top of page
_edited.png)
Leadership
Creating a trusted, secure and empowered digital future for all.
Maíra Martini
Transparency International
Research and Policy Expert - Corrupt Money Flows
Maíra Martini is the Research and Policy Expert on corrupt money flows at the Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin (TI-S) and leads the TI movement work on illicit financial flows, anti-money laundering, and beneficial ownership transparency. She is the author of several TI reports on these issues. Maíra is part of the Global Anti-Corruption Consortium, a ground-breaking partnership with investigative journalists from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. She is also on the Steering Groups of OpenOwnership and the Anti-Corruption Data Collective. Prior to that, Maira worked on the Anti-Corruption Helpdesk, where she produced research briefs on anti-corruption and governance on a variety of issues and countries and led the establishment of TI’s Anti-Corruption Experts Network. Maira is a lawyer, a certified anti-money laundering specialist (CANS) and holds a Masters in public policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
Research and Policy Expert - Corrupt Money Flows
Maíra Martini is the Research and Policy Expert on corrupt money flows at the Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin (TI-S) and leads the TI movement work on illicit financial flows, anti-money laundering, and beneficial ownership transparency. She is the author of several TI reports on these issues. Maíra is part of the Global Anti-Corruption Consortium, a ground-breaking partnership with investigative journalists from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. She is also on the Steering Groups of OpenOwnership and the Anti-Corruption Data Collective. Prior to that, Maira worked on the Anti-Corruption Helpdesk, where she produced research briefs on anti-corruption and governance on a variety of issues and countries and led the establishment of TI’s Anti-Corruption Experts Network. Maira is a lawyer, a certified anti-money laundering specialist (CANS) and holds a Masters in public policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
Patrick Alley
Global Witness
Director
Patrick Alley is one of the three founders of Global Witness. Founded in 1993, Global Witness has become one of the world’s leading investigative organisations dedicated to routing out corruption & environmental and human rights abuses around the world, with Patrick taking part in over 50 field investigations in South East Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. Taking the findings to lawmakers and into the boardrooms of multinational companies, Patrick and his colleagues have challenged the assumption that you can’t change things.
Global Witness continues to challenge of power to protect human rights and secure the future of our planet, with a specific focus on achieving climate justice.
Alongside his two co-founders, Patrick received the 2014 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. Global Witness were nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for their work exposing the murderous trade in Blood Diamonds.
Patrick’s book, Very Bad People – the Inside story of the Fight against the World’s Network of Corruption – will be published on 17th March 2022 and describes the founding of Global Witness and covers some of its most dramatic investigations.
"The told in this book of three youthful idealists who go from eating cold baked beans in a draughty London flat to the Thai-Cambodian border where they posed as traders in illegally felled timber is simply riveting. Don't miss it." Misha Glenny, author of McMafia.
"Reads like a high-speed chase against high-level corruption, criminals and con-men." David Farr, screenwriter, The Night Manager"
“Warlords, crooks, oil tycoons and dictators. A shocking, important and page-turning book that gives a unique insight into a hidden world of criminality.” Jeff Skoll, Founder & Chairman Participant Media, Skoll Foundation.
"More usually found in the pages of thrillers, these stories are frighteningly true. Corruption is one of the greatest enemies of democracy, to win the fight we need champions like Global Witness." George Soros.
Director
Patrick Alley is one of the three founders of Global Witness. Founded in 1993, Global Witness has become one of the world’s leading investigative organisations dedicated to routing out corruption & environmental and human rights abuses around the world, with Patrick taking part in over 50 field investigations in South East Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. Taking the findings to lawmakers and into the boardrooms of multinational companies, Patrick and his colleagues have challenged the assumption that you can’t change things.
Global Witness continues to challenge of power to protect human rights and secure the future of our planet, with a specific focus on achieving climate justice.
Alongside his two co-founders, Patrick received the 2014 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. Global Witness were nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for their work exposing the murderous trade in Blood Diamonds.
Patrick’s book, Very Bad People – the Inside story of the Fight against the World’s Network of Corruption – will be published on 17th March 2022 and describes the founding of Global Witness and covers some of its most dramatic investigations.
"The told in this book of three youthful idealists who go from eating cold baked beans in a draughty London flat to the Thai-Cambodian border where they posed as traders in illegally felled timber is simply riveting. Don't miss it." Misha Glenny, author of McMafia.
"Reads like a high-speed chase against high-level corruption, criminals and con-men." David Farr, screenwriter, The Night Manager"
“Warlords, crooks, oil tycoons and dictators. A shocking, important and page-turning book that gives a unique insight into a hidden world of criminality.” Jeff Skoll, Founder & Chairman Participant Media, Skoll Foundation.
"More usually found in the pages of thrillers, these stories are frighteningly true. Corruption is one of the greatest enemies of democracy, to win the fight we need champions like Global Witness." George Soros.
Navroop Sahdev
The Digital Economist
Founder & CEO
Navroop Sahdev is the founder and CEO of The Digital Economist, a global impact organization with the mission to drive technological convergence toward a human-centered global economy. Along with the world’s most respected digital economists, in 2019 she co-authored “Blockchain Economics: Implications of Distributed Ledgers: Markets, Communications Networks, and Algorithmic Reality”, the first book on the economics of blockchain. She has co-authored Hyperledger’s "Blockchain for Business" online course which has trained close to 200,000 entrepreneurs globally, and counting.
Navroop is currently a Connection Science Fellow at the MIT Media Lab, part of a curated group of top scholars and entrepreneurs in emerging technologies with a track record of outstanding achievement, who are building the future of Distributed Ledger Technologies, Digital Identity and Digital Networks. She is also the founder and CEO of Rethink Markets, a global action-tank focused on the Economics of Emerging Technologies, with the mission to bridge the gap between scholarly economics and business applications.
