Meet Our Remarkable Speakers

Ryan Pinder, Bahamian born and raised, and the son of local business man and attorney Marvin Pinder, advises local, national and international clients in both taxable and tax-free mergers and acquisitions, business combinations, restructurings, private equity transactions, corporate joint ventures and other strategic alliances. Ryan also advises clients as to domestic and international taxation, business valuation and business entity law and the international tax consequences of various inbound and outbound transactions and reorganizations. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Miami and the University’s College of Law including: LL.M., J.D., M.B.A. and B.B.A. Specialties: International and domestic taxation. Planning for cross border business transactions. Specializing in business and investment transactions between the United States and the Bahamas.

Jason leads OKX's innovation efforts, and is responsible for identifying new business opportunities, developing new products and services, and exploring new markets in the rapidly-evolving crypto industry. Prior to joining the Web3 industry in 2016, Jason worked at Barclays Capital and cfX Incorporated. He holds an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

‍

Kyle S. Hauptman was nominated by the President to serve on the NCUA Board on June 15, 2020. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on December 2, 2020, and he was sworn in as a member of the NCUA Board on December 14, 2020. The NCUA Board approved his designation as Vice Chairman of the NCUA on December 18, 2020.

Prior to his joining the NCUA Board, Mr. Hauptman served as Senator Tom Cotton’s (R-Arkansas) advisor on economic policy, as well as Staff Director of the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Policy.

Previously, Mr. Hauptman was Senior Vice President at Jefferies & Co. He worked at Lehman Brothers as a bond trader in New York City as well as in their international offices in Tokyo and Sydney, and served as on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies.

Mr. Hauptman served on President Donald J. Trump’s transition team in 2016 and was Senator Mitt Romney’s (R-Utah) policy advisor for financial services during the 2012 presidential campaign. Mr. Hauptman holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Los Angeles.

Henri Arslanian is the Co-Founder and managing partner of Nine Blocks Capital Management, an institutional-grade hedge fund focused exclusively on digital assets, with a market-neutral crypto fund focused on generating alpha from inefficiencies in crypto markets using relative value, arbitrage, and quantitative strategies.

Henri was previously a partner and global crypto leader at PwC. In that role, he advised many of the world’s leading crypto exchanges, investors, financial institutions, and tech firms on their crypto initiatives, as well as numerous governments, regulators, and central banks on crypto regulatory and policy matters.

With over 500,000 LinkedIn followers, Henri is a TEDx and global keynote speaker, a best-selling published author, and is regularly featured in global media, including Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and the Financial Times.

Henri was named by LinkedIn as one of the 2022 global Top Voices in Finance and is the host of the CryptoCapsulesTM social media video series as well as The Future of Money podcast and newsletter.

Henri was named by Onalytica as the #1 most influential individual on Finance globally on LinkedIn out of 50k+ individuals working at the top professional services and management consulting firms in the world.

Chambers Global named Henri the “highest profile FinTech consultant in HongKong,” Blockchain Asset Review named him the “Most Influential Crypto and Blockchain Thought Leader in Asia,” and Asian Private Banker awarded him the “FinTech Change-maker of the Year” award.

Henri is the author of numerous best-selling crypto and FinTech-related books, including “The Book of Crypto” (Palgrave, 2022), which became a global top 10 best-seller in financial services, and “The Future of Finance” (Palgrave 2019, Palgrave), which became not only a global top 10 best-seller in financial services but was also recognized as one of the “Best FinTech Books of All Time” by Bookauthority.

Henri was elected as the first Chairman of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong. He is also an appointed member of Hong Kong securities regulator SFC FinTech Advisory Group, the Hong Kong central bank’s Institute for Monetary and Financial Research council of advisers, and the Dubai DIFC innovation panel. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hong Kong, where he teaches the first FinTech university course globally.

Henri started his career as a financial markets and funds lawyer in Canada and Hong Kong before joining UBS Investment Bank’s prime brokerage capital consulting team.

Henri speaks five languages, including English, French, Armenian, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese.

He holds a Master’s in Chinese Law from Tsinghua University; a joint Global Executive MBA from Columbia Business School, London Business School, and Hong Kong University; a Bachelor of Law from the University of Montreal (Dean’s List of Excellence), and a Master’s in Transnational Law from the University of Sherbrooke, where he was awarded the Governor General of Canada Gold Medal for Academic Excellence for having graduated with the highest grades of the university.

Brett Lashley is a Deputy Manager in the Central Bank of The Bahamas’ Currency Department, where he leads adoption efforts for the Bahamian digital currency, SandDollar, provides support to banknote and coin projects and cash operations, and assists with various other management functions in the department and wider Bank. Prior to joining the Central Bank in August 2020, he has most recently held positions at the National Insurance Board and the Office of the Prime Minister, where he worked on national and island-specific long term planning initiatives.  Brett holds a BA in International Relations from Boston University and an MSc in Public Policy and Management from King’s College London.

Cleve Mesidor is Executive Director of Blockchain Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit leading an industry-wide crypto education campaign. Additionally, Cleve is a Forbes Contributor and a Mayoral appointee to the DC Innovation and Technology Inclusion Council. Previously, she was a Public Policy Advisor to the Blockchain Association. A Web3 expert working in crypto for over six years, she has been profiled on CNBC, ABC, NPR, PBS, NY Times, Washington Post, Politico, TIME. She was featured in the PBS Documentary, “CRYPTO DECODED”, as well as, the Coinbase documentary, “COIN: A Founder's Story.” Cleve is a reputable and respected industry leader and regularly headlines national tech conferences, including Money20/20, SXSW, CES, and others. A Washington insider, she served in the Obama Administration and as a senior staffer in Congress. As a Presidential Appointee, she was Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, where she advanced White House economic programs and national public-private partnerships to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Her acumen in policy stems from her tenure on Capitol Hill as Communications Director for U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum and Barbara Lee, coordinating with Congressional leadership to launch major legislative initiatives. Cleve is author of “THE CLEVOLUTION: My Quest for Justice in Politics & Crypto.” She earned a Master of Arts degree from Howard University and started her career in broadcasting at CNN's Washington Bureau.

Shaqueno has worked with the Central Bank for since April 2016. He currently oversees the operations of the Financial Market Infrastructure Unit to support the stability safety, functionality, and efficiency of systemically important financial market systems in The Bahamas. This includes the oversight and management of the Real Time Gross Settlement System, the Central Securities Depository, SWIFT, and the Central Bank Digital Currency Platform, Sand Dollar. Shaqueno has a bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University of The Bahamas and a master’s degree in Quantitative Management from New York University.

Ianthé Tynes, is the Head of Compliance/MLRO at OKX Bahamas FinTech Company Limited (Nassau,The Bahamas) a leading cryptocurrency exchange whose mission is to revolutionize the way people access and use financial services by leveraging cutting-edge technology.

Ianthé currently oversees the compliance program at OKX Bahamas. Prior to joining OKX Bahamas, Ianthé was the Compliance Officer and MLRO to a former leading private banking institution in The Bahamas and has worked in several arenas in The Bahamas, such as Regulation, Human Resources, Financial Services and now Digital Assets.

Ianthé has over ten years of financial services industry experience and specializes in a broad array of regulatory and compliance matters within the digital assets and private banking arenas.

Ianthé received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management from Sojourner-Douglass College and a Master of Business Administration in International Business from Lynn University. Her certifications include: Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS), ICA Anti-Money Laundering and Compliance (ICA), Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator (CCI) and Certified Blockchain Expert (CBE).

Maggie is a highly accomplished corporate communications professional with over 6 years of experience in performance. With a strong background in the FinTech industry, Maggie has consistently demonstrated expertise in building communities, acquiring corporate clients, and managing diverse portfolios.

