Bitfarms, a major Bitcoin mining company, has announced the appointment of Ben Gagnon as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This comes as the company faces a takeover battle with its U.S. rival, Riot Platforms. In a press release, Nicolas Bonta, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bitfarms, stated that Gagnon will focus on expanding and diversifying the company’s operations, including areas such as energy generation, heat recycling, energy trading, and high-performance computing for artificial intelligence. Gagnon previously served as the company’s Chief Mining Officer and played a crucial role in driving Bitfarms’ growth plan. Riot Platforms, which had sought to acquire Bitfarms, has launched a new website called “ABetterBitfarms” to provide shareholders with information about corporate governance issues at Bitfarms and the need for board changes. Despite initially offering $950 million for the acquisition, Riot Platforms later withdrew its proposal, citing difficulties in engaging with Bitfarms’ current board of directors. In related news, Riot Platforms has acquired a 12% stake in Bitfarms.