FNG Exclusive… FNG has learned that longtime Gemini marketing executive Maria Pesce has left the company, and will be joining newly crowned unicorn and social trading startup Public.com.

Maria Pesce joined Gemini, the Winklevoss twins’ crypto exchange, in mid 2016 and over nearly five years rose through the ranks to become Gemini’s Brand Marketing Manager. She will be joining Public.com as Senior Brand Marketing Manager.

Public.com was founded two years ago and is co-run by well-known FX industry executive Jannick Malling (ex Saxo Bank, CFH Group, Tradable) and serial web entrepreneur Leif Abraham. The company is currently in process of closing a $200 million financing round, at a valuation in the $1.2 billion range. Public.com is an app-only online broker, targeting younger traders with a social-trading bent. Its roster of investors and backers includes celebrities such as actor/rapper Will Smith, NFL star JJ Watt, popular Youtuber Casey Neistat, and skateboarder Tony Hawk.

Public.com recently made waves in the online brokerage business by publicly stating its aversion to the “Payment for Order Flow” business model, which sees other retail brokers sell retail trader order flow to professional market makers. Instead, Public.com has introduced an optional tipping feature, and is also looking to monetize by launching a “pro” paid service of some sort.

Maria Pesce posted the following regarding her new role on social media:

So excited to announce I’ll be joining Public.com as their Sr Brand Marketing Manager 💫

Public.com is a brand I’ve admired for a while now and I can’t wait to help make the stock market more social.

Shoutout to Katie Perry, Zach Dioneda, Leif Abraham, and the rest of the Public team!

I can’t wait to be apart of this mission.

Thank you Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Beth Kurteson for an amazing 6+ years on the Gemini spaceship.

It’s been an experience of a lifetime and I’m forever grateful.

#tothemoon