Talila Millman’s Board Journey

VAB member Talila Millman was recently appointed to a board director position at BGIN, a leading global blockchain infrastructure company active in semiconductor manufacturing and crypto mining. Below she shares her comments and thoughts about her path to taking on this new role. 

What started you on your path to your new role – a network referral, a board role facilitator organisation/head-hunter, another route?

I learned about the director seat opening thanks to a professional contact who was familiar with both my background and the company’s needs. Their introduction opened the door for me to explore the opportunity and ultimately led to my appointment. What attracted me was the chance to engage at a governance and strategic level in a sector I find particularly dynamic. Crypto mining sits at the intersection of technology, finance and energy — it’s evolving rapidly, and I was excited to bring my experience to a company operating at the forefront of this transformation.

How impactful was your network in helping you successfully complete the board hiring process? Where did they provide assistance – document production, interview prep, due diligence?

My network was instrumental in opening the door and connecting me with the board and leadership team at BGIN. From there, I was able to dive deeper into understanding the company, its business model and the role itself. The more I learned, the more I was drawn to the opportunity. Crypto mining is a fast-moving industry with significant long-term potential, particularly as blockchain and digital assets continue to grow globally.

What strength or qualification helped pull you over the finish line? Is there a specific skill or experience that made you stand out among others in the candidate pool?

I believe it was a combination of deep curiosity, passion for emerging industries and my governance and technology leadership experience. The board recognised my interest in helping companies grow and scale, along with my ability to contribute to long-term strategic discussions. Having alignment with the company’s leadership team and sharing their vision also made this a very natural fit.

What features of the business or elements in the board structure made you want to take on the role, e.g., a specific career challenge, strong values alignment, learning opportunities, something else?

BGIN is recognised as a leader in the space, particularly with its ICERIVER series of energy-efficient mining machines and its extensive mining operations across the U.S. In my conversations with the lead board director and management team, I was impressed by their expertise, vision and strong commitment to responsible growth. That gave me a great deal of confidence in both the company’s direction and its leadership team.