A pioneering economist and technology futurist, Navroop’s work lies at the intersection of emerging technologies, economic science and business strategy. Navroop is frequently interviewed by Forbes as a subject matter expert on the economics of emerging tech and requested as a keynote speaker at industry conferences. She was listed as one of the Top Blockchain Influencers in 2018 by Media Shower. She holds three masters in IP Management, Economics of Innovation and Applied Economics. Previously, she has worked at Harvard University and the United Nations Environment Programme. In 2017, Navroop served as a United Nations Youth Delegate.
Founder & CEO
Navroop Sahdev is the founder and CEO of The Digital Economist, a global impact organization with the mission to drive technological convergence toward a human-centered global economy. Along with the world’s most respected digital economists, in 2019 she co-authored “Blockchain Economics: Implications of Distributed Ledgers: Markets, Communications Networks, and Algorithmic Reality”, the first book on the economics of blockchain. She has co-authored Hyperledger’s "Blockchain for Business" online course which has trained close to 200,000 entrepreneurs globally, and counting.
Navroop is currently a Connection Science Fellow at the MIT Media Lab, part of a curated group of top scholars and entrepreneurs in emerging technologies with a track record of outstanding achievement, who are building the future of Distributed Ledger Technologies, Digital Identity and Digital Networks. She is also the founder and CEO of Rethink Markets, a global action-tank focused on the Economics of Emerging Technologies, with the mission to bridge the gap between scholarly economics and business applications.
A pioneering economist and technology futurist, Navroop’s work lies at the intersection of emerging technologies, economic science and business strategy. Navroop is frequently interviewed by Forbes as a subject matter expert on the economics of emerging tech and requested as a keynote speaker at industry conferences. She was listed as one of the Top Blockchain Influencers in 2018 by Media Shower. She holds three masters in IP Management, Economics of Innovation and Applied Economics. Previously, she has worked at Harvard University and the United Nations Environment Programme. In 2017, Navroop served as a United Nations Youth Delegate.
Dr. Shlomit Wagman
Harvard University
Research Fellow
Dr. Shlomit Wagman was the Director-General of the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority (IMPA), a financial regulator and law enforcement agency, from 2016 to 2022, and the Acting Director-General of the Israel Privacy Protection Authority from 2019 to 2021. She was the Head of the Israeli delegation to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing watchdog from 2016 to 2022, and also served as a Co-Chair of its operational working group, a member of the Steering Group, and was a nominee for Presidency. She led major national reforms, most recently regulating cryptocurrencies, and the historic accession of Israel to the FATF as a member country, after an evaluation process in which Israel was placed among the top three most effective countries in the world. Under her leadership, IMPA doubled its size and exposed hundreds of money laundering and terrorism financing cases, which led to the crackdown of major criminal organizations and the seizure of billions of illicit funds. IMPA further received various awards, including the Egmont’s Global Best Financial Investigation (2016, 2021) and recognition by the FATF as one of the three most effective FIUs worldwide. Dr. Wagman worked in the private sector with leading law firms, including Wachtell Lipton in NYC and Gross-Hodak in Israel. She is the co-editor of the book "Cybercrime" (NYU Press, 2007), with Prof. Jack Balkin et al. She served as an adjunct lecturer at Tel Aviv University and Raichman University (2007-2012) and was a fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School (2003-2007). She holds J.S.D. and LL.M. degrees from Yale Law School (2007, 2005) and a joint LL.B. and B.A. degree (magna cum laude) in law and business management from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2001). She clerked for the Chief Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court, Prof. Aharon Barak.
She is a research fellow at the M-RCBG and a visiting researcher at the Berkman-Klein Center at Harvard Law School.
Research Fellow
Dr. Shlomit Wagman was the Director-General of the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority (IMPA), a financial regulator and law enforcement agency, from 2016 to 2022, and the Acting Director-General of the Israel Privacy Protection Authority from 2019 to 2021. She was the Head of the Israeli delegation to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing watchdog from 2016 to 2022, and also served as a Co-Chair of its operational working group, a member of the Steering Group, and was a nominee for Presidency. She led major national reforms, most recently regulating cryptocurrencies, and the historic accession of Israel to the FATF as a member country, after an evaluation process in which Israel was placed among the top three most effective countries in the world. Under her leadership, IMPA doubled its size and exposed hundreds of money laundering and terrorism financing cases, which led to the crackdown of major criminal organizations and the seizure of billions of illicit funds. IMPA further received various awards, including the Egmont’s Global Best Financial Investigation (2016, 2021) and recognition by the FATF as one of the three most effective FIUs worldwide. Dr. Wagman worked in the private sector with leading law firms, including Wachtell Lipton in NYC and Gross-Hodak in Israel. She is the co-editor of the book "Cybercrime" (NYU Press, 2007), with Prof. Jack Balkin et al. She served as an adjunct lecturer at Tel Aviv University and Raichman University (2007-2012) and was a fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School (2003-2007). She holds J.S.D. and LL.M. degrees from Yale Law School (2007, 2005) and a joint LL.B. and B.A. degree (magna cum laude) in law and business management from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2001). She clerked for the Chief Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court, Prof. Aharon Barak.
She is a research fellow at the M-RCBG and a visiting researcher at the Berkman-Klein Center at Harvard Law School.
Paul Radu
Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project
Founder and Executive Director
Paul Radu is Co-Founder and Head of Innovation at OCCRP. He founded the organization in 2007 with Drew Sullivan. He leads OCCRP’s major investigative projects, scopes regional expansion, and develops new strategies and technology to expose organized crime and corruption across borders.
Paul initiated and led the award-winning Russian, Azerbaijani, and Troika Laundromat investigations, and coined the term “laundromat” to define large scale, all-purpose financial fraud vehicles that are used to launder billions of dollars. He is a co-creator of Investigative Dashboard — a research desk that sifts through datasets to help journalists trace people, companies, and assets — and the Visual Investigative Scenarios software, a tool that lets reporters sketch out the people, institutions, and connections in criminal networks so people can easily follow complex investigations. He is also a co-founder of RISE Project, a platform for investigative reporters in Romania.
