Aug 13 (Reuters) - Bitcoin miner Bitfarms ( BITF ) said

on Tuesday its co-founder and chair, Nicolas Bonta, will step

down from the board, effective immediately.

Bonta was at the center of a board battle that Bitfarms' ( BITF )

U.S.-based rival Riot Platforms ( RIOT ) had waged against the

company in April.

Brian Howlett, the lead director of Bitfarms's ( BITF ) board, will

replace the outgoing chair.

Bitfarms ( BITF ) also named Liam Wilson as its chief operating

officer, and said its new CEO Ben Gagnon will join the board.

(Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini

Ganguli)