Speakers
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Bao NguyenPartner, Financial Institutions Regulation and Enforcement, SkaddenMr. Nguyen’s clients include global and regional financial institutions, fintech companies and private equity firms. Mr. Nguyen uses his extensive regulatory experience and perspectives to advise clients on a range of strategic matters critical to their success. Prior to joining Skadden, he held senior positions with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), including as acting chief counsel and, most recently, as principal deputy chief counsel. During his time at the OCC, Mr. Nguyen oversaw significant policy decisions, rulemaking, transaction reviews and enforcement matters. He served as a key policy adviser to three OCC comptrollers and led a number of significant federal regulatory and supervisory initiatives related to consumer finance, community reinvestment, enforcement, fintech and cryptocurrency. He simultaneously served as acting chief of staff and senior adviser for the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Mr. Nguyen previously was senior counsel at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, where he led the review of many of the most significant banking mergers and acquisitions following the financial crisis, and helped develop and implement the Dodd-Frank Act. Earlier in his career, he served as a banking fellow in the U.S. Senate, negotiating key reforms to the U.S. regulatory framework as part of the Dodd-Frank Act. -
Dimitrios PsarrakisFinance Working Group Co-Chair, INATBA / Head of the EU Affairs & Financial Strategy, XReg Consulting
Dimitris is Financial Economist, financial markets innovator, public speaker and author, with seventeen years of experience in Financial Regulation, Financial Services and Corporate Finance. He is ranked among the 100-Top world influencers in the area of RegTech and Blockchain and he is frequent speaker in top-tier universities, international organizations, the World Economic Forum and professional summits on FinTech, RegTech, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Disruption of Banking and Financial Services, in Europe, America and Asia. He has published two books, one on Disintermediation Economics and the impact of Blockhain in Markets and Policies, and one on the Financing and Financial Reporting for the European SMEs in the era of the CMU and the new IFRS, both with Palgrave Macmillan.
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Jae GnazzoPolicy Manager, Blockchain Association
Jae is a policy manager at the Blockchain Association. Before joining, Jae earned a B.A. in Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He is currently at the McCourt School at Georgetown University pursuing a masters degree in Public Policy with a focus in international relations and economic development policy. He was a student athlete on the baseball teams both at Princeton and Georgetown.
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Jason AllegranteChief Legal and Compliance Officer, Fireblocks
Jason Allegrante is the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer at Fireblocks, where he manages a broad portfolio of legal, regulatory, commercial and compliance matters. Prior to Fireblocks, he worked in the Financial Institution Supervision Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and practiced law at the international firms Linklaters LLP and Davis Polk & Wardwell.
Since 2018, Jason has served as senior legal counsel to early stage fintech and SaaS companies and advised on critical matters at the intersection of financial services and the emerging digital asset economy. He holds B.A. and J.D. degrees from Columbia University and a Certificate in Global Business Law and Governance from Sciences Po / Paris I – Pantheon Sorbonne. -
Kristin SmithExecutive Director, Blockchain Association
Kristin runs the Blockchain Association, where she leads the crypto industry’s development of a strategic roadmap for public policy. She is an experienced policy professional, with senior-level experience in both House and Senate offices as well as private sector experience advocating for companies in the telecommunications, Internet, and other tech-focused industries. Kristin holds an MBA in Finance from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a graduate degree from Georgetown University.
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Marc TavernerINATBA Executive Director. Former Global Ambassador & Markets Development, Bitfury. U.K.
Marc Taverner is an Executive Director of the International Association of Trusted
Blockchain Applications (INATBA) – one of the largest multi-stakeholder blockchain
organizations worldwide.Marc joined INATBA in 2020 as the first Executive Director and since then has been
successfully leading the association with over 170+ companies, government officials, policy officers, regulators & legislators.With over 20 years of experience working across the globe in fast-paced, lean
organizations, Marc brings a set of unique skills gained from a career in a mix of
start-ups and industry leaders, building teams and driving growth. Prior to joining
INATBA, Marc spent six years working with one of the original and largest crypto
mining companies, chip manufacturers, and blockchain solutions providers – Bitfury.Marc also works as an independent consultant and advisor to international
technology companies at Bluesphere Solutions.He holds BA with honours in European Business in Finance and Business Studies
from Brunel University London and ESC Clermont Business School respectively. -
Peter KerstensAdvisor for European Commission Financial Sector Digitalisation and Cybersecurity
Peter advises on Technological Innovation, Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union. He has led work on the European Commission’s Fintech Action Plan and Co-chairs the European Commission’s Fintech Taskforce. He has extensive experience and expertise in EU policy and regulation covering financial services, digitalisation, security and consumer protection. Earlier in his career, Peter was Finance Counsellor at the EU Embassy in Washington DC. He has also been a member of the private offices of the commissioner for the internal market and services and the commissioner for health and consumer protection. Before joining the European Commission, Peter advised major financial services companies on EU regulatory affairs. He is a Dutch national and holds master degrees in European affairs and political science from the College of Europe in Bruges and the University of Leuven, Belgium.
MiCA Goes Global: USA
The European Commission’s proposed MiCA and PRR crypto-asset and blockchain regulation were groundbreaking in their scale, scope and intended effect. They offered clarity on crypto-assets for the EU, aiming to eliminate differences in Member State regulations and boosts Europe’s status as an innovation hub.
Many industry members, however, were concerned about the regulation and felt the voice of the industry was underrepresented in the proposal. In response, INATBA worked to establish a member-led platform throughout the regulation process, offering initial commentary, issuing a formal policy position, leading a task force to produce a report containing industry feedback and ultimately being quoted by numerous industry media outlets. As MiCA and the PRR continue their legislative processes, INATBA is proud to note many of its policy positions reflected in amendments and soon-to-be finalized text.
The question remains: what comes next? Some believe that MiCA and the PRR will bring about an effect similar to that of the GDPR. MiCA will become the exemplary crypto-asset and blockchain regulation for the international blockchain ecosystem to follow. The MiCA Goes Global series intends to spotlight the potential impact of MiCA and the PRR across various jurisdictions, partnering with local bodies and government officials for a stimulating discussion on current regulation and what the future holds.
The second session of MiCA Goes Global was hosted in partnership with the Blockchain Association, the US-based industry association working to improve the public policy environment so that blockchain networks can thrive in the United States. The event featured high-level speakers from the public and private sectors.
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