Paul is an Ashoka Global Fellow and has held a number of other fellowships, including the Milena Jesenska Press Fellowship, the Rosalyn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism, the Knight International Journalism Fellowship with the International Center for Journalists as well as a 2009-2010 Stanford Knight Journalism Fellowship. He is a board member for the Global Investigative Journalism Network, a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a member of the jury for the global Sigma Data Journalism Awards, and a member of the Allard Prize advisory board.
Paul is a winner of the Daniel Pearl Award, the Global Shining Light Award, the European Press Prize, and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and was part of the Panama Papers team that won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism. He has also authored or contributed to handbooks and digital guides such as “Against Corruption: a collection of essays,” “The Data Journalism Handbook,” and “Follow the Money — A Digital Guide to Tracking Corruption.”
Founder and Executive Director
Paul Radu is Co-Founder and Head of Innovation at OCCRP. He founded the organization in 2007 with Drew Sullivan. He leads OCCRP’s major investigative projects, scopes regional expansion, and develops new strategies and technology to expose organized crime and corruption across borders.
Paul initiated and led the award-winning Russian, Azerbaijani, and Troika Laundromat investigations, and coined the term “laundromat” to define large scale, all-purpose financial fraud vehicles that are used to launder billions of dollars. He is a co-creator of Investigative Dashboard — a research desk that sifts through datasets to help journalists trace people, companies, and assets — and the Visual Investigative Scenarios software, a tool that lets reporters sketch out the people, institutions, and connections in criminal networks so people can easily follow complex investigations. He is also a co-founder of RISE Project, a platform for investigative reporters in Romania.
Paul is an Ashoka Global Fellow and has held a number of other fellowships, including the Milena Jesenska Press Fellowship, the Rosalyn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism, the Knight International Journalism Fellowship with the International Center for Journalists as well as a 2009-2010 Stanford Knight Journalism Fellowship. He is a board member for the Global Investigative Journalism Network, a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a member of the jury for the global Sigma Data Journalism Awards, and a member of the Allard Prize advisory board.
Paul is a winner of the Daniel Pearl Award, the Global Shining Light Award, the European Press Prize, and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and was part of the Panama Papers team that won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism. He has also authored or contributed to handbooks and digital guides such as “Against Corruption: a collection of essays,” “The Data Journalism Handbook,” and “Follow the Money — A Digital Guide to Tracking Corruption.”
Valentina Ion
Microsoft
Public Finance, Customs, Public Transportation Lead
As Director of Government Industry Solutions, Valentina is responsible for driving customer Digital Transformation based on deep understanding of their industry, its drivers and the critical solutions.
Valentina is in charge of the strategy development for our industry solutions sales and for the landing model, including establishing strategic partnerships with ICT, Advisory, Academia or International Organisations such as OECD, IOTA etc.
She has an education in the field of Business& ITC, Finances &Marketing graduated of National Economics Academy in Romania, Université de Sciences Sociales Toulouse and Université d'Orléans, France.
Public Finance, Customs, Public Transportation Lead
As Director of Government Industry Solutions, Valentina is responsible for driving customer Digital Transformation based on deep understanding of their industry, its drivers and the critical solutions.
Valentina is in charge of the strategy development for our industry solutions sales and for the landing model, including establishing strategic partnerships with ICT, Advisory, Academia or International Organisations such as OECD, IOTA etc.
She has an education in the field of Business& ITC, Finances &Marketing graduated of National Economics Academy in Romania, Université de Sciences Sociales Toulouse and Université d'Orléans, France.
Gary Kalman
Transparency International
Director of the US Office
Gary Kalman is the Executive Director of TI US. He oversees the organization’s U.S. operations focusing on illicit finance and the U.S. role in global anti-corruption efforts. He was a founding member the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition, a nonpartisan alliance promoting policies to combat the harmful impacts of corrupt financial practices and served as Executive Director from 2016 to 2019. He was also a founder of Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition that, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, led the successful fight for the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill. Shortly after coming to Washington, he directed the federal legislative office for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). While at U.S. PIRG, he was a leading voice for congressional ethics and lobbying reform having sat on a bipartisan task force convened by the Speaker of the House. He is currently an Advisory Council member for the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies. He has testified before Congress on numerous occasions on financial accountability and is a regular speaker and commentator on anti-corruption and transparency issues at conferences, events and in the media.
Director of the US Office
Gary Kalman is the Executive Director of TI US. He oversees the organization’s U.S. operations focusing on illicit finance and the U.S. role in global anti-corruption efforts. He was a founding member the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition, a nonpartisan alliance promoting policies to combat the harmful impacts of corrupt financial practices and served as Executive Director from 2016 to 2019. He was also a founder of Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition that, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, led the successful fight for the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill. Shortly after coming to Washington, he directed the federal legislative office for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). While at U.S. PIRG, he was a leading voice for congressional ethics and lobbying reform having sat on a bipartisan task force convened by the Speaker of the House. He is currently an Advisory Council member for the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies. He has testified before Congress on numerous occasions on financial accountability and is a regular speaker and commentator on anti-corruption and transparency issues at conferences, events and in the media.
Gurvinder Ahluwalia
Digital Twin Labs
Founder & CEO
Gurvinder Singh Ahluwalia is a Computer Scientist. He has made seminal contributions in: Cybersecurity & Trust, Blockchain & DLT, Digital Assets & Tokenomics, Cryptocurrencies and CBDC, IoT & Embedded Systems, DeFi & Fintech, Metaverse & Smart Cities, Supply Chain & Enterprise Systems - for ventures and enterprises. He is the former CTO of IBM Blockchain-IoT-Cloud unit, North America and Member of IBM Academy of Technology. He has advisory duties to Gates Foundation, Berkeley Labs, and University College London.
Gurvinder's current mission is to democratize risk and cybersecurity at Clertrust.
