Ethereum Foundation gets new leadership as co-Executive Director Tomasz Stańczak steps down

The leadership team at the Ethereum Foundation is changing. 

Tomasz Stańczak, the co-executive director of the nonprofit organization, has announced he’s stepping down from the role and plans to act more as a “hands-on product builder.”

Stańczak’s decision comes less than one year after he joined the foundation as co-executive director during a time when ethereum community members were airing their grievances about the foundation, ranging from fears the network was losing its competitive edge against its peers to the organization’s general absence on social media and conflict of interests between the foundation and developers. 

Stańczak pointed out that during his time as co-executive director, a number of goals for the foundation were completed or are consistently improving, such as speaking to younger generations, supporting founders, communicating more openly on social media, setting up treasury policies, and creating internal transparency around budgets. 

“For Ethereum’s success, the most important meta change that occurred during Tomasz’s tenure is that the modern EF now actually pays attention to the real world,” Ryan Berckmans, an ethereum investor and community member, said on X. 

Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin wrote that Stańczak increased the efficiency in the foundation and made the organization more responsive to the outside world. “He brought fresh new energy to the organization, and as a result of his encouragement and support, the Ethereum Foundation is regularly doing things well outside its previous comfort zone.”

Stańczak said, “While my ability to execute independently at the EF diminishes over time, my time at the organization in 2026 would feel more and more like just staying around to pass the baton.”

As a result of Stańczak’s departure, the foundation’s board appointed Bastian Aue as interim co-executive director, effective immediately. Aue, who sports a Milady NFT as his X profile, has been a core part of the executive team prior to his appointment, focusing on grants, enterprise, and operations, the foundation’s board stated. 

Reactions to Aue’s appointment as interim co-executive director were effusive: 

• Aya Miyaguchi, president of the Ethereum Foundation, wrote on X, “There is no one more ready to take on this role than Bastian. With his extensive organizational knowledge, and a deep understanding of Ethereum’s roots as well as our principles, I am confident that he will provide steady leadership in navigating this transition, and ensure our mission remains focused while we grow with the garden.”

• Etherealize cofounder and president Danny Ryan said, “Bastian is the single most thoughtful and wise person I have ever worked with. While at the EF, Bastian was my number one source of counsel on every tough decision I made during that era, and I still regularly seek his perspective.” 

• Vitalik Buterin stated, “Welcome Bastian! Ethereum is for node runners, UX and product builders, community organizers, forum crews, lurkers, and free software advocates, cyberanarchists, Landian accelerationists, financepunks, femboys, and all others who do not fit into a 280 character limit. Milady.”