During Maggie's tenure at Finoverse, she has spearheaded the creation of a leading community builder and successfully organized the prestigious Hong Kong FinTech Week. Through her efforts, she has connected and engaged with over 30,000 FinTech and Web3 professionals and investors across Asia, MENA, and the Bahamas, fostering collaboration and innovation within the industry.

In addition to community building, Maggie played a pivotal role in expanding Finoverse's corporate client base. She acquired over 300 new corporate clients, strategically growing the database to include more than 1,000 clients across the aforementioned regions. Her exceptional relationship-building skills and business acumen allowed her to manage a diverse portfolio of over 100 accounts.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Maggie actively engages in community-building initiatives. She is a dedicated member of 100 Women in Finance, an organization focused on empowering women in the finance industry, and a voluntary coordinator for Time Auction, which dedicates their time and efforts to making a positive impact in the local community. These experiences have not only broadened her perspective but also honed her collaboration skills, making her an effective and empathetic team player.

Brian Jones founded Agio Digital in April 2021, including its wholly owned subsidiary, Agio Fund Services, and serves as the group’s Chairman, President and CEO. Prior to the inception of Agio, he built a successful track record of excellence and leadership in fund administration, private banking, portfolio management, product development and corporate governance over a period of nearly two decades. Brian is nationally recognized as being instrumental to multiple advancements in the Bahamian financial services sector within the last decade. He studied Economics in undergrad and later earned many credentials, including the postgraduate professional designation, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst.

‍

Toya is a seasoned marketing and communications specialist with a background in technology, finance, and blockchain. Since her first foray into the cryptocurrency industry, Toya has assisted notable cryptocurrency startups in raising tens of millions of dollars. Toya began her career at a communication agency servicing hedge funds and asset management firms including Elliott, Barings, Latham & Watkins, HKVCA, and Huawei before transitioning into the crypto and blockchain space in 2016 with OKX and now joined BIT as CMO, accountable for the exchange’s branding, marketing, and growth.

Mark is an entrepreneur recognized speaker in the Blockchain ecosystem in Latin America, as well as a mentor and developer of projects in the same technology.

He is recognized for his great contribution to the Blockchain ecosystem in LATAM and for being one of the first leaders and professionals in technology in Latin America who, since 2017, has educated more than 4,000 students and contributed to the Web3 community through the education.

Ivo Jeník has 12 years of experience in finance, primarily in retail financial services regulation. He has led CGAP’s work on regulatory innovation (crowdfunding, regulatory sandboxes), capacity building for policy makers (regulation and supervision of digital financial services) and emerging business models in banking across continents.

Before joining CGAP, Ivo worked in the Responsible Financial Access team at the World Bank, where he specialized in financial consumer protection and alternative dispute resolution. His professional experience spans across both the private and public sector, including serving as a compliance officer at an investment company and as Head of the Collective Investment Department at the Czech Financial Ombudsman.

Ivo has a master’s degree in law from Columbia Law School in New York and a Master’s degree in Law from Charles University in Prague.

‍

Stefen is a Bahamian economist and an authority on blockchain and FinTech in the Caribbean. He is President of the Caribbean Blockchain Alliance (CBA), which is a regional organization formed to advocate for blockchain technology and to foster its adoption through awareness, education, and public policy.

CBA is supported by major Caribbean blockchain companies. Stefen has led the blockchain education of software developers and has facilitated various hackathons. He regularly partners with multilateral institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank, and global blockchain protocols such as Celo, to increase the scale of impact and blockchain adoption in the region. His core goal is to build cohorts of blockchain practitioners, developers or otherwise, in the region.

Having worked throughout the many various sectors of the Web3 industry, Stefen also is a regular speaker at blockchain events and conferences throughout the world, routinely bringing the Bahamian perspective to many.

He is also a Co-Founder of the Shift the Culture startup advocacy group, and the Arrowlynk Ventures business incubator, both based in The Bahamas.

You can often find him on Twitter discussing the boundless potential of DAOs or ways on how to bring more Web3 adoption to the Global South.

Allan Wright is the Manager of the Research Department of the Central Bank of The Bahamas, where he oversees the production and publication of economic analysis and statistical reports. He is responsible for contributing to the formulation of economic policies, grounded in economic forecasting, with emphasis on the monetary and financial sectors, fiscal matters, and the payments system.  As a member of the Bank’s senior management team, he is part of the key decision making body, and represents the Bank on domestic and international technical committees.

Prior to joining the Central Bank, Allan worked as a Senior Economist at the Inter-American Development Bank and spent two (2) years as a Researcher at the Center for Monetary Studies in Latin America (CEMLA). As a skilled econometrician with extensive skills in macro-structural modelling, Allan has authored a plethora of quantitative and qualitative economic studies on various topics, which have been published in regional and international journals. His work has included a strong focus on public debt, fiscal sustainability, monetary and macroprudential policies, and more recently, financial inclusion and climate change.

Allan holds a PhD in Economics from the University of the West Indies.

Jason leads public policy analysis and engagement for Chainalysis in North America. Prior to joining Chainalysis, Jason worked at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission as Director of the FinTech innovation office and as an adviser on crypto market policy to Chairman Rostin Behnam. Before entering public service, Jason spent 14 as a lawyer at private law firms and as the first in-house lawyer for a crypto asset exchange infrastructure company. He has been writing and commenting about the intersection of the crypto ecosystem and financial regulation since 2015.

Melissa Wisner is the Vice President of Crypto Risk at CipherTrace, a Mastercard Company. She is responsible for leading global engagements with virtual asset providers as well as traditional and nonbank financial institutions to support a safer virtual asset ecosystem for businesses, consumers and investors.  

Prior to CipherTrace, Melissa was the Director of Internal Controls, Governance and Strategy at Paxos, a regulated blockchain infrastructure platform, where she oversaw, strengthened and scaled global control programs.  She also held compliance and risk-related positions at Blockfi Inc.  Before transitioning to the crypto industry in 2020, Melissa held several roles at HSBC and served most recently as the Head of Governance, External Engagement and Strategy for HSBC’s global financial crime function in London.

From 2010 to 2015, Melissa held numerous positions at the U.S. Department of the Treasury–including as the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, where she was responsible for coordinating the Department’s policy, regulatory and enforcement activities.  Melissa was also the Deputy and Acting Treasury Attaché in Beijing, China, where worked to advance the U.S.-China economic relationship and coordinate efforts to combat illicit finance.  She initially joined Treasury as a Policy Advisor responsible for Treasury’s counterproliferation portfolio.

Melissa is a graduate of Yale College and Johns Hopkins University SAIS.  

Amitoj has been a journalist for the past 16 years covering stories and events across different mediums from more than 10 countries.

Currently, he reports and anchors for CoinDesk, a New York-based news platform leading the story on the future of money. He’s written about the G7 and G20 shaping global crypto rules, Ukraine's use of crypto to fund its pushback against Russia and major regulatory developments in India, the U.S., Australia and other regions. He’s anchored CoinDesk's flagship show, First Mover and hosted panels with global regulators.

During the pandemic years, Amitoj freelanced for CNN, Al Jazeera, Business Insider, and SBS Australia covering a wide range of events including the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol from outside the Capitol, Joe Biden's inauguration as president, repercussions of the ISIS conflict in Iraq, Asian American hate-crimes and the Black Lives Matter Protests in New York.

Previously, Amitoj was at India’s New Delhi Television (NDTV) for more than a decade in various roles. As Principal Anchor and News Editor, he anchored primetime shows like Trending @10 PM, Good Morning India, and the first Indian news show tackling misinformation, India vs. Fake News.

