Meet KAST CIO: Jase Blenner

Jase Blenner operates where things break first when a company scales.

As CIO at KAST, he works across security, cloud and DevOps at a time when the company has grown from around a dozen people to more than 300 in only 18 months. That shift puts pressure on systems, not just people. Processes that worked early stop holding. Security risks increase. Infrastructure has to evolve fast.

Jase brings experience from enterprise and heavily regulated industries into that environment. Before KAST, he built and secured systems where failure was not an option. Today, he applies that same discipline inside a company moving at startup speed.

From Rural Australia to Technology

Jase grew up in Bendigo, a rural part of Australia.

At around age 13, he discovered computers. He started building machines, setting up networks, and spending most of his time around technology. That early shift stayed with him. Tech was in his blood “for as long as I can remember.”

His grandfather also played a role. As one of the early telecommunications engineers in Australia, he introduced Jase to the fundamentals of computing. That influence shaped his direction early and gave him a strong technical base.

Building a Career in Enterprise Systems

Before joining KAST, Jase ran his own consulting business in Melbourne.

He worked across cloud security, cloud architecture, and DevOps engineering. He helped companies design and maintain systems that needed to be secure, stable, and compliant. Much of his work happened in enterprise environments and regulated industries.

That background matters.

Enterprise systems move slower, but they demand discipline. Security standards are strict. Infrastructure must hold under pressure. Those expectations shaped how Jase approaches his work today.

Why He Joined KAST

Jase did not move into KAST without hesitation.

He came from environments that were stable and predictable. Work was consistent, and systems rarely changed quickly. KAST was the opposite. Enterprise work was “very safe, very reliable,” but also “very slow, very boring, too predictable.”

He first joined through COO Sam Kerrins, whom he knew growing up. What started as a few consulting hours quickly expanded into a full-time role. Within a short time, he transitioned fully into the company.

At the beginning, he saw risks. The pace was high. The crypto space was new to him. Stablecoins were unfamiliar.

Still, Raagulan Pathy’s vision influenced his decision. He chose to move from a safe environment into one that required more speed, ownership, and adaptability.

Scaling Systems as the Company Grows

When Jase joined, KAST had around 11 or 12 people.

Now, the company has more than 300.

That level of growth changes how systems need to function. Early-stage solutions no longer scale. Infrastructure must evolve. Security becomes more complex. Internal operations need to support a much larger organization.

Jase works across that transition.

His role focuses on ensuring systems remain reliable as the company expands. His enterprise background supports that process, especially in areas that require structure and long-term thinking. Looking back on the company’s growth,

“I’ve never been involved in anything like it.”

The Team Stands Out Most

Jase does not point to a single product or milestone as his biggest achievement.

He points to the team.

He has seen KAST grow from a small group into a global organization. He describes the people as one of the strongest parts of the company. Many of them, in his view, exceed the level of the original team.

“The thing I’m most proud of isn’t so much a project or a product. It’s probably the team that we’ve built.”

That environment shapes how he works. He sees daily collaboration as a way to improve and maintain high standards.

“I am surrounded by excellence every day.”

How He Defines Leadership

Jase keeps his view of leadership simple.

Leaders should support their teams, give them credit, and take responsibility when things go wrong. In his view, leadership is not about visibility. It is about building teams that perform well.

He also connects that idea to KAST’s early growth. A small group of leaders built teams that could scale. That foundation helped the company reach its current stage.

“It should never be the leader taking the praise.”

Instead, leadership means support, accountability, and strong teams.

Looking Ahead

Jase does not define a fixed outcome for KAST.

He has seen the company pivot multiple times. That makes long-term predictions difficult.

What he does see is the combination of timing, technology, and team strength. For him, those factors create space for continued growth, even if the exact direction changes over time. One word fits his view of the future: “Limitless.”

Outside of KAST

Startup work has reduced his time for hobbies.

Still, some remain.

He enjoys travel and values meeting team members in different countries. He is interested in food and follows Australian sports. He also keeps up with films when time allows.