Draft:Patrick Hillmann
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Patrick Hillmann is an American business executive specializing in strategic communications, regulatory policy, and crisis management. He served as Chief Communications Officer and later Chief Strategy Officer at Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, during a period marked by international regulatory actions and one of the most consequential legal settlements in the history of the digital asset industry.[1][2]
Early life and education
[edit]Hillmann earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,[3] and a master's in international public affairs from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he focused on economics and risk modeling.
In 2008, while completing his graduate studies, Hillmann worked as a consultant to the European Commission's Directorate-General for External Relations (DG RELEX) during the Russo-Georgian War, where he supported strategic communications efforts.[4]
Career
[edit]Hillmann has worked in regulatory communications and public affairs for over 15 years across sectors including manufacturing, financial technology, cybersecurity, and blockchain.
General Electric and Edelman
[edit]He served as Director of Public Advocacy at General Electric (GE), receiving the 2016 GE Pinnacle Award for policy leadership.[5] He later joined Edelman as Executive Vice President of Crisis & Risk, where he led responses to high-profile events including the Milwaukee brewery shooting and the early COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the United States.[6]
Binance (2021–2023)
[edit]In 2021, Hillmann joined Binance as its first Chief Communications Officer. In 2022, he was appointed Chief Strategy Officer, tasked with managing the company’s global public posture, compliance engagement, and regulatory strategy.
He played a lead role in Binance’s crisis response and public relations during multiple global enforcement actions, including a $4.3 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, which involved charges against the exchange’s founder and sweeping compliance reforms.[1][2]
Hillmann co-authored Binance’s formal response to a March 2023 inquiry from U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Chris Van Hollen, and Roger Marshall, which was subsequently scrutinized by Sen. Warren and reported on by national media.[7][8] Following the U.S. settlement, key points from the letter were effectively vindicated.
His public commentary also featured prominently during the collapse of rival exchange FTX, including a Wall Street Journal segment entitled “Binance Strategy Chief Rubs Salt Into FTX’s Wounds.”[9]
He stepped down in July 2023 amid a broader executive transition at Binance,[10][11][12] and was subsequently interviewed on post-Binance regulatory and tech developments on CNBC and Fox Business.[13][14]
Keynote Speaking
[edit]In April 2024, the Financial Times profiled Hillmann as a solo keynote speaker at its FT Digital Assets Summit in London.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Hillmann resides in Chicago, Illinois. He serves on the boards of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and the Lincoln Park Zoo.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Binance to Pay $4.3 Billion, Founder to Step Down in U.S. Settlement". The New York Times. 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ a b "Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao pleads guilty in crypto crackdown". CNBC. 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Patrick Hillmann Profile". Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "The toughest week in PR". Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Patrick Hillmann". Crain's Chicago Business. 2019-07-22. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "GE a training ground for a generation of PR talent". PR Week. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Binance Letter to US Senators Criticized by Sen. Warren as 'Defensive'". CoinDesk. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Binance Responds to Senators' Letter". Blockworks. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Binance Strategy Chief Rubs Salt Into FTX's Wounds". The Wall Street Journal. 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Binance Executives Exit as Crackdown on Crypto Exchange Intensifies". Bloomberg. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Crypto exchange Binance hit by executive exodus". Reuters. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Binance plunges into crisis as senior execs quit over CEO Changpeng Zhao's response to Justice Department investigation". Fortune. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Crypto is the most effective tool to combat criminality: Patrick Hillmann". Fox Business. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "CNBC Crypto World: Patrick Hillmann post-Binance analysis". CNBC YouTube. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Binance slams US crypto crackdown and makes bid for UK oversight". Financial Times. Retrieved 2025-06-03.