In his enterprise and venture career, Guri has stewarded the industry, clients, and open source through recent waves of tech from Internet to Web to Mobile to Cloud and now to Blockchain, AI/ML, and IoT. He is called upon globally for his field strategy and implementation leadership of products, platforms, and ventures for business, public sector, and societal (ESG) outcomes.
Some of Gurvinder's distinguishing contributions to the industry are
- Co-created first proof for enterprise use of blockchain in the world (2014)
- Cofounded IBM Blockchain BU and Linux Foundation Hyperledger open source
- Built first two supply networks on blockchain for global ethical trade of diamonds
- Produced infrastructure readiness in pre-IPO underwriting at Visa
- Created strategic architecutre of first FX product on Ethereum/Quorum at T+0 "trade then settle"
- Created first fintech blueprint for $1.7T US mortgage entity Freddie Mac
- Built first ever embedded Linux tablet in US, foretelling an era of protocols and devices
- Created seminal RFID strategy at P&G culminating into MIT AutoID, global supply transformation
- Launched first (and failed) retail smart home gateway
- Deployed second largest network in world at the dawn of TCP/IP
Previously, as CTO for IBM North America, Guri has been known as the “architecture conscience”. He is one of the original arsonists of the blockchain fire at IBM which culminated into a multi-million dollar globoal business and open source movement.
Guri has worked at Motorola, Accenture, Sun, and Diamond Technology Partners (PwC). With duties worldwide, he has based in US & France. Guri is a frequent speaker at forums including Davos, Horasis, European Commission, Stanford, US Federal Reserve, US Department of State, MIT, World Automotive Conference, World Food Congress, Google, UC Berkeley, Diamler Benz, and Samsung Developer Conference.
Founder & CEO
Gurvinder Singh Ahluwalia is a Computer Scientist. He has made seminal contributions in: Cybersecurity & Trust, Blockchain & DLT, Digital Assets & Tokenomics, Cryptocurrencies and CBDC, IoT & Embedded Systems, DeFi & Fintech, Metaverse & Smart Cities, Supply Chain & Enterprise Systems - for ventures and enterprises. He is the former CTO of IBM Blockchain-IoT-Cloud unit, North America and Member of IBM Academy of Technology. He has advisory duties to Gates Foundation, Berkeley Labs, and University College London.
Gurvinder's current mission is to democratize risk and cybersecurity at Clertrust.
In his enterprise and venture career, Guri has stewarded the industry, clients, and open source through recent waves of tech from Internet to Web to Mobile to Cloud and now to Blockchain, AI/ML, and IoT. He is called upon globally for his field strategy and implementation leadership of products, platforms, and ventures for business, public sector, and societal (ESG) outcomes.
Some of Gurvinder's distinguishing contributions to the industry are
- Co-created first proof for enterprise use of blockchain in the world (2014)
- Cofounded IBM Blockchain BU and Linux Foundation Hyperledger open source
- Built first two supply networks on blockchain for global ethical trade of diamonds
- Produced infrastructure readiness in pre-IPO underwriting at Visa
- Created strategic architecutre of first FX product on Ethereum/Quorum at T+0 "trade then settle"
- Created first fintech blueprint for $1.7T US mortgage entity Freddie Mac
- Built first ever embedded Linux tablet in US, foretelling an era of protocols and devices
- Created seminal RFID strategy at P&G culminating into MIT AutoID, global supply transformation
- Launched first (and failed) retail smart home gateway
- Deployed second largest network in world at the dawn of TCP/IP
Previously, as CTO for IBM North America, Guri has been known as the “architecture conscience”. He is one of the original arsonists of the blockchain fire at IBM which culminated into a multi-million dollar globoal business and open source movement.
Guri has worked at Motorola, Accenture, Sun, and Diamond Technology Partners (PwC). With duties worldwide, he has based in US & France. Guri is a frequent speaker at forums including Davos, Horasis, European Commission, Stanford, US Federal Reserve, US Department of State, MIT, World Automotive Conference, World Food Congress, Google, UC Berkeley, Diamler Benz, and Samsung Developer Conference.
Sandra Ro
Global Blockchain Business Council
CEO
Sandra is passionate about solving real world problems using human-centric tech. She believes in making profits with consciousness of impact to society, democratizing opportunities for many, not just a few.
Specialties: Impact on financial services industry: distributed ledger technologies including blockchain, digital assets, crypto-currencies, digitization of assets, non-fungible tokens, smart contracts and applications, FX futures and options, electronic trading, clearing, research, US, UK, EU, Kazakhstan, South Korea crypto regulations, cross-border M&A, special situation FX advisory, emerging markets, FX derivs structuring, exotic derivatives, hybrid FX/rates derivatives, FX settlements, precious, base & ferrous metals cash and derivatives, benchmarks, structured products & indices. And a budding digital artist for animal & environment conservation. Studying how to raise cashmere goats, aspiring farmer.
CEO
Sandra is passionate about solving real world problems using human-centric tech. She believes in making profits with consciousness of impact to society, democratizing opportunities for many, not just a few.
Specialties: Impact on financial services industry: distributed ledger technologies including blockchain, digital assets, crypto-currencies, digitization of assets, non-fungible tokens, smart contracts and applications, FX futures and options, electronic trading, clearing, research, US, UK, EU, Kazakhstan, South Korea crypto regulations, cross-border M&A, special situation FX advisory, emerging markets, FX derivs structuring, exotic derivatives, hybrid FX/rates derivatives, FX settlements, precious, base & ferrous metals cash and derivatives, benchmarks, structured products & indices. And a budding digital artist for animal & environment conservation. Studying how to raise cashmere goats, aspiring farmer.