As a reporter, Amitoj covered stories of major global relevance such as the Rohingya crisis, the India-Pakistan conflict, election misinformation from Facebook’s headquarters, the 2018 UNGA in New York, and the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos.

Amitoj holds an MA in Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and has been a Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellow at the United Nations.

On Yavin is a serial entrepreneur, lawyer, and angel investor. Over the years he has established and built several successful companies, and invested in and mentored many others. In 2017, he joined the blockchain industry with the founding of Cointelligence. Since then, through Cointelligence he has provided the industry with valuable research and education. In 2021 he launched Cointelligence Fund, an early-stage venture capital crypto fund focused on the metaverse and blockchain-based games, where he serves as Managing Partner. In 2023, On co-founded Syndika, a premier Web3 and AI syndicate, with full-scale capabilities to support startups, corporates, and initiatives.

‍

Austin Campbell is the managing partner and founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. Previously, he has run the stable-coin platform and portfolio management at Paxos as well as being the chief risk officer of Paxos National Trust, has managed fixed income trading desks at JP Morgan and Citi covering >$100B of cash derivatives, and has been a portfolio manager and structurer at Stone Ridge, the parent of NYDIG. He holds a BS in Mathematics from CSU Chico and a MBA from NYU Stern.

‍

Dr. P. Jillian Bethel is a long-time champion of the Bahamian crypto community. Jillian is an entrepreneur and former obstetrician-gynaecologist who became interested in blockchain and distributed ledger technologies while leading international health management and medical research teams. In 2018, Jillian returned to the Bahamas to use blockchain initiatives to grow Bahamian opportunities, economy and culture. Her entrepreneurial talent has increased the capacity growth among her peers and created CryptoIsle, a launch pad for those looking to innovate using blockchain as well as a community for the tech, startup and digital asset spaces. Jillian is passionate about driving digital transformation for the benefit of all.

Alim leads Product Management at DELV, an R&D company building open-source protocols and infrastructure to accelerate the global adoption of decentralized finance (DeFi). His research interests lie at the intersection of DeFi, governance systems, and mechanism design. In 2019, he co-founded the DeFi Toronto community meet-up which hosts monthly events featuring speakers that include founders and leaders from the top projects in DeFi and Web3. Alim is an active member of the global blockchain community as an avid speaker, startup advisor, and angel investor. He previously served as an Adjunct Professor in the Blockchain Development Program at George Brown College and currently sits on the Program's Advisory Committee. In 2017, he worked with a team of early blockchain leaders to launch one of Canada's first industrial-scale crypto-mining companies from inception through to a public listing and subsequent M&A. He recently authored a chapter titled 'Token Economies' in The Emerald Handbook of Blockchain for Business (published March 2021) which covers Web3, token fundamentals, cryptoeconomics, and token engineering. Alim holds a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo and is a designated CPA.

Jean Chalopin is the Chairman of Deltec International Group (“Deltec”) and an innovative entrepreneur with decades of management and investing experience. Jean formed his first company in France at 18 years-old, which was to become the undisputed world leader in animation and children TV production in the early 80s.

Jean sold his interest in his entertainment companies in 1986 and 1996, and became a client and shareholder of Deltec Panamerica, which was renamed to Deltec International Group. Today, Deltec has become a leader in global financial services supporting innovation.  

As an entrepreneur, Jean continues to support and foster innovation across various sectors including biotech, quantum, AI and more. In addition to Deltec, Jean is also the Chairman of Theravectys, a one-of-its-kind biotech, spun off from the Institut Pasteur in France.

Liat Shetret Director of Global Policy and Regulation, Elliptic Liat Shetret is Director of Global Policy and Regulation at Elliptic. For more than 15 years, she has led global capacity-building and technical assistance programs on anti–money laundering (AML), countering the financing of terrorism (CFT), financial inclusion, and countering violent extremism. She has formerly worked as the Director of Regulatory Affairs & Compliance Policy at Solidus Labs, at the Egmont Group of Financial IntelligenceUnits, Citigroup Bank, the Global Center on Cooperative Security, and the USHouse of Representatives Committee for Homeland Security. Liat has extensive experience implementing technical assistance programs, particularly in emerging markets and developing countries across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. She is an Adjunct Instructor at New York University and holds a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and a BA in political science and psychology from the University of Illinois. Liat is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).

Ms. Maniar is the Deputy General Counsel at FalconX Holdings Ltd., a digital assets prime brokerage and General Counsel of its subsidiary FalconX Bravo Inc., a digital assets swap dealer provisionally registered with the CFTC and NFA member. With over 12 years of experience in financial services, Ms. Maniar’s expertise includes advising on OTC derivatives sales and trading, financial technology, and partnerships. Prior to joining FalconX, Ms. Maniar was Senior Legal Counsel at HSBC, where she advised the Global Commodities, FX, and Rates businesses and the Wholesale Digital and Innovation teams for the Americas. She has extensive experience in structuring complex transactions, advising on regulatory applicability and implementation, and responsible innovation and adoption of technology in financial services. Prior to HSBC, she has held similar positions at Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and UBS. She is currently and previously active in a number of industry groups including ISDA, SIFMA, ARRC, and WIND. Ms. Maniar attended The Johns Hopkins University and Brooklyn Law School. She is admitted to practice in New York.  

Michael Kong Is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Fantom. He has a background in Finance and Information Technology from the University of Sydney, where he published papers on smart contract security. He worked as the first full-time engineer for Block8, a blockchain development company in Sydney, and later founded one of Australia’s first funds in digital assets (now Trovio Group).

Tyler is a Co-Founder of Fathom and DeSyncLabs. He recently served as the Head of Digital Assets at Securrency after 8 years with S&P Indices where he built and ran their digital assets business. Prior to moving to full-time digital assets, he spent 6 years in the ETF and asset management space. Tyler helped beta test some of the largest DLT networks and their integrated DEX’s in the early days of blockchain with experience dating back to 2012. He holds a dual MBA in Information Systems and Finance from the Fordham Gabelli School of Business and a BS in Economics from Siena College. ​

‍

Adam is the founder and CEO of Fiat Republic, a crypto-focused BaaS platform that unlocks mainstream and local banking services for the top crypto platforms in the world, by having them join forces under one banner and stick to the same standard of AML & compliance.

Adam is an accomplished payments/financial technology industry thought leader and innovator, having held senior management positions at OpenPayd, Sainbury’s, Ukash (acquired by Paysafe), and Raiffeisen Bank among others.

As an entrepreneurial leader, Adam is also deeply involved in the FinTech and crypto world, having held several advisory roles with the most notable one being at Ramp Network.

With an extensive background in social impact, Web3, and global development spanning over seven years across four continents, Orinayo is a dedicated professional committed to driving positive change through a unique blend of talent, technology, and capital. Holding a postgraduate degree in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, Orinayo has honed her expertise in identifying opportunities to empower underserved communities, with a particular focus on skills development and financial capital.

As a seasoned leader, Orinayo has demonstrated a knack for innovation and impact across various roles, including her current position as the Filecoin Green Program Manager at Protocol Labs. In this capacity, she has spearheaded a groundbreaking $1 million Regenerative Finance Grants round, expanding the ReFi ecosystem to encompass more than 20 global projects dedicated to creating a sustainable future.

Prior to this, Orinayo served as the Global Partnerships Officer at Impact Hub Global, managing relationships with 60 international partners and championing programs that fostered collaboration, capacity building, and funding across a diverse network spanning four continents. Her dedication to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is evident in her work as the Accelerate 2030 Program Manager at Impact Hub Lagos, where she secured significant grant support from the UN Water Council and led acceleration programs for startups.

