the world to help them better understand these opportunities and how to access them.”
Ruud Smets, CIO, Theta Capital, said: “It is a real pleasure to be re-united with Jeroen and to be able to work together with him again. He is joining us at a key inflection point for the space. We firmly believe that the 2024 U.S. election will be remembered as a pivotal moment for blockchain technology—a clear divide between the world before and after.
"For years, the industry faced significant challenges: regulatory ambiguity, the targeted harassment of U.S.-based blockchain entrepreneurs, enforcement-led regulation, and initiatives aimed at debanking the industry. These hurdles stifled innovation and growth. This election marks a dramatic shift, reversing the trajectory and clearing the way for blockchain to realize its transformative potential.”
Founded in 2001, Theta Capital Management further said it has been among the earliest and largest institutional investors globally to invest in blockchain technology, having deployed capital in the space since January 2018.
