For this month’s employee interview, we talked with Valery Murillo, the Institutional Account Manager at Finoa. 

A mighty force to reckon with, Valery joined Finoa in 2020 and has played a vital role in its growth. In this interview, she talks about her journey, what the future looks like, and what it's like being customer-facing in the crypto world.

Editorial note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

Hi, I am Valery, Institutional Account Manager at Finoa.

I did my Bachelor's in Finance in my home country Bolivia. After completing my studies, I started working in a large mutual fund as an investment analyst and was able to manage portfolios in domestic and international markets. In 2018, my interest in diving into the world of startups brought me to Berlin where I earned my Master’s Degree in International Business Management. Right after, I joined Wayfair ​​GmbH, a global e-commerce company in the Category Management Department, focusing on relationship management with potential and existing suppliers through product selection, pricing, and operations. It was in Berlin where I was drawn to combine my background in traditional finance and my curiosity about scalable online services which led me to Finoa.

To continue my crypto learning journey that was initiated at Finoa, I joined a mentoring program at the Frankfurt School Blockchain Center. I believe this certification in Distributed Ledger Technologies was a good foundation as I learned on a multi-disciplinary basis from different blockchain-enabled use cases and I was able to connect with many talented professionals in the domain. 

What does a regular day look like for you?

Like any customer-facing executive in the industry, my day starts with dealing with pressing issues and solving urgent matters. Once that is done, I start working on identifying growth opportunities and new business cases. I usually wear different hats as an account manager since I have different touchpoints with various departments. I liaise with internal and external stakeholders, translating the needs into opportunities for both ends to achieve long-term goals

As I am the main trusted point of contact for our clients, I can share insights for us to continuously improve our services. my main tasks involve exploring new revenue opportunities while promoting our offerings and building relationships with our clients. 

You joined Finoa in 2020. How has the journey been? 

When I first joined, we were fewer than 12 people. Initially, my role involved different facets. I was responsible for different tasks on a cross-functional department basis. From customer onboarding and support, through data analysis and process implementation. We had several crypto-native cases that allowed me to grow, and make tangible contributions.

It has been a wild ride. The opportunity to learn and collaborate at an early stage has been a rewarding experience. It has been great to witness Finoa growing significantly in all metrics. It has been insightful working in a dynamic environment that has always been characterized by creative problem-solving, healthy communication, and strong internal relationships.

What do you think sets Finoa apart from the rest? 

Finoa has a very sophisticated security infrastructure that offers unique custody and staking coverage for L1 and L2 protocols. We transform customer needs into tailored setups and provide white-glove customer support to ensure that we fulfill institutional requirements. Finoa serves institutional investors, which means that our roadmap is aligned with their needs that go in line with a rapidly evolving environment.

As a leading custodian, we continuously launch several projects that encompass service, web interface, and security improvements. That comes together with several opportunities for me to advocate Finoa’s full product/service suit. I believe that Q3 and Q4 will generate a lot of traction for potential and existing customers.

Finoa believes that blockchain technology and DeFi are not only empowering the end user but also helping companies transition into a decentralized world that is more transparent and finance-democratized. The early access to promising protocols combined with an efficient team makes Finoa an essential part of the crypto ecosystem.

What does the future look like for you? 

I am convinced that I am going to stay in crypto and blockchain. Even though this year has been slow compared to the massive break in 2021, I believe that digital assets will continue paving the way for significant improvements in business productivity, profitability, and transparency. I am eager to be part of the paradigm shift in technical architectures and society at large.


Thank you for your time, Valery. As per tradition, let us end the interview with a rapid-fire: 

What do you miss about your home that you can’t get in Berlin?

I miss the bright sun shining through the mountains 365 days a year 

Your favorite thing about Berlin? 

To have the opportunity to connect with people from different countries and backgrounds in a multicultural environment.

What’s something that most people don’t know about you?

I went on the “Death Road” in my country on a motorbike.

Interested in joining Finoa? Check out our open positions.