As an advocate at the intersection of regenerative finance, climate and, entrepreneurship, Orinayo continues to make a lasting impact on the global climate landscape, working to bring Web3 technology to real world climate problems.

Anthony is a Co-Founder of Finoverse, one of Asia's largest and most active FinTech and Web3 communities. Since 2015, the company has collaborated with over 80 Chinese and global FinTech unicorns. Finoverse partnered with the Hong Kong government and financial regulators to scale the city's flagship event, Hong Kong FinTech Week, into one of the most successful and recognized industry events in the world. Over the seven years, Finoverse scaled the event from 500 attendees to over 40,000 participants from more than 130 countries. Finoverse is also collaborating with The Securities Commission of The Bahamas on its flagship FinTech event in The Caribbean. Additionally, Finoverse is actively exploring opportunities in the Middle East, bridging it with the Hong Kong FinTech ecosystem.

Kris is a Web3 & Crypto leader with over 7 years of experience building communities and partnerships around innovative technologies and cutting-edge tech businesses. She builds the new Web3 venture arm for Finoverse, and oversees and develops company’s growth engagement initiatives in the Web3 space globally, aiming to drive and promote adoption for the industry. Companies that she has worked with includes OKX, Binance, Galaxy Digital, Circle, Animoca Brands, etc.

Prior to joining Finoverse, she launched TOKEN2049, the premier crypto event in Asia, working with world-class leaders in the space.

Nina Xiang is a renowned author, award-winning journalist, and an expert on the Chinese venture capital and technology sector with nearly twenty years of professional financial and business media experience. She is a speaker at major conferences and summits, and appears frequently in a range of international media, including the BBC, CNN, Financial Times, and CGTN. She currently writes columns for the Nikkei Asia and Forbes, in addition to serving as an advisor/consultant to leading international organizations.

Nina Xiang is the founder of China Money Network (a unit of FutureLogic), a news and data platform tracking China’s smart investments and technology innovation.

She is the author of three books: Red AI: Victories and Warnings From China’s Rise In Artificial Intelligence (2019) and US-China Tech War: What Chinese Tech History Reveals About Future Tech Rivalry (2021), and Parallel Metaverses: How the US, China and the Rest of the World Are Shaping Different Virtual Worlds (2022). All have been number one new releases.

Angie Lau is Co-CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Forkast, a data infrastructure and media platform that leads coverage on web3 and the digital economy.

As an award-winning global journalist and former Bloomberg global anchor who spent the past decade in Asia’s most dynamic business hub in Hong Kong, Angie leads conversations on digital assets around the world with leading firms including UBS, EY, Accenture, Circle, NEAR, Filecoin Foundation, and more.

Nilesh Sudrania is the visionary entrepreneur, founder, and CEO of Formidium, a global investment fund administrator for digital assets/Web3 investment funds. Nilesh has steered the company to become the world's fastest-growing investment fund administrator by developing and offering disruptive technology solutions. Under Nilesh's leadership, Formidium has consistently redefined industry standards, seamlessly merging innovative technology with his profound financial acumen, and continues to thrive as a global leader in the field. Nilesh has over two decades of expertise spanning accounting, finance, tax compliance/filings, investment fund administration, middle & back-office services, and technology, as well as a remarkable portfolio of credentials including MBA, CA, CPA, CFA, and FRM. Nilesh has a proven record of driving innovation and delivery results. Prior to founding Formidium, Nilesh held key leadership roles at leading financial services and technology institutions. His passion for leveraging technology to enhance professional services has been the driving force behind the company's success. Nilesh is a thought leader in the FinTech space, frequently speaking at events and webinars.

Derek Newbold is a Seasoned Executive with demonstrated managerial experience in numerous corporations and industries. Newbold started his professional career in banking and spent 8 years in the industry working with multiple corporations, delivering value at each step of the way with his expertise.

In 1999, he joined Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate, Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) where he held a number of different positions as he worked his way up, including Terminal Planner, Commercial Officer, and Sales and Marketing Manager for the Freeport Harbour Company, Grand Bahama Airport Company, Freeport Container Port, and Sea Air Business Center.

In his current capacity at The Grand Bahama Port Authority, he is responsible for leading research and analysis, and directs domestic and international marketing and promotions and serves as a key player in customer relationship management. His is also an integral part of GBPA’s licensing and utilities regulation committees and the architect behind the development and branding of the internationally recognized Invest Grand Bahama Campaign, and the visionary behind initiatives such as Invest Grand Bahama, Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau, My Grand Bahama Campaign, CCEI, GBPA’s Business Diversity Waiver, Micro Business License, Virtual Business License, SEED Stem Program, Focus Forward talk show and GB Ambassadors Program, which is a program developed to train and educate all Bahamas Embassy and Consulate Staff on foreign direct investment attraction strategies.

In 2016, Newbold also orchestrated the winning of The Free Trade Zone of the year award, a first for the Free Trade Zone of The Bahamas since its inception in 1955.

Owing to his interest in the field and passion for learning, Newbold also holds international certification from the Canadian Institute of Bankers, Ivey School of Business, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and achieved the international designation of Certified Medical Tourism Professional (CMTP).

Sanjib has built & launched over 20 products and businesses. He is Founder & CEO of Guppy, a FinTech start-up focused on self-sovereign credit data. He is also the Wizard and former Chief Marketing Officer at Money20/20, a global FinTech conference he helped grow from start-up to successful exit.

He has worked for large organizations like Citi, managing one of the largest credit card portfolios in the world, Intel, launching their graphics chip business, and Google, working on Google Wallet, as well for multiple startups with multiple exits.

He is an investor/advisor in several startups including TripleBlind, Tilli Software, Tutored byTeachers, MPOWER Financing, Hypercard, Silicon Islands, Draper Startup House Caricom, and Impact Analytics.

Sanjib has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management as well as Bachelors and Masters in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, where he built lasers, electric cars, hi-fi audio systems, and AI systems for ECGs classification.

Rhonda, has a Bahamian and Trinidadian background. She is a chartered accountant with 30+ years in alternative investments, FinTech, banking and now digital assets. Blockchain-Web3 piqued her interest in 2014/2015 with her entering the space in 2016 as strategic advisor to founders, startups and those displaced in work transition. She has held country and regional managing director roles with ABN Amro Prime Funds Solutions (previously Fortis), overseeing relationships for hedge fund and multi manager clients, and as Executive Director of UBS Global Asset Management - Fund Services. 

She is currently President of Haddison Advisory Partners, an advisory firm offering services in the digital assets and alternative investment space, and also part of Dunewood Advisors offering corporate governance services to investment funds. 

She is also founder of HAP USA and HAP Bahamas, social impact enterprises which have curated 145+ educational events since 2017, cascading specifically blockchain knowledge to a wide range of community stakeholders such as regulators, government, non-profits, educators and organizations supporting underserved communities. The annual flagship event, Blockchain Business School, has reached thousands since 2019 (www.242bbs.com) in the US, Caribbean and worldwide to bring 21st century learning and skills within reach to all! 

She remains and has been an engaged and active member of several industry organizations such as Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), Global Digital Assets & Cryptocurrency Association, 100 Women in Finance, Institute of Bankers and Directors, Rotary Bahamas, Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), CFA Institute and a number of cross-generational cohorts that share knowledge, skills, network and ideas. She is currently on the global board of directors of Help for Children (Hedge Funds Care www.hfc.org). 

Rhonda holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) Degree from Queen's University, Canada and has been accepted into "Women on Boards: Succeeding as a Corporate Director" at Harvard University, fall 2023. She is a member of the Canadian Institute of Professional Accountants. 