Diana Barrero Zalles
Global Blockchain Business Council
Head of Research and Sustainability
Diana Barrero Zalles is Head of Research and Sustainability at the Global Blockchain Business Council. She previously has held investment banking roles in New York and Washington DC, in addition to having published industry research on various topics related to digital assets and sustainability, market integrity for crypto trading platforms, market infrastructure, and governance for decentralized finance (DeFi). She began her career in digital assets from a lens of security and regulatory technology to uphold governance, having advised the Parliament of Cyprus to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets and AML/CFT risk assessment. She still contributes with blockchain industry associations to set standards and best practices at the intersection of digital assets and ESG issues. Diana is an alumna of the University of Notre Dame and has an MBA from Yale. She was born in Bolivia and is a native Spanish and English speaker.
Head of Research and Sustainability
Diana Barrero Zalles is Head of Research and Sustainability at the Global Blockchain Business Council. She previously has held investment banking roles in New York and Washington DC, in addition to having published industry research on various topics related to digital assets and sustainability, market integrity for crypto trading platforms, market infrastructure, and governance for decentralized finance (DeFi). She began her career in digital assets from a lens of security and regulatory technology to uphold governance, having advised the Parliament of Cyprus to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets and AML/CFT risk assessment. She still contributes with blockchain industry associations to set standards and best practices at the intersection of digital assets and ESG issues. Diana is an alumna of the University of Notre Dame and has an MBA from Yale. She was born in Bolivia and is a native Spanish and English speaker.
Jay Jayaraman
iSPIRIT Foundation
Volunteer
With over 40 years of distinguished service to Colgate, Jay made wide ranging contributions globally to strengthen the business, inspire innovation and develop leaders. As Vice President, Global Strategic Innovation and Technology Alliances (SITA), Jay brought a wealth of experience and knowledge of Colgate’s global business to create new platform innovation opportunities. Prior to leading the SITA team, Jay was Vice President, Global Oral Care (2000-2012) where he played a key role in advancing Colgate Oral Care business globally and was instrumental in the acquisition and commercialization of the “Pro Argin” technology platform. In 2015, Jay was honored as one of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business.
Volunteer
With over 40 years of distinguished service to Colgate, Jay made wide ranging contributions globally to strengthen the business, inspire innovation and develop leaders. As Vice President, Global Strategic Innovation and Technology Alliances (SITA), Jay brought a wealth of experience and knowledge of Colgate’s global business to create new platform innovation opportunities. Prior to leading the SITA team, Jay was Vice President, Global Oral Care (2000-2012) where he played a key role in advancing Colgate Oral Care business globally and was instrumental in the acquisition and commercialization of the “Pro Argin” technology platform. In 2015, Jay was honored as one of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business.
Andres Knobel
Tax Justice Network
Senior Researcher
Andres Knobel is a lawyer and consultant with the Tax Justice Network, and has worked as a consultant for the Green Party of the European Parliament, the UN FACTI Panel, the UNODC, the German cooperation agency (GIZ) and the Inter-American Development Bank.
His work focuses on financial secrecy and tax havens, specifically in relation to banking secrecy, beneficial ownership registration, automatic exchange of bank account information and abusive regimes of trust law. He has also worked on international tax avoidance and fiscal modeling of oil projects.
Andres has been invited to speak at conferences regarding these issues in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Seychelles, Spain, the UK and the US.
He studied law at University of Buenos Aires and he has a Master in Law and Economics from Di Tella University. He has also completed course work at Columbia University in New York and Humboldt University in Berlin as part of study abroad programs.
Senior Researcher
Andres Knobel is a lawyer and consultant with the Tax Justice Network, and has worked as a consultant for the Green Party of the European Parliament, the UN FACTI Panel, the UNODC, the German cooperation agency (GIZ) and the Inter-American Development Bank.
His work focuses on financial secrecy and tax havens, specifically in relation to banking secrecy, beneficial ownership registration, automatic exchange of bank account information and abusive regimes of trust law. He has also worked on international tax avoidance and fiscal modeling of oil projects.
Andres has been invited to speak at conferences regarding these issues in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Seychelles, Spain, the UK and the US.
He studied law at University of Buenos Aires and he has a Master in Law and Economics from Di Tella University. He has also completed course work at Columbia University in New York and Humboldt University in Berlin as part of study abroad programs.
Thom Townsend
OpenOwnership
Executive Director
Thom Townsend is Open Ownership’s Executive Director and our chief strategist. He directs implementation efforts and works with our partners to maximise our impact. His focus is on making sure that we deliver our goal of ensuring the world has more open, usable information about who ultimately owns and controls companies.
Thom is an expert on open data and was previously Head of Data Policy for the UK government. He has led some of the UK’s biggest open data commitments at the national and global level, and has spent his career ensuring that good data is being produced and used inside and outside of government.
Thom led the open contracting elements of the 2016 London Anti-Corruption Summit and it was here that the real push towards open, usable beneficial ownership data got started and Open Ownership was born. It was clear that beneficial ownership disclosure is the last link in the long chain required to follow the money and the next frontier to work on, which is why Thom left government and now leads Open Ownership.
Thom is based in London.
Executive Director
Thom Townsend is Open Ownership’s Executive Director and our chief strategist. He directs implementation efforts and works with our partners to maximise our impact. His focus is on making sure that we deliver our goal of ensuring the world has more open, usable information about who ultimately owns and controls companies.
Thom is an expert on open data and was previously Head of Data Policy for the UK government. He has led some of the UK’s biggest open data commitments at the national and global level, and has spent his career ensuring that good data is being produced and used inside and outside of government.
Thom led the open contracting elements of the 2016 London Anti-Corruption Summit and it was here that the real push towards open, usable beneficial ownership data got started and Open Ownership was born. It was clear that beneficial ownership disclosure is the last link in the long chain required to follow the money and the next frontier to work on, which is why Thom left government and now leads Open Ownership.
Thom is based in London.
