SVRN, a publicly listed company focused on NEAR, has appointed Patrick O'Kain as Chief Operating Officer
On November 4, NASDAQ-listed company SVRN, Inc. (Ticker: SVRN) announced the appointment of Patrick O'Kain as Chief Operating Officer, effective November 3. O'Kain will be responsible for operations, product strategy, and corporate development, including the integration of acquired businesses. David Schwed, who has served as Chief Operating Officer since October 2025, will transition to Senior Advisor starting January 1, 2027, and will continue to advise management on technology and security.O'Kain has over 20 years of experience in venture capital, institutional consulting, federal law enforcement, and national security. He previously served as a General Partner at the digital asset investment firm Borderless Capital, where he was responsible for building and managing the venture capital fund business, covering fundraising, investment, and operations. Earlier, he was involved in establishing and expanding KPMG's cryptocurrency consulting business, providing advisory services to banks, fintech companies, and other institutional clients, and worked alongside SVRN CEO Sal Ternullo. He served as a special agent for the U.S. Department of Justice, where he was involved in developing cryptocurrency investigation strategies and leading related investigations, starting his career in U.S. intelligence, and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.SVRN was formerly OceanPal Inc., with business focused on NEAR Protocol, including managing NEAR-based digital asset reserves, promoting commercial adoption of NEAR products, and supporting, building, and acquiring related businesses. The announcement stated that over the past year, the company has expanded from managing digital asset reserves to operating critical NEAR infrastructure, participating in network governance, and completing its first acquisition of FastNEAR. Schwed played a foundational role in the company's transformation from OceanPal Inc. to SVRN, Inc. Sal Ternullo stated that he has worked with O'Kain at KPMG for many years and is confident that O'Kain is suited to drive the company's next phase of development.