Nearwater Capital Appoints Amar Kuchinad, Former Copper CEO, as President

Nearwater Capital appointed Amar Kuchinad as President, reporting to Managing Partner and founder James Peterson, the firm said in a PR Newswire announcement on November 10, 2026. Kuchinad joins from Copper, the digital asset infrastructure and custody firm, where he most recently served as CEO.

Kuchinad's Role and Prior Posts

Kuchinad will serve as a member of Nearwater Capital's senior leadership team and will lead all of the firm's operating and corporate functions. The company said the arrangement lets its business heads stay focused on clients and on growing the franchise. Working alongside them, Kuchinad will focus on strengthening the infrastructure, controls and organizational capabilities that support Nearwater's Risk Retention, Liquid Markets and Capital Markets businesses across the United States, Europe and Canada.

Before Copper, Kuchinad was a Senior Managing Director at Pretium Partners, where he oversaw technology, data, analytics and risk across the firm and its operating subsidiaries. Earlier in his career, he co-founded and served as CEO of Electronifie, an SEC-registered electronic corporate bond trading platform later acquired by Trumid. He also served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he headed U.S. Portfolio Credit Trading. Kuchinad holds an AB in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University.

Peterson said: "Amar brings a rare combination of market, regulatory and operating experience." He added that Kuchinad's leadership will ensure the firm's platform, infrastructure and controls framework keep pace with its ambitions. Kuchinad said he looks forward to working with Peterson and the leadership team to expand the platform and capabilities that will support the firm's next chapter of growth.

Nearwater's Regulated Entities and Offices

Nearwater Capital Markets, Limited has operated as an SEC-registered security-based swap dealer since 2022, according to akta.pro company records. Nearwater Capital Markets Europe, Limited was authorized as a MiFID Investment Firm by the Central Bank of Ireland in 2022, establishing the firm's EEA operational and regulatory hub in Dublin. The same records show Nearwater expanded beyond New York and Dublin in 2022 by opening London and Toronto offices to support risk retention origination and TRS/Delta One trading operations. Peterson previously oversaw two ABCP conduit programs with over $15 billion in CP outstandings at Bayersiche Landesbank, the records state.

Nearwater's Leadership Team

Nearwater was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in New York, with a headcount range of 101-250, according to the same records. Peterson is Founder and Managing Partner. The leadership team also includes Neal Barbiero, Senior Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer; Scott Kimmel, Senior Managing Director and General Counsel; and Stephen Yarad, Chief Administrative Officer.