Julian Sawyer is resigning from his position as chief executive officer at institutional digital-asset custodian Zodia Custody and transitioning to a strategic advisory position.
Sawyer was previously slated to take the helm as CEO of Zodia Solutions once Standard Chartered finalized its purchase of Zodia Custody’s custody operations.
The deal was anticipated to wrap up by the conclusion of August, but continues to depend on regulatory clearances and standard closing requirements.
Sawyer informed staff on Thursday that the impending acquisition of Zodia’s custody division by Standard Chartered, alongside the formation of Zodia Solutions, created an organic opportunity to relinquish daily operational control.
“I feel this is the ideal moment for me to pass on the daily administration while staying closely connected,” Sawyer noted in the September 10 memorandum.
As stated in the memo, Richard Clark, who serves as Zodia Custody’s chief revenue officer, will guide the company through its integration into Standard Chartered and assume command of the custody unit. Meanwhile, current executives Craig Perrin and Anoosh Arevshatian will spearhead the growth of Zodia Solutions. Sawyer mentioned he would collaborate with the executive committee to guarantee a smooth handover across both entities.
A representative for Zodia Custody verified the leadership shift.
Headquartered in London, Zodia Custody is an institutional crypto asset custodian supported by Standard Chartered alongside other financial institutions. The firm delivers compliant storage, wallet architecture, staking capabilities, and off-exchange settlement solutions to corporate clients, asset managers, and institutional investors.
This shift alters the strategy unveiled in May, during which SC Ventures indicated that Sawyer would be named CEO of Zodia Solutions following the conclusion of the acquisition. The newly formed entity is designed to supply banks and alternative financial institutions with the technology, framework, and expert services required to establish their own digital asset capabilities.
In May, Standard Chartered announced that Zodia’s noteholders and shareholders had accepted its preliminary bid for the custody assets. Based on the agreed terms, Zodia’s regulated custody functions would be integrated directly into the bank’s Financing and Securities Services department, whereas the infrastructure platform would spin off into Zodia Solutions under the umbrella of SC Ventures.
The monetary terms of the agreement were left unannounced.
Sawyer mentioned to CoinDesk in June that the purchase was projected to finalize by the end of August. That target date has since elapsed, with neither Zodia nor Standard Chartered publicly verifying the official closure of the transaction.
The representative stated that finalizing the agreement remains contingent upon regulatory greenlights and routine closing stipulations.
Originally published at https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/09/11/zodia-custody-ceo-julian-sawyer-steps-down-becomes-adviser.
