Kofi Adjepong-Boateng is based at King’s College, University of Cambridge. He is a Research Associate at the Centre for Financial History at Cambridge. He is also a Trustee of the UK’s Royal Economic Society, a learned society founded in 1890 to promote the study of economics. Kofi also serves as a Trustee of the Council of Management of the UK’s National Institute of Economic and Social Research (“NIESR”). Previously, Kofi held visiting positions at St. Antony’s College (2008-2010), and Blavatnik School of Government (2016-2018), both of which are part of the University of Oxford. He is a past Trustee of the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), University of London (2015-2020). He is a merchant banker by background. and co-founded the First Africa Group in 1995 as a joint venture with S.G. Warburg Co. Between 2006 and 2009, the Standard Chartered Bank Group built a shareholding in First Africa and eventually acquired the firm. Thereafter, Kofi joined Standard Chartered as a Vice Chairman. He stepped down from Standard Chartered in 2012. In addition to his academic interests, Kofi serves on the boards of Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Managers, based in Stellenbosch; and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He is a past chair of the investment committee of Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF), (2018-2023). SEDF is a global firm which invests in the United States, Europe, Africa, and other markets. In October 2020, Kofi was recognized in the Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday honours and awarded a CBE for his contribution to philanthropy.

With 10 patents, a best-selling author of ‘Your AI Survival Guide’ (top 100 AI books), and voted Forbes ‘AI Maverick & visionary of the 21st century’ Sol is a Data & AI technology executive with a strong business acumen who’s lead massive transformations for enterprises and the commercial AI marketplace. Helping IBM launch Watson in 2011, and holding the 1st Chief Data and Chief AI Officer role appointed back in 2016 Sol has operated as a CDO, CAO, CDAO, and CAIO for several Fortune 100’s, Voted as the ‘50 Most Powerful Women in Tech’, ‘Top 100 AI Thoughts Leaders’, and ‘Top 100 Data & Analytics Leaders’ Sol is a SHAPER, combining her pragmatic approach with visionary thought leadership to drive change where it matters, while motivating and helping others with their Data & AI footprint. She ensures technology is leveraged as an enabler, and not a replacer of human intelligence, in order to amplify human capabilities and ingenuities while generating Catalytic Commerce.

Philip Mudd joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1985 as an analyst specializing in South Asia and then the Middle East. He began work in the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center in 1992 and then served on the National Intelligence Council as the Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia (1995-98). After a tour as an executive assistant in the front office of the Agency’s analytic arm, Mr. Mudd went on to manage Iraq analysis at the CIA (1999- 2001). Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, he addresses intelligence and national security. Mr. Mudd began a policy assignment at the White House in early 2001, detailed from CIA to serve as the Director for Gulf Affairs on the White House National Security Council. He left after the September 11 attacks for a short assignment as the CIA member of the small diplomatic team that helped piece together a new government for Afghanistan, and he returned to CIA in early 2002 to become second-in-charge of counterterrorism analysis in the Counterterrorist Center. He was promoted to the position of Deputy Director of the Center in 2003 and served there until 2005. At the establishment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Security Branch in 2005, FBI Director Mueller appointed Mr. Mudd to serve as the Branch’s first-ever deputy director. He later became the FBI’s Senior Intelligence Adviser. Mr. Mudd resigned from government service in March 2010. Mr. Mudd is the recipient of numerous CIA awards and commendations, including the Director’s Award; the George H.W. Bush Award for excellence in counterterrorism; the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal; the first-ever William Langer Award for excellence in analysis; and numerous Exceptional Performance Awards. During his assignments at CIA and the FBI, Mr. Mudd has commented about terrorism in open and closed Congressional testimony. He has written three books since his departure from government: Takedown: Inside the Hunt for al-Qa’ida; and The HEAD Game: High-Efficiency Analytic Decisionmaking; and Black Site: The CIA in the Post-9/11 World, published in 2019. Mr. Mudd now serves as CNN’s counterterrorism analyst, appearing frequently on national security issues ranging from the Capitol riot in early 2021 to the US pullout from Afghanistan. Mr. Mudd graduated cum laude from Villanova University with a B.A. in English Literature (1983), and he earned an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Virginia (1984). He speaks French.