Natalie Salemink
Skadi Labs
Founder
Natalie Salemink is an entrepreneur and digital asset strategist with over 8 years of experience in blockchain-based capital markets across Australia, Singapore and Switzerland. Currently, she is the Founder and CEO of Skadi Labs, a web3 venture studio.Alongside other blockchain consulting roles, she was an early team member at DigiCash, one of the first digital cash startups. She is formally educated in economics, finance and data science.
Founder
Natalie Salemink is an entrepreneur and digital asset strategist with over 8 years of experience in blockchain-based capital markets across Australia, Singapore and Switzerland. Currently, she is the Founder and CEO of Skadi Labs, a web3 venture studio.Alongside other blockchain consulting roles, she was an early team member at DigiCash, one of the first digital cash startups. She is formally educated in economics, finance and data science.
Tom Cardamone
Global Financial Integrity
President & CEO
Tom Cardamone is the President and CEO of Global Financial Integrity (GFI). Mr. Cardamone is responsible for the strategic planning and promotion of organizational goals and policy positions to key audiences, including high-level government officials, multilateral institutions and potential donors. He also leads GFI’s efforts to promote the concept of trade integrity, the use of blockchain technology to curtail illicit trade and trade-based money laundering, as well as calling for reimagining FinCEN to ensure the agency is positioned to address financial crime well into the 21st century.
Throughout his career, Mr. Cardamone has served as an analyst, consultant, project director and executive director to several non-profit organizations. He has advocated numerous policy positions related to increasing global financial security and transparency through appearances on CNN, CNBC, Canadian Broadcasting, as well as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. He has delivered remarks on various policy issues to the UN, the OECD and has testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
President & CEO
Tom Cardamone is the President and CEO of Global Financial Integrity (GFI). Mr. Cardamone is responsible for the strategic planning and promotion of organizational goals and policy positions to key audiences, including high-level government officials, multilateral institutions and potential donors. He also leads GFI’s efforts to promote the concept of trade integrity, the use of blockchain technology to curtail illicit trade and trade-based money laundering, as well as calling for reimagining FinCEN to ensure the agency is positioned to address financial crime well into the 21st century.
Throughout his career, Mr. Cardamone has served as an analyst, consultant, project director and executive director to several non-profit organizations. He has advocated numerous policy positions related to increasing global financial security and transparency through appearances on CNN, CNBC, Canadian Broadcasting, as well as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. He has delivered remarks on various policy issues to the UN, the OECD and has testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Sharad Sharma
iSPIRT Foundation
Co-Founder
Sharad's mantra is to lead big and small companies through orbit change. He has three decades of experience in the Internet, Enterprise Software, and Digital Infrastructure markets and is a prominent voice in India's technology ecosystem.
Sharad is a passionate evangelist of the software product ecosystem in India. He co-founded iSPIRT Foundation, a non-profit technology think tank devoted to making India a product nation. Earlier, he Chaired NASSCOM Product Forum in its formative years and was a member of the NASSCOM Executive Council from 2009-13.
Sharad co-founded Teltier Technologies Inc., a wireless infrastructure startup now part of CISCO, and is an active technology angel investor with over two dozen investments. He was also instrumental in the success of India's first IP focussed fund, India Innovation Fund.
Sharad has held several senior R&D executive positions with leading technology companies, including Yahoo, VERITAS Software, Symantec, Lucent Technologies, and AT&T. Zinnov gave him the R&D Visionary Award in 2008 for his work on creating a strong MNC R&D footprint in India.
Sharad is a member of National Startup Advisory Council and SEBI's Financial and Regulatory Technology Committee. He has also served on RBI's UK Sinha MSME Committee and National Digital Payments Committee.
Sharad got interested in kernel software development while doing his Electrical Engineering at Delhi College of Engineering. He started India's first Student Minicomputer Club in 1984 as served as the Chairperson of the IEEE Student Chapter.
Co-Founder
Sharad's mantra is to lead big and small companies through orbit change. He has three decades of experience in the Internet, Enterprise Software, and Digital Infrastructure markets and is a prominent voice in India's technology ecosystem.
Sharad is a passionate evangelist of the software product ecosystem in India. He co-founded iSPIRT Foundation, a non-profit technology think tank devoted to making India a product nation. Earlier, he Chaired NASSCOM Product Forum in its formative years and was a member of the NASSCOM Executive Council from 2009-13.
Sharad co-founded Teltier Technologies Inc., a wireless infrastructure startup now part of CISCO, and is an active technology angel investor with over two dozen investments. He was also instrumental in the success of India's first IP focussed fund, India Innovation Fund.
Sharad has held several senior R&D executive positions with leading technology companies, including Yahoo, VERITAS Software, Symantec, Lucent Technologies, and AT&T. Zinnov gave him the R&D Visionary Award in 2008 for his work on creating a strong MNC R&D footprint in India.
Sharad is a member of National Startup Advisory Council and SEBI's Financial and Regulatory Technology Committee. He has also served on RBI's UK Sinha MSME Committee and National Digital Payments Committee.
Sharad got interested in kernel software development while doing his Electrical Engineering at Delhi College of Engineering. He started India's first Student Minicomputer Club in 1984 as served as the Chairperson of the IEEE Student Chapter.
Jwalant Desai
Edmonton Unlimited
Start-up AdvisorStart-up Advisor
Experienced professional with 20 years of experience in Technology, Venture Capital, business development & strategy and startups globally. Currently based in Canada, focusing on building a new innovation center focused on technology based start-ups.
Active in startups and VC ecosystem.
Contributing as the Director of Growth (Fellow) in USA based Think Tank The Digital Economist. Responsible for collaboration and business development activities as well as mentoring startups participating in the inhouse programs and support to collaborate with VCs.
Active in global start-up ecosystem. Well connected with startups in Singapore, ASEAN and globally as well. Focus area: provide consultation ranging from ideation, product development, Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, pricing, business development to strategy. Also assisting start-ups in investor relationship and business development.
Start-up AdvisorStart-up Advisor
Experienced professional with 20 years of experience in Technology, Venture Capital, business development & strategy and startups globally. Currently based in Canada, focusing on building a new innovation center focused on technology based start-ups.
