Solana Foundation Appoints Rachel Conlan as Chief Strategy Officer and Jamal Raees as General Manager of Payments
The Solana Foundation named Rachel Conlan as Chief Strategy Officer and Jamal Raees as General Manager of Payments to accelerate institutional adoption and global payment infrastructure on Solana.
The Solana Foundation has appointed Rachel Conlan as chief strategy officer and Jamal Raees as general manager of payments, signaling a strategic push to deepen institutional engagement and scale payments infrastructure on the Solana network. The moves come as Solana processes over $5 trillion in stablecoin volume in 2026 alone, reflecting a broader shift of financial activity onto the blockchain. Conlan, previously Global Chief Marketing Officer at Binance, will lead institutional partnerships and ecosystem growth to convert the foundation’s long-term vision into practical adoption.
Conlan’s role focuses on translating Solana’s vision of Internet Capital Markets—where assets are issued, traded, and settled natively online—into real-world implementation. She aims to clarify the network’s value proposition, forge critical institutional relationships, and guide businesses from initial interest to full-scale deployment. Her experience spans leadership roles at Binance, OKX, CAA Sports, and Havas, bringing a track record in scaling technology platforms.
Jamal Raees joins as general manager of payments to expand Solana’s role as a global payments infrastructure, collaborating with payment companies, enterprises, and ecosystem partners. Raees brings prior experience from Polygon Labs, Bridge, and Wyre, positioning him to accelerate the transition of blockchain payments from concept to production. His mandate underscores Solana’s growing maturity beyond crypto into a foundational technology for finance.
The appointments follow a period of rapid growth for Solana, with real-world assets on the network exceeding $4.5 billion and tokenized equity supply surpassing $620 million. The foundation describes this as part of the Token Supercycle, a long-term migration of money and assets onto always-on internet infrastructure. Breakpoint 2026, the Solana community event in London from November 15 to 17, will convene 6,000 builders and founders to discuss these developments.