Christel Sands-Feaste is a partner in the law firm of Higgs & Johnson, based in The Bahamas, where she leads the firms practice groups in financial services, securities, investment funds, and FinTech.

A highly regarded lawyer for her specialist expertise in advising on financing transactions, securities (in The Bahamas and international capital markets), securitizations, and investment fund structuring, Christel has also developed a keen interest and expertise in emerging digital assets and related FinTech.

Christel is ranked Tier 1, Band 1 in the General Business Law Category in Chambers Global legal directory, as a “Highly Regarded” attorney in The Bahamas in IFLR1000, and is included in the IFLR1000 Women Leaders List for her outstanding contribution as a female lawyer. She has been recommended as a ‘leading individual’ by Legal 500 Caribbean (Commercial Transactions) and Global Law Experts (Mergers & Acquisitions Law).

In 2014, Christel was honored to receive The Bahamas Financial Services Board’s (BFSB) award for ‘Financial Services Development & Promotion’ in recognition for her work as a member of the working group responsible for introducing the Bahamas Investment Condominium (ICON) a groundbreaking and innovative legal structure.

Christel is a Director of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation, and Co-Chairperson of its’ Ease of Doing Business Division and a member of the Fiscal Responsibility Council. She is a member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors, the Investment Funds Working Group of the Bahamas Financial Services Board and the Nassau Chapter of Links Incorporated.

Portia J. Nicholson is a corporate and commercial Partner at Higgs & Johnson, based in The Bahamas, and leads its Tax practice. She serves as Deputy-Chair of the Commercial Transactions and Securities & Investment practices. With over 30 years’ experience, she has acted as lead counsel to, or been involved in, many domestic and cross border commercial transactions, including complex Mergers and Acquisitions, high value structured finance transactions, Initial Public Offerings and Private Placements of Securities, as well as Commercial Real Estate developments. Portia also has a focus on emerging technologies including FinTech.

Portia serves as a Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board. She is currently ranked as a ‘leading individual’ by Legal 500 Caribbean in the area of corporate law (including banking, finance and M&A) and is described by the Directory as ‘accessible and solution driven; possessing good legal knowledge.’

Portia holds an LL.B. degree from the University of the West Indies and a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School. She obtained an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, where she was nominated to the Dean’s Honors List. Portia’s continuing executive training has included Harvard Business School’s Focused Financial Management Series and courses in Investment Management at the Jamaica Institute of Bankers. 

Portia is a member of the Jamaica Bar Association and an Advanced Toastmaster (Silver). She is a former adjunct lecturer at the University College of the Caribbean and a past president of Nova Southeastern University Alumni Association. She was also a Director of the Association of Women’s Organizations of Jamaica and chaired its legal team.

Head of the Hogan Lovells Blockchain and Cryptocurrency practice, John is a highly experienced technology lawyer with a market leading reputation in the financial services sector. John advises clients across the industry on their strategic technology projects and the implementation of innovative blockchain solutions whilst managing legal and regulatory risk.

John has a successful track record of advising major banks and start-ups on complex commercial technology and regulatory matters in this area. He spends a great deal of time educating regulators, policy makers and clients in the area of blockchain and crypto and has spoken to the European Parliament, IOSCO and many governments on this topic.

Widely recognised for his involvement in cutting-edge developments across the sector, John is ranked as a leading lawyer in FinTech by the industry’s leading publications and directories.

Jason Dobbs is a dynamic leader at the forefront of blockchain technology development and digital asset operations. With a deep passion for Web3 and an unwavering commitment to innovation, he has emerged as a prominent voice in the industry.

Drawing on his technical expertise and leadership acumen honed at Viacom, Jason has advised renowned hedge funds like Millennium Management and Elliott Investment Management, as well as industry giants such as Motiva Enterprises, Google, and Amazon. His strategic guidance and automation-driven solutions have empowered these organizations to navigate complex financial landscapes.

As a seasoned expert in the financial services industry, Jason seamlessly blends market insight with technical prowess to drive the development of cutting-edge products. His impactful contributions as Head of Partnerships helped the DFINITY Foundation forge strategic alliances and propel significant business growth.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Fordham University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Yale University, as well as certifications from Oxford's Saïd Business School and the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin.

As Founder and Managing Director of ICTI, Jason spearheads the company's mission to revolutionize the software industry. Leveraging advanced blockchain technology, ICTI is set to pioneer digital products under Jason's visionary leadership.

Angelina is Senior Advisor to IMC Asia Pacific, a leading global market making and proprietary trading firm. She has previously held Senior Management and Directorate positions with international digital asset exchanges, HKEX, Cantor Fitzgerald, the SFC, and other global financial services companies. She is also the Managing Director of Stratford Finance Limited, a consulting company focused on dealing with regulatory and operational issues in the financial services and digital assets sectors and advises brokerages, fund managers, and technology providers.

Angelina is currently the Chair of The Women’s Foundation and serves on a number of Hong Kong Government appointed Boards and charities, including the New Business Committee of the Financial Services Development Council, Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute, the Ebenezer School for the Blind, the University of Wollongong and is an Honorary Adjunct Professor of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, School of Accounting and Finance. Angelina is a Certified Public Accountant in the United States, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand and is a graduate of the University of Southern California. Her MBA is from Pepperdine University, LLB from HKU/Manchester Metropolitan University, and LLM from Harvard Law School.

Daniela Carrera-Marquis, a Venezuelan citizen, has been the Inter-American Development Bank’s Country Representative for The Bahamas since November 1st, 2018. Previously, she managed the Financial Markets Division of the Structured and Corporate Finance Department, responsible for capital markets development, trade finance and financial intermediaries. She also served as senior investment director with a focus on capital market operations, with housing finance being one of the key areas. Daniela Carrera Marquis has more than 20 years of experience in the banking sector.

Prior to joining the IDB, she worked at ING Bank London, UK, as the Latin American Product Specialist. In Venezuela, she was head of financial markets of ING Bank Venezuela. Prior to joining ING Bank in 1994, she worked at the capital market unit at Confimerca (local brokerage firm) and as a relationship manager at Citibank in Venezuela. Marquis holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the Central University of Venezuela and a master's degree in International Relations and Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Phillip Silitschanu is the Research Director of WorldwideBlockchain, Cryptocurrency, NFT, and Web3 Strategies, and is also the head of the IDC Web3 Working Group. He has been involved in Blockchain and Crypto since 2013, writing his first white paper on the subject in 2014, and has spoken at many Blockchain and Crypto conferences, including developing a Blockchain/DeFi conference in NYC. He has also produced numerous further white papers on the use of Blockchain in financial services, as well as numerous consulting engagements for research firms and financial services firms. He joined a Blockchain/STO start-up, which was acquired by a VC firm, prior to joining IDC.

Phillip is widely recognized in the press as an expert on the application of blockchain, capital markets, and financial services. He has been cited extensively in Barron’s, Business Week, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Funds Europe, Investments & Pensions Europe, and more. He has taught courses on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) in Latin American, Blockchain, and others; and co-authored the Euromoney Books “Multi-Manager Funds: Long Only Strategies for Managers and Investors.” He is fluent in English, French, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish; and holds a Juris Doctor in Law from Stetson University, an MBA from Babson College, and a BS in Finance from Boston University.

‍

Ravi has over 15 years regional and international experience having worked in the Caribbean and Europe in the areas of Internal Audit, BusinessDevelopment and Information Technology Security. In his recent role as Chief Information Security Officer for an international European firm.

He was responsible for developing recommendations to improve the clients’/firm’s internal control structure(s). I have intimate and in-depth knowledge of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and conducted training sessions to ensure that all staff stay informed of privacy laws and regulations.