Active in startups and VC ecosystem.
Contributing as the Director of Growth (Fellow) in USA based Think Tank The Digital Economist. Responsible for collaboration and business development activities as well as mentoring startups participating in the inhouse programs and support to collaborate with VCs.
Active in global start-up ecosystem. Well connected with startups in Singapore, ASEAN and globally as well. Focus area: provide consultation ranging from ideation, product development, Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, pricing, business development to strategy. Also assisting start-ups in investor relationship and business development.
Former members
Don Griswold
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Senior Fellow
A Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Don contributes rigorous research-based analysis of U.S. state and local tax (SALT) policy options for eradicating abusive tax avoidance and advancing inclusive prosperity.
CBPP is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone—regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status—has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity.
Prior to joining the Center, Don wrote the "(Re)Thinking Tax" column for Bloomberg and "Just SALT" column for Tax Notes on topics including tax transparency, gender tax equity, corporate and billionaire state tax avoidance, and the intersection of tax justice with human rights. His policy consulting included convening renowned data scientists and tax justice advocates at The Digital Economist’s Center of Excellence on Human-centered Global Economy. Together, they recommended transformative technology antidotes to abusive financial secrecy at the International Anti-Corruption Conference.
Before changing his worldview, Don spent decades serving large multinational corporations in high-profile thought leadership positions. He worked as Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s in-house executive state and local tax counsel, KPMG’s national partner-in-charge of its 600-person "state tax minimization" group, and a nationwide tax litigation partner with McDermott Will & Emery, Reed Smith, and Crowell & Moring. He was a prolific public speaker and taught as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Don earned a B.A. in economics, with honors, from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
Senior Fellow
A Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Don contributes rigorous research-based analysis of U.S. state and local tax (SALT) policy options for eradicating abusive tax avoidance and advancing inclusive prosperity.
CBPP is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone—regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status—has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity.
Prior to joining the Center, Don wrote the "(Re)Thinking Tax" column for Bloomberg and "Just SALT" column for Tax Notes on topics including tax transparency, gender tax equity, corporate and billionaire state tax avoidance, and the intersection of tax justice with human rights. His policy consulting included convening renowned data scientists and tax justice advocates at The Digital Economist’s Center of Excellence on Human-centered Global Economy. Together, they recommended transformative technology antidotes to abusive financial secrecy at the International Anti-Corruption Conference.
Before changing his worldview, Don spent decades serving large multinational corporations in high-profile thought leadership positions. He worked as Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s in-house executive state and local tax counsel, KPMG’s national partner-in-charge of its 600-person "state tax minimization" group, and a nationwide tax litigation partner with McDermott Will & Emery, Reed Smith, and Crowell & Moring. He was a prolific public speaker and taught as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Don earned a B.A. in economics, with honors, from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
Satya Brata Das
The Digital Economist
Chair
Satya Brata Das is Chair of The Digital Economist: an impact organization, think-and-do tank, and strategic advisory converging the digital and physical economies for better human and planetary outcomes.
He is a Canadian writer, thinker, mentor, guru, and public intellectual. He serves as a strategic advisor and policy expert: focused most recently on climate resilience, sustainability, and emerging technology.
Satya has served on public, private, and philanthropic boards, and believes deeply in community service as an engaged volunteer. He is a frequent commentator, thought leader, and public speaker in both of Canada’s national languages, in media, and in national and international events. He is an expert futurist, addressing the unprecedented confluence of conflict, corruption, and climate catastrophe.
In volunteer life, Satya is a Member of the City of Edmonton's Energy Transition Climate Resilience Committee.
His books include Dispatches from a Borderless World (1999); The Best Country: Why Canada Will Lead the Future (2002), and Green Oil: Clean Energy for the 21st Century? (2009). His 2019 work of literary non-fiction, Us, offers a path out of the politics of division and fear to a future that works for us all. Satya served as lead author of The Digital Economist's book Meeting the Climate Challenge, released in 2022. He is currently convening eminent experts and leaders in developing actionable thought leadership on the theme of "Healing a Broken World."
Major awards include:
Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022)
• SAGE Award for community service in social justice (2018)
• Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)
• City of Edmonton Salute to Excellence (2001)
• The Alberta Human Rights Award (1999)
• Media Human Rights Award, B’nai Birth Canada (1998)
• Citation of Merit Editorial Writing, National Newspapers Awards (1996)
• Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada Media Fellowship (1992)
Specialties: Strategic thinking and planning; political, economic and social analysis; advice and guidance to senior leaders; private diplomacy; negotiation; relationship building.
Chair
Satya Brata Das is Chair of The Digital Economist: an impact organization, think-and-do tank, and strategic advisory converging the digital and physical economies for better human and planetary outcomes.
He is a Canadian writer, thinker, mentor, guru, and public intellectual. He serves as a strategic advisor and policy expert: focused most recently on climate resilience, sustainability, and emerging technology.
Satya has served on public, private, and philanthropic boards, and believes deeply in community service as an engaged volunteer. He is a frequent commentator, thought leader, and public speaker in both of Canada’s national languages, in media, and in national and international events. He is an expert futurist, addressing the unprecedented confluence of conflict, corruption, and climate catastrophe.
In volunteer life, Satya is a Member of the City of Edmonton's Energy Transition Climate Resilience Committee.
His books include Dispatches from a Borderless World (1999); The Best Country: Why Canada Will Lead the Future (2002), and Green Oil: Clean Energy for the 21st Century? (2009). His 2019 work of literary non-fiction, Us, offers a path out of the politics of division and fear to a future that works for us all. Satya served as lead author of The Digital Economist's book Meeting the Climate Challenge, released in 2022. He is currently convening eminent experts and leaders in developing actionable thought leadership on the theme of "Healing a Broken World."