George Vegh is a leading energy regulatory and governance expert. In addition to being a Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor of energy regulation at the Munk School, Vegh teaches at the University of Toronto Law School and is the Director of the Master’s Program in Energy and Infrastructure Law at Osgoode Hall Law School. Vegh is the Chair of the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) where he provides strategic direction and advice to the organization. He was previously General Counsel of the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) where he focused on developing innovative policy development processes. Vegh is a member of the bars of Ontario and Alberta and is consistently ranked as a leading lawyer in his field by Chambers, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, International Financial Law Review, American Lawyer, Lexpert, and the Legal 500. Vegh has served as an energy sector leader in his capacity as Chair of the Ontario Energy Association, Vice-Chair of the Association of Power Producers of Ontario, and heading industry task forces on Distribution Rate Regulation; Infrastructure Renewal; Distributed Generation; and Transmission Connection for Renewable Generation. He has contributed to energy policy development through providing expert testimony to committees of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, serving in leadership roles on the OEB Chair’s Committee on Innovation, and the IESO Electricity Market Forum. He has also advised on regulatory structural reform in Kenya, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Robert Bell served as Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Health from 2014 to 2018. Prior to this role, he worked as President and Chief Executive Officer of University Health Network (UHN) for nine years. He was previously the Chief Operating Officer at Princess Margaret Hospital, the Chair of Cancer Care Ontario’s Clinical Council and the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario. Today he provides advice to a number of private and public organizations and has published three novels with all proceeds from these books benefiting UHN foundations.

Devon Kirk is Co-Head & Partner, Portage Capital Solutions at Portage, where she is responsible for leading growth equity investments in the financial technology and financial services sectors globally and driving the fund’s overall strategy. Prior to Portage, Devon was Managing Director & Head of Capital Solutions at CPP Investments. Previously, Devon was a Managing Director in the Direct Private Equity team at CPP Investments. She has previously worked in corporate law and investment banking in the US and UK. Devon is currently a Director on the boards of Thetaray and AuxMoney, as well as Chair of the Bishop Strachan School. She has previously served on a number of other boards in the technology and financial services sectors. Devon received a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with Great Distinction, from McGill University and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School. She is also a CFA Charterholder.

Kaz Nejatian is the Vice President and General Manager of Shopify’s Financial Solutions Team where he is responsible for the company’s payments, tax, fraud, billing and merchant financial solutions products.  Prior to Shopify, Kaz was the Product Lead for Payments and Billing at Facebook.  Kaz is the former CEO of Kash, a payment technology company that he founded and which was acquired by a large financial services company in 2017.

Prior to his career in technology, Kaz was a lawyer practising with a multi-national law firm based out of New York. He is a graduate of Queen’s University’s School of Business and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.

Lucas Matheson is the Country Director CEO of Coinbase Canada, overseeing Coinbase’s strategic direction and growth within the Canadian market since January 2023. In this role, Lucas is dedicated to making digital assets more accessible to Canadians and expanding our regulatory framework to help upgrade the financial system in Canada. Before his current position at Coinbase, Lucas led various operational and financial teams at Shopify as Senior Director of Operations and Director of Strategic Expansion

Kofi Adjepong-Boateng is based at King’s College, University of Cambridge. He is a Research Associate at the Centre for Financial History at Cambridge. He is also a Trustee of the UK’s Royal Economic Society, a learned society founded in 1890 to promote the study of economics. Kofi also serves as a Trustee of the Council of Management of the UK’s National Institute of Economic and Social Research (“NIESR”). Previously, Kofi held visiting positions at St. Antony’s College (2008-2010), and Blavatnik School of Government (2016-2018), both of which are part of the University of Oxford. He is a past Trustee of the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), University of London (2015-2020). He is a merchant banker by background. and co-founded the First Africa Group in 1995 as a joint venture with S.G. Warburg Co. Between 2006 and 2009, the Standard Chartered Bank Group built a shareholding in First Africa and eventually acquired the firm. Thereafter, Kofi joined Standard Chartered as a Vice Chairman. He stepped down from Standard Chartered in 2012. In addition to his academic interests, Kofi serves on the boards of Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Managers, based in Stellenbosch; and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He is a past chair of the investment committee of Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF), (2018-2023). SEDF is a global firm which invests in the United States, Europe, Africa, and other markets. In October 2020, Kofi was recognized in the Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday honours and awarded a CBE for his contribution to philanthropy.

Raman is responsible for Deloitte’s four financial services sectors – Banking and Capital Markets, Insurance, Investment Management and Real-Estate. Working alongside preeminent leaders, Raman sets the overall strategic direction and go-to-market strategy for the practice. She also serves as the Global Lead Partner for one of Deloitte’s key global banking clients and co-leads the Global Commercial Banking segment. Prior to Deloitte, Raman spent over 17 years with the HSBC Group, working in over 20 countries, igniting her passion for entrepreneurship and global businesses. Throughout her tenure, she held various leadership positions in Commercial Banking, including Global Head of Business Banking, Senior Vice-President & Head of Global Liquidity and Cash Management, and European Regional Head of Commercial Insurance. These experiences deepened her conviction in the transformative power of financial services to drive purposeful growth and innovation on a global scale. Raman is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusivity. Having worked across the globe, she brings a unique perspective to her role and thrives in culturally complex environments. She actively seeks opportunities to mentor others and promote inclusive leadership.