Successfully achieved the ISO 27001 certification, Audit, Risk Management, Customer Service, and Information Security. Ability to effectively communicate with both Technicians and the C-Suite. Language skills English (native)

Successful IEC 62443 Mapping for a large paper processor

Effectively adding value to our clients and improving their security posture

Professional and Industry Experience

● He is a Consultant for Microsoft security tools (Conditional Access, ATP, etc.) helping organizations fully utilize the Microsoft security stack

● He ISO 27001 Lead Auditor responsible for successful certification

● He has Building a data privacy strategy using available technical tools ( MIP )

● He has Built security into cloud migration projects for large Enterprise clients in the Telco and Manufacturing space

● Has Conducted GDPR Training for new hires and ongoing GDPR training for all employees

● Has lead teams using latest Vulnerability scanning and deployment of SIEM tools to improve client security posture

● He utilized the latest tools for GDPR compliance and monitoring including approval of all supplier agreements

● Development of the Technical and Organizational Measures

● Development of the Data Flow map

● Strong interest in security for Crypto/CBDC technologies and is Metaverse security certified

Nicholas Rees is a two-time Olympian, FinTech visionary, and entrepreneur born on the Island of Grand Bahama. Nicholas serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Kanoo Pays (“Kanoo”), theWorld’s First licensed Payment Institution to achieve integration, interoperability, and processing of secure Central Bank Digital Currency (“CBDC”) payments.

Kanoo has now grown to become the Caribbean’s leading “Super App,” offering an integrated digital marketplace and wallet experience. Nicholas’ vision for Kanoo is to provide true financial inclusion and empowerment by connecting the people and businesses of the Caribbean through technology. Nicholas believes in a humanistic, people-first approach to deploying technology solutions and aims to empower people to prosper. Nicholas is committed to delivering on the Kanoo promise of Security, Prosperity, Empowerment, and Convenience.

Nicholas is a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) with a Master of Business Administration from The University of Miami. Nicholas is also an alumnus of The Ohio State University, having graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Financial Management and a Minor inEconomics.

Seth is VP and Global Head of Policy at Ledger, the world’s leading platform to secure cryptocurrency and digital assets. Seth leads the growing policy team at Ledger responsible for promoting economic freedom across Ledger's global footprint with a particular focus on policy development in Europe. Seth also serves on the Board of Directors of the Blockchain Association.

Prior to joining Ledger, Seth was the Head of Policy & Government Relations at the Stellar DevelopmentFoundation, where he oversaw all aspects of SDF's engagement on digital asset policy. Under Seth’s leadership, SDF grew from being largely unknown in Washington to testifying before the House FinancialServices Committee alongside the biggest names in the blockchain industry. For much of 2020, Seth was the only registered lobbyist in-house at a US blockchain project or company.

Prior to launching the policy practice at SDF, Seth was part of the founding team that opened theWashington office of FS Investments, a leading alternative investment manager. At FS, he participated in passing the first modernization of the laws governing business development companies. Prior to FSInvestments, Seth was a securities regulator focused on adapting regulatory policy toward the burgeoning fintech industry. Seth earned a law degree from The Ohio State University and a MBA in finance from Wright State University.

Mr. Cassar boasts a robust finance, software, and digital assets background, complemented by expertise in software development and financial services. With a track record spanning trusts, equity analysis, asset management, private banking, corporate structuring, investment funds, crypto assets, digital identity infrastructure, and AI, he's a full-stack web developer known for leading projects across diverse industries. His role as Head of Business Development & FinTech at Equity Bank Bahamas and affiliates, including Liongate Bahamas, underscores his wealth management proficiency.

As a serial entrepreneur and intrapreneur, Mr. Cassar's ventures span industries from hydroponics farming to freight forwarding, including innovative developments focused on blockchain use-cases, facial recognition and e-transportation. He actively contributes to the community by advising the Bahamian Government on digital asset regulation and adoption aspart of the Digital Advisory Panel. He also serves as President of the Bahamas Investments and Securities Business Association, participates in the FinTech and Companies Working Groups of The Bahamas Financial Services Board, and organizes the annual Equity Bank Bahamas charitable art exhibit.

Mr. Cassar holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Liberal Arts in Finance from Harvard University.

Michael Clare currently serves as the Head of Digital Assets and FinTech Operations at Liongate Bahamas Limited, the Digital Assets affiliate entity of the Equity Group of Companies. Prior to his tenure at Liongate Bahamas, he demonstrated his expertise as an Economist at the Ministry of Finance for the Bahamas, contributing to the financial landscape of the region.

In addition to his impressive career, Michael Clare is the founder and President of One X Solutions Limited, a global consultancy company specializing in digital assets and blockchain technology, providing cutting-edge Web3 services.

Notably, Michael Clare is a member and advisor of the Stanford University AI & Web3 Research Lab Association, an association comprising industry leaders and experts in the Web3 arena. He is also an active member of the Bahamas Financial Services Board Fintech Working Group, collaborating with industry experts, policymakers, and regulators to shape the future of financial technologies and digital assets in the Bahamas.

Clare's educational journey is equally remarkable. He earned his Bachelor's Degree (BSc.) inFinance from Lenoir Rhyne University and furthered his financial knowledge by obtaining an MBA with a focus on Economics and Finance from Beijing Normal University in Beijing, China. To deepen his understanding of blockchain technology, Michael Clare achieved a second Master's degree (MSc.) in Digital Currency and Blockchain technology from the University of Nicosia in Nicosia, Cyprus, becoming the first Bahamian to hold such a distinction.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Michael Clare was selected as one of the Top48 Millennials of the Bahamas in 2021 for his exceptional knowledge in blockchain technology and digital assets. He also serves as the Regional Ambassador for the Bahamas within the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), a leading global industry association dedicated to advancing blockchain adoption.

Michael Clare’s passion for Web3 technology is evident through his extensive speaking engagements at various local and international events, where he shares his profound insights and thought leadership. Having immersed himself in the Web3 space since 2017, Clare is a fervent advocate for blockchain technology, tirelessly working to educate and promote its adoption on a global scale. His dedication and expertise have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the blockchain and digital assets landscape.

‍

Carlos is a corporate and securities lawyer focused on the intersection of technology and law, with a principal emphasis on decentralized finance, blockchain and digital assets. Carlos routinely advises domestic and international companies in the DeFi and Web3 spaces regarding compliance with U.S. and other applicable law in connection with their capital raising, M&A activity and regulatory aspects of their business.

Carlos’ clients include major international algorithmic trading platforms for digital assets, one of the largest crypto-gaming companies in the world, and numerous NFT and fungible token issuers across a variety of industries.  

Carlos speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. He was raised in Latin America, the U.S. and Southeast Asia. His multicultural background allows him to structure transactions with an “out of the box” mentality that appropriately balances risk and reward without unnecessarily hampering business affairs.

Frank is a 3 times exited founder and has over 20 years experience in FinTech, payments, and product architecture. He holds a Chartered Director certification in corporate governance and has a strong background in anti-money laundering, compliance and risk management.

‍

Shubin has been focused on cryptocurrency research for three years and leads a team of analysts examining the core value proposition and economic structures of various cryptocurrency projects and tokens across a variety of use cases. Prior to this, Shubin spent 17 years researching and investing across various markets, industries and securities at three hedge funds. Shubin has an undergraduate degree in Economics from Delhi University, Master of Business Administration degree from New York University and earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

‍

Paul Leder, a former Director of the SEC’s Office of International Affairs (2014-2018), specializes in securities enforcement, compliance, and complex litigation, with a particular focus on cross-border issues.  He helps clients navigate the challenge of conflicting regulatory regimes, as well as simultaneous investigations by criminal and regulatory authorities, both from the U.S. and other jurisdictions. 