Major awards include:
Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022)
• SAGE Award for community service in social justice (2018)
• Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)
• City of Edmonton Salute to Excellence (2001)
• The Alberta Human Rights Award (1999)
• Media Human Rights Award, B’nai Birth Canada (1998)
• Citation of Merit Editorial Writing, National Newspapers Awards (1996)
• Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada Media Fellowship (1992)
Specialties: Strategic thinking and planning; political, economic and social analysis; advice and guidance to senior leaders; private diplomacy; negotiation; relationship building.
Jaya Samuel
Harvard University
Student
Jaya focuses on the application of Mathematics in mapping and analyzing global challenges, namely the continued emphasis on and support of the "developing" world as an epicenter for change. As a student at Harvard College her concentration is Applied Mathematics with a secondary in Film and Visual Studies.
Student
Jaya focuses on the application of Mathematics in mapping and analyzing global challenges, namely the continued emphasis on and support of the "developing" world as an epicenter for change. As a student at Harvard College her concentration is Applied Mathematics with a secondary in Film and Visual Studies.
Simon Sun
Maurer Global Forum
Editor & Manager
Simon Sun is an S.J.D. candidate at Indiana University, Maurer School of Law. His dissertation concentrates on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (C.D.A.), algorithmic governance, and Internet speech. As a rising legal academic, Mr. Sun has been cultivating his research on cyber law & policy issues, including the First Amendment, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence. Simon Sun holds an LL.M. from Duke Law School and an LL.B. from National Chung Cheng University.
Editor & Manager
Simon Sun is an S.J.D. candidate at Indiana University, Maurer School of Law. His dissertation concentrates on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (C.D.A.), algorithmic governance, and Internet speech. As a rising legal academic, Mr. Sun has been cultivating his research on cyber law & policy issues, including the First Amendment, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence. Simon Sun holds an LL.M. from Duke Law School and an LL.B. from National Chung Cheng University.
Mike Durrie
The Digital Economist
Editor in Chief
Mike Durrie is an award-winning communication professional who draws on extensive experience supporting major corporations and medium-sized enterprises in various sectors in Asia, Europe and North America. His mother tongue is English and he also speaks German fluently. Born in Canada, Mike is based in Germany, where he lives with his wife and two children.
Official sponsor of the Bundesverband Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung e.V. (German Federal Literacy Association) www.alphabetisierung.de
Active supporter of the kindergarten Kinderforum e.V. (Children’s Forum) www.kifo.info
Instructor, International Business School, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences www.hs-fresenius.de/en/
Editor in Chief
Mike Durrie is an award-winning communication professional who draws on extensive experience supporting major corporations and medium-sized enterprises in various sectors in Asia, Europe and North America. His mother tongue is English and he also speaks German fluently. Born in Canada, Mike is based in Germany, where he lives with his wife and two children.
Official sponsor of the Bundesverband Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung e.V. (German Federal Literacy Association) www.alphabetisierung.de
Active supporter of the kindergarten Kinderforum e.V. (Children’s Forum) www.kifo.info
Instructor, International Business School, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences www.hs-fresenius.de/en/
Ranjani Sridharan
Kshetra PBC
Founder
Multilingual finance and investment professional with over ten years of experience in strategic management of social enterprises and eight plus years in impact investing. Experience collaborating with professionals in over 13 countries across Asia, Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. Specialized in financial modeling and impact analysis, investment due-diligence, Executive presentation and thought leadership, process transformation, strategic planning, and portfolio/fund management. Created high impact as project manager on consulting projects through analytical methodology, market research and strategy, and competitor benchmarking for local and international organizations. Worked with consulting clients in industries across impact investing, international development, social entrepreneurship, renewable energy, SME development, financial inclusion, and supply chain logistics. Reputation as a leader with an aptitude for motivating, coaching, and strengthening global teams.If you have built castles in the sky, let not your dreams go to waste. Just build the foundations under them. – Henry David Thoreau Multilingual finance and investment professional with over ten years of experience in strategic management of social enterprises and eight plus years in impact investing. Experience collaborating with professionals in over 13 countries across Asia, Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. Specialized in financial modeling and impact analysis, investment due-diligence, Executive presentation and thought leadership, process transformation, strategic planning, and portfolio/fund management. Created high impact as project manager on consulting projects through analytical methodology, market research and strategy, and competitor benchmarking for local and international organizations. Worked with consulting clients in industries across impact investing, international development, social entrepreneurship, renewable energy, SME development, financial inclusion, and supply chain logistics. Reputation as a leader with an aptitude for motivating, coaching, and strengthening global teams.
Founder
Multilingual finance and investment professional with over ten years of experience in strategic management of social enterprises and eight plus years in impact investing. Experience collaborating with professionals in over 13 countries across Asia, Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. Specialized in financial modeling and impact analysis, investment due-diligence, Executive presentation and thought leadership, process transformation, strategic planning, and portfolio/fund management. Created high impact as project manager on consulting projects through analytical methodology, market research and strategy, and competitor benchmarking for local and international organizations. Worked with consulting clients in industries across impact investing, international development, social entrepreneurship, renewable energy, SME development, financial inclusion, and supply chain logistics. Reputation as a leader with an aptitude for motivating, coaching, and strengthening global teams.If you have built castles in the sky, let not your dreams go to waste. Just build the foundations under them. – Henry David Thoreau Multilingual finance and investment professional with over ten years of experience in strategic management of social enterprises and eight plus years in impact investing. Experience collaborating with professionals in over 13 countries across Asia, Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. Specialized in financial modeling and impact analysis, investment due-diligence, Executive presentation and thought leadership, process transformation, strategic planning, and portfolio/fund management. Created high impact as project manager on consulting projects through analytical methodology, market research and strategy, and competitor benchmarking for local and international organizations. Worked with consulting clients in industries across impact investing, international development, social entrepreneurship, renewable energy, SME development, financial inclusion, and supply chain logistics. Reputation as a leader with an aptitude for motivating, coaching, and strengthening global teams.
bottom of page