Biography

Karen J. Wendel is an experienced executive with strong skills in banking, technology M&A, cybersecurity, private equity, corporate governance, risk management, and the emerging blockchain and DeFi space. Her strategic expertise provides unique decision making skills for board-level strategic and tactical requirements. She has held executive and board roles in US and global private and public companies.

As the CEO and President of TrustChains, a boutique advisory firm, Ms. Wendel works with large institutional entities. The focus includes, among other things, seeking to leverage the emerging implications of blockchain technology for cybersecurity and asset management.

She has led major transformational projects across multiple geographies and industry segments. The projects ranged from transaction processing to global cybersecurity and identity platforms to emerging technologies in the insurance, healthcare, and pharmaceutical arenas. She has played critical roles in the development and deployment of regulatory strategies for both banks and banking infrastructure players. She has guided private equity firms and their portfolio companies in developing strategies for the financial services, cybersecurity, and identity management segments.

Ms. Wendel’s expertise spans fundraising, corporate restructuring, transformational leadership, and innovative responses to changing technology and regulatory landscapes. In that capacity, she has played a vital role in creating more diverse, environmentally friendly entities aligned with global industry and governmental initiatives. She is a sought-after mentor and coach in the banking, cybersecurity, and blockchain market segments, and an active investor in seed funding for women and minority-led businesses.

Ms. Wendel received Bachelors of Science degrees in Economics and International Relations from Brigham Young University.