McHenry’s Aide McCune Leads a16z Government Affairs Team

In a bid to take nascent crypto assets lobbying to the next level, venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz popularly addressed as a16z has onboarded the Republican deputy staff director of the House Financial Services Committee Collin McCune as head of government affairs for its crypto arm. 

Therefore, McCune will be letting go of his appointment as the top aide to House Financial Services ranking member Patrick McHenry to take up his position at Andreessen Horowitz. While this might be viewed as a loss for McHenry, for a16z, this is a major hire. McCune’s former boss McHenry is regarded as a friendly face in the crypto space, especially to a16z. 

Over the years, a16z has generated billions for digital assets and Web3.0 startup investment. In addition, it has successfully attracted several one-time policymakers and regulators in an attempt to create structure in the United States crypto policy. Republican executive McHenry plays a vital role in the resolution of these crypto policy battles.

a16z Crypto Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer Anthony Albanese stated “The future of web3 and crypto is one of the few bipartisan issues and we are thrilled that policymakers are taking a hard look at how crypto, web3, and blockchain technology should be regulated.”

a16z Collaborates With Regulators and Policymakers

He went on the acknowledge the number of regulators and policymakers that the venture capital firm has worked with from the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Department of Treasury, the Department of Justice as well as from private firms. Equally, Albanese sees McCune as “an invaluable addition to our team.”

“While we have built up an incredible bench, we felt it was essential to add a deep understanding of the U.S. legislative process to complement our team,” he said

Remarkably, McCune presents a decade of experience working with Capitol Hill. He has also worked at the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Rules Committees before his time with House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member McHenry. It was only last year that he was named deputy staff director for Republican staff.

McCune went ahead to say that he counts himself lucky to have worked with McHenry for stating that he gave him “the opportunity to work at the forefront of digital assets policy for the House Financial Services Committee.”