Arno Laeven, head of Philips Healthcare Blockchain Lab, is leaving to seek new opportunities in blockchain

Rage Review : The founder and head of Philips Blockchain Lab is preparing to officially leave the medical giant on August 1 to seek development opportunities in new areas of blockchain. Many blockchain leaders are also looking for new entrepreneurial opportunities, such as Simon Taylor, head of blockchain at Barclays Bank, who previously revealed in June that he would leave the British bank to develop a new entrepreneurial financing company 11:FS. Philips' large medical company announced that it would explore blockchain applications in October.

Translation: Nicole

The founder and head of Philips Blockchain Lab is set to officially leave the healthcare giant on August 1 to pursue new opportunities in the blockchain field.

Arno Laeven, who oversees a 12-person internal team studying how blockchain technology can be applied to healthcare, said he is leaving the healthcare sector to pursue “new opportunities” in the blockchain industry, but declined to comment otherwise. Prior to founding Philips Blockchain Labs in January, Laeven was global head of IT innovation.

Laeven will be replaced by Patrick van Beers, senior director of digital platform solutions at Philips Research.

The announcement comes as blockchain heads at major banks have been looking for new entrepreneurial opportunities. For example, Barclays’ head of blockchain Simon Taylor previously revealed in June that he would be leaving the UK bank to work at new startup financing company 11:FS.

Not long after, the blockchain heads of JPMorgan Chase, State Street, and BNP Paribas also left their current positions to seek new developments in startups.

Philips, a major healthcare company, has been exploring the potential of blockchain for some time, first announcing it would explore blockchain applications in October after officially launching its Amsterdam R&D lab to study blockchain technology in March.