Former Polygon Labs President Joins Rival Solution Optimism as Growth Chief

Renowned Ethereum Layer 2 scaling protocol Optimism has snagged Ryan Wyatt, the former president of Polygon Labs, as its Chief Growth Officer.

Let’s keep it short & sweet

My next chapter begins today as Chief Growth Officer
contributing to the Optimism Collective!

My job is simple: grow the OP ecosystem by supporting developers of all sizes!

OP Builders,
We’re gonna make history together!

With Optimism,
Me✨🔴_🔴✨ pic.twitter.com/Asng5TjP9e

— Ryan Wyatt (@Fwiz) November 13, 2023

In an X announcement on November 13, Wyatt expressed his commitment to the company, stating that his primary goal is to “grow its ecosystem by supporting developers of all sizes!”

Welcome to the Collective! We’re optimistic about the future together ✨🔴_🔴✨ https://t.co/i31oWsxxYp

— Optimism (✨🔴_🔴✨) (@optimismFND) November 13, 2023

As the new Chief Growth Officer, Wyatt will be responsible for supporting blockchain operations and helping developers build seamlessly on the Optimism ecosystem.

His responsibilities extend to driving efforts for the expansion of the L2 business through strategic partnerships, collaborations, and marketing initiatives.

This recent development has received a warm welcome from L2 enthusiasts and the broader blockchain communities due to Optimism’s unique structure and promising capabilities.

OP stacked
Welcome home Ryan 🔴_🔴 https://t.co/H1T5THJLJX

— binji 🔴 (@binji_x) November 13, 2023

According to a recent data report by DeFiLlama, a reputable blockchain tracker, Optimism has amassed over $700 million worth of digital assets on its platform, solidifying its position as one of the largest layer 2 blockchains.

1/ 🔵 We’re excited to announce @BuildOnBase.

Base is an Ethereum L2 that offers a secure, low-cost, developer-friendly way for anyone, anywhere, to build decentralized apps.

Our goal with Base is to make onchain the next online and onboard 1B+ users into the cryptoeconomy. pic.twitter.com/RmwZFJzGGs

— Coinbase 🛡️📞 (@coinbase) February 23, 2023

Earlier this year, Coinbase, the largest US-based crypto exchange, launched its Base blockchain with Web3 capabilities, relying on technology from OP Labs, the primary developer behind the Optimism Foundation.

Oversight of Ryan Wyatt’s Expertise

The new CGO has a versatile management skillset and experience in the media and technology landscape.

Wyatt joined YouTube, the world’s leading video and streaming platform, in 2014, where he spent eight years as the Global Head of Gaming.

Before taking a role at YouTube, he was Vice President of Gaming at Major League Gaming (MLG), a prominent esports company that has since become a part of Activision Blizzard. He also served as the head of live and esports at Machinima, a YouTube multichannel network.

Wyatt left YouTube for Polygon Technology in February 2022, where he took on the role of president to provide developers with a framework for building and connecting to Ethereum-compatible networks.

It’s bittersweet to share I am leaving @0xPolygonLabs at the end of the month!@0xMarcB, our Chief Legal Officer, will be stepping up & leading working closely with @sandeepnailwal!

For me, I’ll be advising Polygon, investing, & staying in the industry! More to come later. pic.twitter.com/ssPaY79oRc

— Ryan Wyatt (@Fwiz) July 7, 2023

However, this was short-lived. He stepped down from his position at the end of July and was replaced by the project’s chief legal officer, Marc Boiron.

Wyatt’s career trajectory underscores his substantial experience and deep involvement in the gaming and blockchain technology sectors. With his arrival at Optimism, Wyatt is poised to leverage his extensive expertise to contribute to developing the L2 ecosystem.