Jeremy Wilmot is the President and CEO of Interac Corp. A seasoned leader in payments, real-time solutions and growth strategies, Jeremy joined Interac in August 2023. He leverages his more than 30 years of global experience to drive Interac growth and deliver shared value for its Canadian Financial Institution customers and for the millions of Canadians using its debit, money movement and verification services.

Jordan Jacobs is Managing Partner and co-founder of Radical Ventures. Before Radical, Jordan co-founded Layer 6 AI and was co-CEO prior to its acquisition by TD Bank Group where he joined as Chief AI Officer (Business & Strategy). Jordan is also a founder of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Toronto, a concept he devised with Radical Ventures and Layer 6 co-founder Tomi Poutanen and Professor Geoffrey Hinton. Jordan is a Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), which administers on behalf of the Government of Canada the world’s first national AI strategy, which Jordan helped author. Jordan is also a member of the University of Waterloo President’s International Advisory Board, a Director of Tennis Canada, and has been selected as one of Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People. Jordan previously co-founded Milq, a cultural content discovery platform and early adopter of machine learning for personalization. He also founded SpyBox Media, through which he developed and partnered with Elton John’s Rocket Pictures to executive produce the Emmy-nominated music TV series Spectacle, hosted by Elvis Costello. Jordan started his career as a technology and entertainment lawyer,and received his JD from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto where he was admitted at age 19.

Nicole Foster is Director of AWS Global AI/ML and Canada Public Policy at Amazon, where she leads the direction and strategy of artificial intelligence public policy for Amazon Web Services (AWS) around the world as well as the company’s public policy efforts in support of the AWS business in Canada. In this role, she focuses on issues related to emerging technology, digital modernization, cloud computing, cyber security, data protection and privacy, government procurement, economic development, skilled immigration, workforce development, and renewable energy policy. Prior to joining Amazon in 2018, Nicole led the Toronto office for Global Public Affairs, providing senior public affairs counsel to clients. Before joining Global in 2004, Nicole worked for a number of years in political roles in Ottawa. Nicole is the immediate Past National Chair of Equal Voice, a multi-partisan group dedicated to raising the issue of women’s under-representation in Canadian legislatures.

Dr. Ernest Kwamina Addison was appointed Governor of the Bank of Ghana by the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in April 2017. Under his leadership, the Bank of Ghana has undertaken broad reforms to safeguard the stability of the financial system and the Ghanaian economy. Dr. Addison is currently the Co-chair, of the Economic Policy Coordination Committee for Ghana; the Chairman, Committee of Governors of West African Monetary Zones; the Co-chair FSB Regional Consultative Group for Sub-Saharan Africa; and the Chairman, Ghana International Bank (GHIB) London; Chairman, Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GHIPSS) Board; and Member, Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Board. Dr. Addison holds a PhD with a specialization in monetary economics and economic development from McGill University in Canada, a master’s degree in economics and politics from the University of Cambridge, and a degree in economics from the University of Ghana.

As Chief Digital Officer and Head of Canadian Products at BMO Financial Group, Mat is responsible for driving BMO’s digital transformation while overseeing the bank’s retail deposit, investing, unsecured lending and home financing businesses in Canada. Mat joined BMO in 2010, where he has held progressively senior roles in the Corporate Strategy, Digital and Personal and Business Banking areas. He holds an Honours Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business. On February 8, 2024, Interac Corp. announced that Mat has joined its Interac Board of Directors. Mat also serves on the Board of Directors of Good Shepherd Ministries in Toronto, which provides over 450,000 meals and shelters over 1,500 people annually. In addition to sponsorship and advocacy, he is passionate about helping the organization leverage digital to drive more significant, sustainable, and consistent donations.

