Fortitude Mining has appointed Jaime Leverton as CEO before its Nasdaq listing, succeeding Andrea Childs as the company prepares for a merger with HeartSciences.
Fortitude Mining Holdings has named Jaime Leverton as its new CEO, effective September 21, as the company gears up for a Nasdaq listing via its merger with HeartSciences.
Leverton, who previously led Hut 8, will replace Andrea Childs, who will become the Chief Operating Officer. The merger is expected to finalize in the fourth quarter of 2023, pending necessary approvals, and the merged entity will trade under the ticker symbol "TUDE."
Valuation estimates for the combined firm suggest a worth of at least $400 million, based on HeartSciences' current stock valuation and shares allocated to Digital Currency Group, Fortitude's parent company.
Fortitude, which focuses on Zcash mining, produced around 28% of the total ZEC mined in the first half of 2026 and reported $20.9 million in revenue in the second quarter. The company operates over 60 megawatts of power across locations in South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, and New York.
Leverton joins Fortitude after leading ReserveOne and has experience in transforming Hut 8 into a U.S.-based Bitcoin mining firm. Her appointment aligns with Fortitude's strategy as Zcash's ZEC token has rallied over 2,000% in the past year, boosting its market cap to roughly $21 billion.
Fortitude presents itself as a "venture mining" platform, leveraging owned resources across various proof-of-work networks, with a primary focus on Zcash. As COO, Childs will concentrate on mining operations and strategic industry relationships.
