Gautam Sharma, the CEO of alternative investment management company Brevan Howard’s digital assets division, is reportedly leaving after five years. His departure could lead to changes for the division, which has grown significantly in recent years and manages $2 billion in assets.
According to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, Brevan Howard has no plans to fill the role. However, in May, the company promoted Chris Rayner-Cook, formerly head of global trading and financing at Coinbase, to chief investment officer of the digital assets division.
Brevan Howard’s digital asset division has over 10 portfolio managers, 13 investment professionals, and 15 blockchain engineers.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Sharma began at Brevan Howard as the head of principal investments. He worked with the company’s co-founder, Alan Howard, overseeing his family’s crypto and digital asset investments. Before this, Sharma served as chief operating officer at Steadview Capital and held various roles at McKinsey.
Cointelegraph reached out to Brevan Howard, but the company declined to comment. Sharma has not responded as of this writing.
Brevan Howard is a hedge fund based in Jersey with offices in London, Geneva, New York, and Hong Kong, among other locations. It has over 1,000 team members and managed over $34 billion in assets as of April 2025.
The company established its digital division in September 2021. The funds managed by the division gained 51.3% in 2024 as the macro environment for crypto improved, and the market experienced significant tailwinds.
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Senior positions open in the crypto industry
Hiring in the crypto industry has ramped up in the past month. LinkedIn job postings and other sources indicate that traditional finance institutions are looking to fill a range of senior positions. These moves come amid greater regulatory clarity for Web3 globally.
Cointelegraph has reported that the highest-paying jobs in crypto encompass various specialties. Quants, often linked to decentralized finance, command the highest salaries, while legal roles and chief operating officers receive substantial base salaries combined with equity. Influencers also earn high incomes, but with associated risks.
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