Axiology adds ex-SIX Digital Exchange Chief to board

Axiology has appointed David Newns and Boris Battistini to its board, adding two non-executive directors with backgrounds in digital market infrastructure and private markets investing.

Newns is the former Chief Executive Officer of SIX Digital Exchange, while Battistini previously served as a Director at Metellus. They join a board that already includes Axiology Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marius Jurgilas, Chief Operating Officer Algirdas Neciunskas, and Chief Legal Officer Andrius Mamontovas.

The appointments come as Axiology seeks to strengthen its position in Europe's digital asset market. It recently completed a €5 million seed funding round and added senior executives as it builds its regulated financial infrastructure business.

Newns brings more than 25 years of experience in institutional electronic trading and regulated market infrastructure. Before leading SIX Digital Exchange, he held a senior role at State Street, where he oversaw global electronic trading platforms across multiple asset classes.

SIX Digital Exchange has been closely watched in Europe's tokenised securities market as a regulated digital securities exchange and central securities depository. That background gives Newns direct experience of the operational and regulatory issues facing firms seeking to bring digital assets into mainstream financial markets.

Battistini brings a different profile. His work at Metellus focused on private markets investment and strategy, adding board-level experience in capital allocation and growth planning as Axiology broadens its commercial base.

Axiology operates a platform for tokenised financial instruments and related digital asset services within a European regulatory framework. Clients can issue, manage, settle, and trade tokenised instruments through its infrastructure.

The broader market for tokenised assets has drawn increasing attention from banks, exchanges, and financial technology firms across Europe. Supporters argue that digital issuance and settlement systems could reduce operational complexity in capital markets, while regulators and established financial groups have pushed for structures that fit existing supervisory frameworks.

Against that backdrop, board appointments are often read as a signal of where companies see the next stage of growth. In Axiology's case, adding one director with experience in regulated exchange infrastructure and another with a private markets background suggests a focus on both market structure and commercial development.

The company's existing leadership also reflects an emphasis on regulation and institutional finance. Jurgilas previously served on the Board of the Bank of Lithuania, while Neciunskas was formerly Director of Market Infrastructure at the Bank of Lithuania.

That mix is notable in a sector where firms often seek to show credibility with regulated financial institutions as well as technology investors. European digital asset businesses have had to persuade established market participants that tokenised instruments can operate within governance, compliance, and settlement processes familiar to traditional finance.

Axiology did not disclose further details about the specific responsibilities Newns and Battistini will hold beyond their board roles. Non-executive directors typically advise management on strategy, governance, risk, and market relationships rather than take part in day-to-day operations.

Jurgilas said the appointments reflect the company's next phase. "David and Boris bring a level of experience that reinforces our ambition to build infrastructure that institutional markets can rely upon. Their collective experience speaks directly to what we are working to achieve, and we look forward to harnessing their knowledge and experience moving forward," said Marius Jurgilas, Chief Executive Officer of Axiology.

He also linked the move to the company's recent growth. "These appointments mark an important step for Axiology, not just in terms of the individuals joining us, but in what their decision to join demonstrates where we are headed as a business. David and Boris bring hard-won experience across traditional finance and digital asset infrastructure, and they share our aim that the industry is ready for a new standard of regulated, institutional-grade infrastructure. We are building something that the market needs, and with a board of this capability behind us, I am confident we have the leadership in place to deliver it. The first half of 2026 was a success for Axiology, and we are pleased to continue with the same level of momentum in the second half following these latest appointments," said Jurgilas.