Dave Ripley is co-CEO of Kraken, alongside Arjun Sethi. He previously served as the exchange’s chief operating officer and co-founded Glidera, the crypto brokerage business Kraken acquired in 2016.
Kraken leadership
Kraken announced Ripley as Jesse Powell’s planned successor in September 2022. Ripley assumed the CEO role in April 2023, after working as COO from October 2016.
In October 2024, Kraken appointed Sethi as co-CEO. Ripley and Sethi described a restructuring intended to reduce management layers and speed up product development. Kraken’s subsequent expansion included the completed acquisition of NinjaTrader in May 2025, extending its derivatives business.
Earlier career and education
Ripley co-founded and led Glidera from 2014 until its acquisition by Kraken. Before entering crypto, he worked at Boston Consulting Group, progressing from consultant to project leader and principal. His earlier roles at Syclo included software engineering, development management and product management.
His professional résumé lists a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, completed in 1999, and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, completed in 2007. His MBA studies covered strategy, marketing and technology management.