Mr. Leder has advised globally active firms on cross-border issues, including on developing engagement strategies with foreign regulators and international standard setting bodies.  He has led internal investigations on behalf of boards of directors and management involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), accounting fraud, and insider trading.  Mr. Leder also advises clients on developing and evaluating compliance programs on a range of issues, including insider trading and anti-corruption.

With a career spanning nearly three decades in regulations, cryptocurrency and financial payments, Tim Byun brings to OKX his passion of making digital assets accessible to the world, while working alongside governments and regulators.

His 23 years of experience at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, FDIC, Visa and other traditional financial organizations prepared him to help bring cryptocurrencies to the mainstream. He has been a C-Level executive in the digital asset ecosystem since 2014, starting as the Chief Compliance Officer at BitPay, and most recently serving as the CEO of OKCoin.

Mildred (Mimi) Idada is the Founder and General Partner of OWC Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in disruptive technology such as blockchain, AI, and digital assets. Previously, Mimi was an early team member of a high-performance blockchain and computing platform. Prior to that, she worked at KKR & Co., a global investment company and private equity firm, as a member of KKR's Technology and then Client and Partner Group.

Shirly Valge, born and raised in Estonia, #1 Country to use blockchain on a national level since 2007, serves as the Head of External Relations and Partnerships at Partisia Blockchain Foundation, world’s first and fastest regulatory-friendly interoperable privacy protocol headquartered in Switzerland. Prior to Partisia she was one of the founding team members and COO at Velas, Swiss Blockchain technology company, incorporated in 2019 and has been listed in the Forbes 30 under 30, class of 2021. Shirly has been a public speaker for the last 4 years in global Blockchain, FinTech and NFT conferences as well as World Economic Forum.

An experienced entrepreneur with a track record in RegTech, is the Co-Founder CEO of PointChain Global. Prior to selling his last start-up OutsideIQ to Exiger, the acting monitor of HSBC, Mark led strategy and sales of FCPA and AML technology to financial institutions, global corporations, and investment firms. Mark holds an MBA from San Diego State University.

Duncan is an experienced practitioner and advisor in the areas of Corporate Governance, Internal Audit, Internal Control Consulting and Regulatory Compliance.  He has worked with PwC in Hong Kong since 1996 and has been a partner since 1999. Prior to moving to Hong Kong, Duncan worked with the firm in London for 8 years. 

He advises numerous organizations on Corporate Governance and Internal Controls using Digital assets, also referred to as “crypto” (either as investors, issuers or exchanges) and has worked in this area since 2017/18. Duncan co-led the PwC HK team assisting the HKMA with its mCBDC project. He has also worked with an extremely large crypto client (who did one of the largest ICOs in history) on various aspects of their business. In addition, Duncan supervises the PwC Hong Kong audit teams of partners and managers who address all the unique aspects of auditing crypto (e.g. wallet management, transaction identification, custody etc.).  He was also the partner responsible for initiating and executing the 1^st ever settlement of fees in Bitcoin for a Big 4 firm globally.

He has also been responsible for PwC’s assurance services in Emerging Technology including Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Processing Automation and Blockchain etc. Outside of PwC, Duncan if a former Governor of the Institute of Internal Auditors – Hong Kong Chapter and helps certain charities and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) address corporate governance challenges.

He is a regular speaker at conferences on risk management (particularly relating to emerging technology), corporate governance and internal audit. Duncan is also helping a number of companies with assessing Risk Culture, both for management and through internal audit

Duncan is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Hong Kong Institute of Directors.

Yifan He is the founder and CEO of Red Date Technology, a Hong Kong-based decentralized technology and infrastructure company, and the architect of the BSN (Blockchain-based Service Network) and UDPN (Universal Digital Payments Network) projects. A serial entrepreneur and investor, Mr. He founded his first internet company when he was in college in 1998 in the U.S. and spent more than 10 years in private equity and finance in China. Mr. He graduated from SUNY at Stony Brook with a computer science degree and an MBA from M.I.T.

‍

Bob is on the Finance faculty of the University Cambridge Judge Business School with expertise in regulatory innovation and the digitisation of the financial system. Bob co-founded the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), a world-leading research centre in studying non-traditional forms of financial services. In 2021, he was awarded the School’s Excellence in Teaching Prize and in 2022 was awarded the Sandra Dawson Research Impact Award for his research applying machine learning models to regulatory information. This research led to a spin-out company, called RegGenome, which has established itself as a global leader in the field of computational regulation.

Prior to embarking on an academic career, Bob had 25-year career as a professional investor, most recently as a Managing Director in the investment group of one of the largest privately-owned companies in the United States. He has held several board directorships and advisory roles over the course of both his academic and non-academic career and is currently a member of the Advisory Council of the Central Bank of Mauritius. Bob holds an MBA from the Booth School ofBusiness at the University of Chicago, an MSc from the London School ofEconomics, and a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Lorenzo de Leo serves as the Managing Partner of Rokk3r, a venture builder based in Miami with a portfolio of over 50 tech-based startups and dozens of corporate clients globally. His hands-on involvement in guiding over 100 innovation projects across the United States and Latin America laid the groundwork to initiate 10xU, Rokk3r's educational programs that have been attended by tens of thousands of students worldwide.

Lorenzo is also a Partner and Head of Accelerator at Rayo Capital, where he focuses on supporting and investing in web3 founders, particularly those from Latin America. He has designed and operated several web3 accelerator programs, including Algorand Miami Accelerator and Moonbeam Accelerator. These programs delve into various web3 sectors, from DeFi and NFTs to DAOs and dAPPs. He also dedicates time as a mentor at Techstars and is a member of Stanford AI & Web3 Research Lab.

Lorenzo has provided guidance to hundreds of idea-stage and early-stage tech startups, helping them navigate the initial challenges and secure initial investments. Annually, Lorenzo reviews approximately 1000 pitch decks from startups around the world and the companies he has advised have raised (pre-)seed rounds of up to $3M at $30M valuations. He offers communication and pitch training in English, Spanish, and Italian, and provides feedback on the quality of the pitch and deck, flow, fundraising strategy (how to approach investors, what to ask, how), and the startup's overall strategy.

Before joining Rokk3r, Lorenzo held positions in technology transfer and entrepreneurship. He worked at Arquimea, where he contributed to fundraising and technology transfer initiatives and was involved in the launch of four spin-off startups. Additionally, as a Senior Researcher at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Lorenzo conducted research in aerospace, security, and robotics, collaborating on R&D projects for organizations such as the EU, ESA, and JAXA.

Lorenzo holds a Ph.D. and a Master's degree in Mathematics from Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

George is head of DeFi at STGM Quantitative Strategies.

George has a deep interest in how permissionless composability of smart contracts can lead to a new wave of innovation of financial products.  

During his time in crypto George has successfully managed profitable DeFi trading strategies. He has consulted and operated at the forefront of institutional, regulated, DeFi including helping to launch the first regulated ISIN note that generated its yield on-chain.

Before his time in DeFi George built a track record as a trader at tier 1 investment banks and hedge funds, including as a credit trader at Deutsche Bank.

George holds master’s degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Imperial College.

James A. Woodside was born in West End, Grand Bahama and schooled in New Providence. He attended BTVI after high school and successfully received an honors diploma in Computer Repairs. He began to build his career in Cat Island and later in New Providence until he departed for Nova Scotia, Canada on a second technical scholarship to further his IT skills.

