Leading bitcoin payment processor BitPay has announced the appointment of Carl Stern to its board of directors.

An industry veteran, Stern will bring his extensive experience spanning 40 years to BitPay. He has spent most of his career with The Boston Consulting Group, serving 6 years as CEO and 8 years as Chairman. Currently, Chairman of Carl W. Stern Associates LLC, Stern assists several global companies in developing competitive strategies for their businesses and shaping their corporate portfolios.

"Given Carl’s expertise and experience, we look forward to his contributions as a member of our board of directors,” said Stephen Pair, BitPay’s CEO. “As we continue to form partnerships in the financial world, Carl’s perspective and insight will add great value in helping to guide BitPay in the years ahead.”

BitPay said that Stern joins its board as the company prepares for accelerated growth in 2017. As a board member, Stern will participate in guiding the company's executive decisions on investment, hiring, and business partnerships in the year ahead and beyond.

"I'm excited to see how BitPay's technology is making transactions more secure and efficient around the world," said Stern. "I'm proud to be joining the company's board as it continues to lead the way in changing how online payments work."