Riot Platforms Doubles Down on Mining Muscle—Hires Ex-Data Center Titan Jonathan Gibbs

Bitcoin mining giant Riot just made a power play—snagging Jonathan Gibbs as Chief Data Center Officer. The move screams one thing: they’re betting big on infrastructure as the next mining battleground.

Gibbs—a veteran who’s scaled hyperscale operations—now faces his toughest challenge: turning megawatts into mega-yields while Wall Street watches for the slightest hash rate hiccup. Because nothing makes institutional investors sweat like a 2% dip in mining efficiency.

Riot’s stock will probably moon on this news while actual miners keep grinding away in forgotten warehouses. Such is crypto’s circle of life.

Riot Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT), a leader in Bitcoin-driven data centers, has appointed Jonathan Gibbs as Chief Data Center Officer, as announced on June 2, 2025. Gibbs will lead the strategic development and operations of Riot’s new data center platform, which aims to build state-of-the-art facilities for hyperscale and enterprise tenants, according to Riot Platforms.

Strategic Expansion

This move aligns with Riot’s strategy to diversify its revenue streams by expanding into non-Bitcoin-related data centers. By doing so, the company aims to enhance its ability to generate long-term cash returns for investors while strengthening its capacity to partner with leading technology firms. Riot’s new platform will build on its existing success in utilizing Bitcoin mining to create significant value across its land and power portfolio. This positions the company to capitalize on the growing demand for digital infrastructure driven by cloud computing, AI, and other compute-intensive applications.

Leadership and Experience

Jonathan Gibbs brings over 15 years of experience in designing and building large-scale data centers. His expertise includes overseeing infrastructure design, procurement, construction, and sustainability initiatives representing more than $17 billion in investment. Prior to joining Riot, Gibbs served as Executive Vice President of Product Delivery at Prime Data Centers, where he led the development of data centers across the United States.

Jason Les, CEO of Riot, expressed enthusiasm about Gibbs’ appointment, stating, "Jonathan brings extensive expertise, strong industry relationships, and a proven track record of successfully developing data centers for hyperscale and enterprise tenants." With a pipeline of over 1.7 gigawatts of power immediately available, Riot is well-positioned to meet the increasing market demand for high-performance computing facilities.

Company Vision

Riot Platforms envisions becoming the world’s leading Bitcoin-driven infrastructure platform. The company operates bitcoin mining facilities in central Texas and Kentucky, alongside electrical engineering and fabrication operations in Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas. By integrating Bitcoin mining with new data center developments, Riot aims to achieve best-in-class execution and create successful outcomes for its stakeholders.

• riot platforms
• data centers
• bitcoin
• jonathan gibbs