Roxanne Bras Petraeus (Ethena)

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Overview

Roxanne Bras Petraeus is the co-founder and CEO of Ethena, a compliance training platform designed to provide modern and effective workplace training solutions. Ethena is particularly recognized for its focus on fostering corporate cultures that prioritize ethics and inclusion. Before founding Ethena, Roxanne Petraeus served as a civil affairs officer in the U.S. Army and worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Her leadership at Ethena is marked by her commitment to cultural change rather than just compliance.

Recent Developments

  • December 2024: Ethena Labs, co-founded by Roxanne, launched USDtb, a stablecoin backed by BlackRock's USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, in partnership with Securitize. The stablecoin USDtb is designed to offer a distinct risk profile compared to Ethena’s existing USDe stablecoin and is targeted at both users and exchange partners.
  • August 2024: Petraeus appeared on several podcasts, including an episode of "Topline" by Pavilion, where she discussed Ethena's trajectory, the company's strategic client acquisitions, and its role in workplace behavior shaping.
  • July 2024: Ethena's training platform gained significant traction, securing contracts with major clients such as Netflix and Figma, which has been integral to its success in the sector.
  • June 2024: Reports indicated that Ethena's USDe stablecoin had exceeded its growth expectations, contributing to a more substantial position within the DeFi market.
  • May 2024: Petraeus was featured on various panels and discussions focusing on the importance of compliance training in achieving organizational transparency and efficiency.

Personal Information

AttributeInformation
Full NameRoxanne Elizabeth Bras Petraeus
BornLake Mary, Florida, United States
NationalityAmerican
OccupationCEO, Co-founder of Ethena
Known ForLeadership roles in Ethena and U.S. Army
Net WorthNot publicly disclosed
EducationB.A. Economics, Harvard University
M.Phil. International Relations, University of Oxford

Early Life and Education

Roxanne Bras Petraeus grew up in Central Florida and showed academic promise early, earning a scholarship through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) to study economics at Harvard University. Influenced by her parents’ military backgrounds, Roxanne decided to join the military, despite initially lacking prior interest in serving in uniform. Her upbringing fostered a strong sense of duty and discipline, which was reflected in her academic and military career. Following her undergraduate education, she was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, which enabled her to pursue a Master's in International Relations at the University of Oxford.

Career and Notable Achievements

  • Army Service: Petraeus served as an officer in the U.S. Army from 2012 to 2016, with deployments to Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Mongolia. Her work included civil affairs operations focused on building training alliances and disaster preparedness efforts.
  • Consulting at McKinsey & Company: After her military service, Petraeus joined McKinsey & Company, where she contributed to organizational design and transformation projects, gaining valuable experience in strategic management and consulting.
  • Founding Ethena: In 2019, inspired by gaps in effective corporate compliance solutions, Roxanne co-founded Ethena with a vision to revolutionize mandatory workplace training, making it more engaging and impact-focused. Under her leadership, Ethena secured major clients and raised significant venture capital, marking a trajectory of rapid growth and influence within the industry.

Current Work and Impact

Roxanne Bras Petraeus currently focuses on expanding Ethena's influence in compliance training, aiming to transform it into a pivotal tool for fostering inclusive and ethical workplace cultures. The recent launch of USDtb positions Ethena at the intersection of traditional finance and the decentralized finance (DeFi) world, reflecting her vision of integrating traditional safety with innovative blockchain solutions.

Ethena Labs CEO

Ethena Labs was co-founded as a part of Roxanne's strategic initiatives to integrate advanced technological solutions within the financial and corporate sectors. As CEO, Roxanne leads the organization's mission to combine regulatory compliance with blockchain innovations, facilitating a new era of financial transactions.

Related Topics

Ethena Founder Guy Young

Guy Young, co-founder alongside Roxanne Bras Petraeus, plays a significant role in Ethena's strategic positioning within the DeFi and stablecoin landscape. Their collaboration has spearheaded Ethena's entry into innovative blockchain solutions.

Ethena Headquarters

Ethena is headquartered in New York City, where it operates as a hub for compliance solution development, engaging with corporate and institutional partners to drive the adoption of modern training practices.

Conclusion

Roxanne Bras Petraeus stands as a remarkable leader, bridging her military discipline and strategic acumen into the tech start-up space. Her work with Ethena is steadily influencing how compliance training is perceived and applied across various sectors. Looking forward, Roxanne aims to continue driving innovation within corporate ethics, leveraging technology to enhance organizational transparency and inclusivity.

References

  1. Interview with Pavilion Podcast
  2. LinkedIn Profile of Roxanne Bras Petraeus
  3. Ethena Labs Launch News
  4. New York Times Wedding Announcement
  5. Forbes Feature on Women Veterans in Tech