Faryar Shirzad is Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase, where he leads the company’s engagement with policymakers around the world and has become a trusted source for thought leadership in the global crypto policy space. Under Shirzad’s leadership, Coinbase has become a driver of crypto-regulation discourse in the U.S. He oversaw the creation of Coinbase’s Digital Asset Policy Proposal (or dApp), which laid out a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the rapidly-emerging industry and was recognized as “a dramatic shift from current policy in the United States”, sparking an ongoing conversation on how crypto should be regulated while safeguarding American innovation. Before joining Coinbase, Shirzad was Global Co-Head of Government Affairs at Goldman Sachs. Shirzad has served as counsel to the highest levels of the U.S. government, including as deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs for President George W. Bush. In that role, he served as The President’s personal representative to the G-8 (the “G-8 Sherpa”). Prior to his time in the White House, Shirzad was assistant secretary for import administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce and international trade counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in Washington, DC. Faryar earned a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, a MPP from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a BS from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Francisco Rivadeneyra is the Director for CBDC & FinTech Policy and Research at the Bank of Canada. In this role he leads a team developing policy advice in areas of central bank digital currency, electronic money and payments, and the implications for central banks of broader financial innovations. He also is an active researcher working in the intersection of technology, payments infrastructures and finance. His current research studies the security and convenience trade-off of digital currencies and the use of artificial intelligence in the liquidity management problem of commercial banks. His previous work has been on the management of domestic debt and foreign reserves for the Government of Canada. Mr. Rivadeneyra holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Head of the Toronto Innovation Hub Centre within the Bank for International settlements, his role is to contribute to the creation of digital financial public goods such as settlement systems, identity solutions and open finance environments. Before this position he was the head of Payment Systems and Financial Market infrastructures at the central Bank of Mexico where he guided the development, operation, analysis, and regulation of financial market infrastructures. He oversaw the modernization of the payment systems in Mexico, directed the creation of a fast payment system denominated in dollars, and was deeply involved in the development of the operational and regulatory strategy of the Central Bank regarding financial market infrastructures, including CBDC and the inclusion of new market participants in the ecosystem and the opening of the market to open finance solutions. In his previous roles he directed strategic planning and managed macro-financial analysis for the Bank of Mexico, and he is an Economist with a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Daniel Eberhard is a Co-Founder of Koho Financial Inc. and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. Daniel Eberhard served as Vice-President of Business Development at Kineticor Renewables Inc. acquired by Algonquin Power. He previously worked as a Business Transition Consultant for De Regenboog and was the recipient of the H.G. Schippel Junior Consultant of the Year award. Daniel Eberhard holds two degrees, Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Applied Business and Entrepreneurship -International Business. Daniel Eberhard also holds a Consulting Diploma from Hoegenschool De Zeeland, Netherlands.

Professor Peter Loewen is the Director of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He is cross-appointed to the Munk School and the Department of Political Science. For 2020-2022, he is a Distinguished Visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study at Tel Aviv University. Professor Loewen received his B.A. from Mount Allison University (2002) and his PhD from l’Université de Montréal (2008). He held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of British Columbia and the University of California at San Diego. Since joining the University of Toronto he has held visiting positions including the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics at Princeton University, and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.

Mr. Tapscott is an entrepreneur, author and seasoned capital markets professional focused on the impact of Bitcoin, blockchain and other digital assets on business and financial markets. Mr. Tapscott is the co-author of the critically acclaimed non-fiction best-seller, Blockchain Revolution, which has been translated into more than 15 languages and has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. He is also the Editor and Co-author of Financial Services Revolution (January 2020). Mr. Tapscott is sought after world-wide for his expertise by business and government audiences. He has delivered over 200 lectures and executive briefings at firms like Goldman Sachs (Talks at GS), Google, Allianz, IBM, Microsoft and Accenture. His TedX talk, “Blockchain is Eating Wall Street” has been viewed over 700,000 times. Mr. Tapscott has also written for The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Globe and Mail, National Post and many other publications. In 2017, Mr. Tapscott co-founded the Blockchain Research Institute (BRI), a global think-tank investigating blockchain strategies, opportunities and use-cases. Previously, Mr. Tapscott was Director of institutional equity sales at Canaccord Genuity. Mr. Tapscott is a graduate of Amherst College (Cum Laude) and is a CFA Charterholder.

José Manuel Marqués is Head the Financial Innovation and Market Infrastructures Department Bank of Spain (Banco de España). In this position, he coordinates the contribution from Bank of Spain to Infrastructures captured under the TARGET Services (Target 2 Securities and Eurosystem Collateral Management System) and Market Activities Processing System. He also coordinates the analysis of the main trends transforming the financial system: Big tech and Fintech, Cryptocurrencies, CBDC, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Blockchain and DLT. Marqués has joined Bank of Spain in 1996 and has written a number of articles on financial markets and is chair of the Working Group of Green Finance in the BIS Innovation Network and represent Bank of Spain on the High Level Taskforce on the digital euro, the CEMLA Foro Fintech. He has a BA in Economics and Business from University of Zaragoza, and an MSc from University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.