Andrea Williams
About Andrea Williams
Andrea Williams was appointed Chief Communications Officer at Grayscale (sponsor of ETHE), reporting to CEO Peter Mintzberg; her appointment was announced on August 4, 2025 . She previously built Oaktree’s corporate communications function from its IPO and most recently served as Head of Media Relations at Goldman Sachs . Age, education, compensation terms, ownership, and person-specific performance metrics (e.g., TSR during tenure) are not disclosed in ETHE’s current filings; the latest DEF 14A is a consent solicitation focused on trust governance and staking, not executive pay .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oaktree (Oaktree Capital Management) | Built corporate communications function from IPO | Not disclosed | Established the company’s corporate communications infrastructure at public listing |
| Goldman Sachs | Head of Media Relations | Not disclosed | Led media relations at a global financial institution |
External Roles
No external directorships or committee roles for Andrea Williams are disclosed in ETHE filings reviewed (DEF 14A and 8-Ks through October 2025) .
Fixed Compensation
No disclosure of base salary, target bonus, actual bonus paid, or fixed cash compensation for Andrea Williams appears in ETHE’s DEF 14A or Item 5.02 8-Ks reviewed; no compensatory arrangements specific to Ms. Williams were filed .
Performance Compensation
No disclosure of equity grants (RSUs/PSUs), stock options (strike/expiry/vesting), performance metrics/weightings (revenue, EBITDA, TSR, etc.), or payout outcomes for Andrea Williams in ETHE filings reviewed .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Individual beneficial ownership (direct/indirect), vested vs. unvested breakdown, exercisable options, in-the-money value, pledging/hedging, and compliance with stock ownership guidelines for Andrea Williams are not disclosed in ETHE filings reviewed .
- Context (trust-level ownership dispersion): Sponsor states, “to the knowledge of the Sponsor, no person owns more than 5% of the outstanding Shares,” and 130,168,500 ETHE Shares were outstanding as of the record date (September 2, 2025) .
Trust-level context table:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares outstanding (Record Date: Sep 2, 2025) | 130,168,500 |
| Reported 5%+ holders | None (per Sponsor’s knowledge) |
Employment Terms
No public disclosure of Ms. Williams’ employment agreement(s), severance multiples, change‑of‑control triggers (single vs. double), accelerated vesting terms, clawbacks, non‑compete/non‑solicit, garden leave, or post‑termination consulting arrangements in ETHE filings reviewed .
Performance & Track Record
- Appointment rationale/background: Grayscale framed her hire as part of a strategic management expansion to scale platform reach; Williams brings experience building Oaktree’s communications organization and leading Goldman Sachs media relations .
- Person‑level KPIs (TSR during tenure, revenue/EBITDA growth attribution) are not disclosed for this role in ETHE filings .
Board Governance (if applicable)
Andrea Williams is not disclosed as a director or board committee member in the filings reviewed; separate 8‑K governance updates address board composition changes at the sponsor’s parent entities but do not list Williams as a director .
Compensation Committee Analysis
No disclosures regarding compensation committee processes, consultants, peer groups, or pay‑for‑performance calibration applicable to Andrea Williams in ETHE filings reviewed .
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback
No say‑on‑pay results or shareholder engagement disclosures specific to executive compensation at the sponsor level are provided in ETHE’s DEF 14A consent solicitation .
Related Party Transactions and Risk Indicators
- No related party transactions involving Andrea Williams are disclosed in reviewed filings .
- Broader governance context: The 2025 DEF 14A seeks amendments allowing (i) Ether staking (subject to tax opinions/conditions), (ii) a Sponsor’s Staking Fee, and (iii) expanded Sponsor amendment authority with notice (not consent) if changes materially adversely affect shareholders, highlighting sponsor‑centric governance dynamics; these are product/trust‑level changes, not executive‑specific .
Compensation Peer Group
No compensation peer group, target percentiles, or peer changes disclosed for Andrea Williams in ETHE filings reviewed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Communications leadership across top-tier financial institutions; built Oaktree’s corporate communications function at IPO and led Goldman Sachs media relations .
- Formal education and professional certifications are not disclosed in ETHE filings .
Work History & Career Trajectory
- Oaktree (built corporate communications function) → Goldman Sachs (Head of Media Relations) → Grayscale (Chief Communications Officer), with the Grayscale appointment announced August 4, 2025 .
- Specific tenure dates at Oaktree and Goldman are not disclosed in ETHE filings .
Employment Terms (Detailed)
No disclosure of contract term, auto‑renewal, severance multiple, change‑of‑control mechanics, tax gross‑ups, or clawback enforcement history for Andrea Williams in ETHE filings reviewed .
Investment Implications
- Signal: Strategic hire with deep institutional communications pedigree (Oaktree IPO-era buildout; Goldman media leadership) supports Grayscale’s intent to strengthen institutional credibility and messaging amid product/governance changes (staking, fee constructs); however, lack of disclosed pay design, equity mix, ownership, and vesting terms prevents assessment of pay‑for‑performance alignment or potential insider selling pressure for Williams .
- Governance context: Sponsor‑centric amendments (e.g., Sponsor’s ability to amend with notice; potential Sponsor’s Staking Fee) can influence overall stakeholder alignment and risk perception, but they do not provide executive‑level incentive detail; investors should monitor for any Item 5.02 filings that enumerate Ms. Williams’ compensatory arrangements and equity grants .
- Next catalysts: Watch for future proxies or 8‑Ks detailing executive compensation or ownership, and any insider transaction reporting if Ms. Williams becomes a Section 16 reporting person for ETHE; currently, such disclosures are absent in filings reviewed .