He returned home with honors and several industry certifications and began his experience trek working for several local organizations and with various industry brands. Throughout his career he became known as an expert troubleshooter of IT related issues, often resolving issues to technologies he had never encountered before. With a warm smile and calming demeanor, many clients totally entrusted their IT investments to his care and were not disappointed.

Between 2008-2012, Tom Hardin, a relatively unknown financial analyst working in New York City, was instrumental in helping FBI agents understand the complexities of insider trading in the financial services sector. Operating under the secret alias “Tipper X,” Tom was the youngest individual implicated in the operation.

He was assigned the responsibility of wearing a concealed body wire to aid the FBI in capturing some of the most elusive figures in the industry. This operation led to the most substantial Wall Street clean-up effort of a generation.

In 2016, Tom was invited by FBI-NYC to share his insights with their new agents. He has since emerged as a global keynote speaker and a corporate trainer. He serves as a board consultant specializing in behavioral ethics, compliance, and organizational conduct and culture risk.

Tom has embraced full responsibility for his early professional decisions and has undergone a significant transformation. He is now deeply immersed in exploring human behavior and understanding why individuals sometimes make wrong decisions.

His journey and reflections are set to be chronicled in his memoir, scheduled for publication in 2025.

Lucy is the Founder and Managing Partner of Token Bay Capital, a Hong Kong based early-stage venture fund that invests in digital assets and blockchain companies with a focus on Asia Pacific. Prior to founding Token Bay Capital, Lucy was a senior leader of PwC’s Global Crypto team. At PwC, she advised entrepreneurs, start-ups and financial institutions on their crypto and blockchain projects and worked with central banks and other regulatory bodies to help formulate their crypto asset policies. Lucy has a traditional finance background and spent 16 years in banking and asset management with Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Schroders and Kleinwort Benson. In 2023 Lucy was appointed by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) as a Member of their FinTech Advisory Group.

An active contributor in the Web3 space since 2012, Chris founded his first blockchain startup in 2015, leading go-to-market and product strategy for a mobile payments and customer engagement platform built using the Ethereum blockchain.

Shortly after launching his first startup, Chris graduated from Rice University, with degrees in Math, Physics, and Philosophy and publishing 3 papers in condensed matter physics. Over the past 6 years, Chris has been active as a speaker in both the Web3 and impact spaces, having the privilege of being invited to share his experience and perspective at events and conferences in 23 countries and the UN.

Currently, he runs Topl, a Web3 protocol for builders working across ReFi, social impact, and financial inclusion. At Topl, Chris leads the company’s overall strategy and is directly responsible for the protocol’s tokenomics and regulatory strategy with a planned token launch early next year.

Joel Khalili is a reporter for WIRED, covering crypto, Web3, and FinTech. He’s been on the crypto beat for about a year, most of which has been spent charting the fallout of the FTX collapse in its various forms. Before joining WIRED, Joel was an editor at TechRadar, where he wrote about the business of technology, among other things.

Aldwyn L. Wayne graduated from Georgia College & State University with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Masters of computer applications from the University of Georgia. He hails from the twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and is originally from the quiet town of Point Fortin.

He is the Founder and CEO of Color Bank and WiPay which provides innovative solutions for e-commerce, online payments and facilitating digital transactions for the unbanked in Trinidad & Tobago, he has extended the service to other countries such as Jamaica, Guyana and St. Lucia where he has devoted 90 percent of his practice to a ‘cash less’ future for the last five years. He has extensive experience in unusual and innovative financings.

WiPay was created in 2016 as a direct result of a persistent problem. The Caribbean faced challenges with digital payments and the lack of ‘financial inclusion’ for the majority of persons. WiPay developed a uniquely ‘inclusive’ platform that is secure, flexible and simple to use. WiPay allows anything connected to the Internet to move money quickly, safely and easily for the ‘Banked’ and for the ‘Unbanked’. WiPay integrates with existing legacy systems to bring payments over the Internet to any industry, taking advantage of the latest developments in technology; built on the blockchain making it safe and secure. WiPay is the number one payment platform in the Caribbean empowering people to accept and make payments online using all forms of payment in local currency.

The Company has raised 1.5 million USD over 2 funding rounds and acquired WiFund you in December 2017. His recent activities include launching a mobile app designed to make all of WiPay's services even more accessible tousers and a line of Point of Sale devices which range from handheld units to sleek, compact countertop units.

Fast tracked to today Wipay has partnered with the National Gas Company of Trinidad & Tobago on a cashless solution when purchasing CNG.CNG users can now full-up and pay at the pump with a simple swipe or tap, making the overall transaction easier and faster.

Wayne is a frequent speaker at e-commerce webinars, and financial functions. He is an optimist who thrives on making the future great through hard work and honesty. His good character, reputation and integrity is frequently nurtured to his team.

He lives in Trinidad, is interested in basketball, music and is extremely family oriented.

Nicky is one of the founding Partners at XReg Consulting, a public policy and regulatory affairs consultancy specialising in crypto. As the risk and regulatory compliance lead, he works to develop and implement risk-based, outcomes-oriented crypto asset regulatory frameworks and strategies that mitigate risk and leverage smart innovation.

In 2022, Nicky relocated to The Bahamas where he heads up the XReg office in Nassau and leads on the development of XReg’s presence in the Americas. While at XReg, he has provided strategic regulatory advice to some of the largest crypto businesses in the world and successfully secured his clients licenses and authorisations in Europe, Gibraltar, the Caribbean and Asia. He has also worked extensively supporting governments and international public bodies with national risk assessments and the development of national regulatory frameworks. As the co-chair of theGlobal Digital Finance (GDF) Anti-Money Laundering (AML) working group, he works along side industry experts to shape global crypto asset regulatory standards that mitigate risk and encourage innovation.

Prior to founding XReg, Nicky developed a reputation for his pragmatic approach to regulation during his time at the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC). As Head of Risk andInnovation, he was part of the team that led the design and implementation of the world’s first bespoke regulatory framework for firms that use Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).

‍

Siân is a visionary thought leader with over 50 years of experience advising start-ups, enterprises and governments on technology, policy formulation and regulatory framework implementation.

As the Chair at XReg Consulting, a public policy and regulatory affairs consulting firm specialising in crypto, her extensive experience in policy formulation, regulatory framework development and implementation is leveraged by governments and public authorities around the world to guide the development of crypto asset policies within their respective jurisdictions.

Siân is a member of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) technical committee on DLT and has sat as an expert on several of its working groups. She also sat on the BSI National MirrorCommittee on DLT, the Financial Markets Law Committee DLT working group and, until July2019, was a delegate and technical expert on virtual assets on the FATF’s Policy DevelopmentGroup. Siân also led the Brussels-based European Digital Currency and Blockchain TechnologyForum, a public policy platform helping EU policymakers and legislators shape sound policy and regulation.

Her career in information technology, security, data protection and compliance has included working in Europe, the Middle East and Asia in industries as diverse as banking, transport, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and security.

Nasdaq - listed dLocal (DLO) powers local payments in emerging markets, connecting global enterprise merchants with billions of emerging market consumers in 40 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We started with one goal – to close the payments innovation gap between international businesses and emerging economies. Through the “One dLocal” platform (one direct API, one platform, and one contract), global companies can accept payments, send pay-outs and settle funds globally without the need to manage separate pay-in and pay-out processors, set up numerous local entities, and integrate multiple acquirers and payment methods in each market.

Nadia Yavitz is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and has been named to Legal500’s GC Powerlist 2022 and 2023 Uruguay.

Will has experience in strategy, content, PR and marketing across financial services and technology firms. He was the global PR leader for Dutch FinTech Backbase and led the Asia content team for Money20/20. A 15-year resident of Hong Kong, Will also worked as a journalist and university lecturer.