The Black Swan Summit is a global foresight platform that explores how innovation through disruption can build more resilient economies and inclusive societies. It brings together leaders in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, distributed ledger technology (DLT) and green infrastructure to examine how emerging technologies are reshaping industries and redefining growth.
Originating in Perth, Western Australia, and now expanding worldwide, the Summit unites thought leaders, visionary technologists, policymakers, industry champions, and investors to translate emerging technologies into practical strategies for growth, resilience, and sustainability.

Learn from global leadership
Hear from world-class founders, policy shapers, investors and researchers

Boost your career
Build connections that lead to internships and graduate pathways

Think strategically
Understand how big disruptions and emerging tech will transform industries and jobs

Be part of something global
Your chance to plug into a global innovation network
Upload your CV to our student talent pool and be considered for internships and project roles with GFTN, Quantum Australia and industry partners working on global events and innovation projects.
Want to be part of a global event? We’re looking for volunteers to lend a hand! Submit your CV, and we’ll reach out if you’re the right fit. It’s a great way to gain real experience, build your network, and be at the heart of the Summit.
If you’re a strong communicator, founder or community voice with something real to say, you can apply for student lightning talks / panels. We’re especially excited to hear from content creators and those with a strong social media presence!
Tap into a global network and expand your thinking with bold ‘black swan’ ideas, and learn how emerging technologies like AI, Quantum, Blockchain and Green Tech will reshape every field - giving you the skills and insight to future-proof your career.
Step inside the infrastructures powering today’s most demanding computational challenges. This Innovation Tour offers a rare opportunity to explore high-performance computing up close - revealing how modern systems are built, operated, and applied to support AI, large-scale modelling, and next-generation digital technologies shaping the future. Participating site partners will be announced soon.
The Summit Stage is the heart of the Black Swan Summit - where global leaders, policymakers and R&D pioneers in conversation will examine the forces shaping the next economy. From geopolitics and regional advantage to mission-critical technologies such as AI, quantum, energy and digital infrastructure, the Summit Stage connects why these systems matter with how they are built, governed and scaled for real-world impact.
The Black Swan Summit's exclusive by-invite dinner offers a rare opportunity to connect with fellow innovators and thought leaders in an intimate setting. Guests will engage in meaningful conversations and forge valuable relationships that extend beyond the summit itself. This curated experience is designed to foster deep connections and collaborations amongst the brightest minds in attendance.
*By invite only
Chief People Officer
HBF Health Limited
Chief People Officer
Amy Stanley is Chief People Officer at HBF, where she leads the People, Culture and Corporate Affairs agenda at a pivotal moment of technological transformation. She leads HBF's AI strategy in partnership with the CTO — a deliberate signal of HBF's commitment to ensuring AI adoption is human-centred, ethical and capability-led. Amy brings deep experience across talent strategy, workforce planning, leadership development and organisational change, with a sharp focus on how AI is reshaping skills, work design and the nature of opportunity. She is a passionate advocate for viewing talent as essential infrastructure — arguing that sustained investment in skills, inclusion and human capability is the most consequential lever organisations have to unlock long-term value for individuals, businesses and the broader economy. Amy is a member of the WA CEDA State Advisory Council and is actively engaged with Chief Executive Women (CEW), contributing to national conversations on leadership, economic transformation and the future of work.
Chief Executive Officer
Digital Economy Council of Australia (DECA)
Chief Executive Officer
Amy-Rose Goodey is a prominent leader in Australia’s digital asset and blockchain sector, currently serving as the CEO of the Digital Economy Council of Australia (DECA). With a career spanning technology, policy, and industry advocacy, Amy-Rose has been at the forefront of driving regulatory clarity, fostering industry collaboration, and positioning Australia as a global leader in the digital economy.
Executive, Geopolitical Risk
National Australia Bank
Executive, Geopolitical Risk
Brad Carr is the Executive for Geopolitical Risk at National Australia Bank (NAB), leading the bank’s analysis and engagement on geopolitics and emerging risk themes, and the delivery of solutions to support the resilience of customers and the wider Australian economy.
Brad previously led NAB’s Innovation and Digital Governance functions, and before that was Managing Director of Digital Finance at the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in Washington, leading programs on digital identity, data policy, cloud, artificial intelligence, and digital assets. Brad led the IIF’s advocacy on the Basel III capital reforms, as well as a global review of banks’ credit risk modelling practices. Brad also hosted the IIF’s ‘FRT’ and ‘NAB Digital Next’ podcasts.
His qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia, Masters in Science & Technology Commercialization from the University of Adelaide, Certificate in Futurist Studies from the University of Houston, and he is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is also a Fellow of the Salzburg Global institute.
Chancellor
University of Western Australia
Chancellor
Diane Smith-Gander AO is a professional company director with an accomplished business career 40 years in the making. She is Chair of Zip Co, Perenti Limited and private health insurer HBF. On 1st January 2025 Diane became the 16th & first female, Chancellor of the University of Western Australia.
Diane enjoyed a successful executive career ending in the C-Suite at Westpac Banking Corporation and with a period as a partner of McKinsey & Company in the United States serving global clients in diverse industries.
A keen advocate for gender equity Diane is past President of Chief Executive Women, Australia’s pre-eminent women’s advocacy group. In 2019 Diane was made an officer in the Order of Australia for services to business, women’s engagement in executive roles, gender equality and the community.
A former representative basketball player, Diane is a past chair of Basketball Australia and Australia's national anti-doping organisation. She now chairs the independent Nominations Committee of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA). Diane has completed independent reviews of high performance management and governance in sports.
Diane is a regular speaker on business topics including leadership, strategy and gender equity. For a period she hosted a panel show on Sky Business. She also lectures in the MBA program at UWA.
Diane holds an MBA from the University of Sydney and a BEc and Honorary Doctorate of Economics from UWA. A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Governance Institute of Australia, in 2019 Diane was made an officer in the Order of Australia for services to business, women’s engagement in executive roles, gender equality and the community.
Chief Technology Officer
Digital Finance CRC
Chief Technology Officer
Dr Mark Staples is the CTO for the Digital Finance CRC, and a Senior Principal Researcher in CSIRO’s Data61. He has led research and standardisation on blockchain since 2015, including leading technology work on CBDC pilot research projects with the Reserve Bank of Australia. He holds a PhD in computer science from the University of Cambridge.
Chief Executive Officer
SureMark Digital Identity Services
Chief Executive Officer
Considered by many to be the co-inventor of the blockchain (along with Dr. Stuart Haber), Dr. W. Scott Stornetta is an active investor, mentor, and the CEO of SureMark Digital. SureMark uses the same techniques that undergird the blockchain to create peer-to-peer unforgeable identities.
Chief Executive Officer
AUDD Stablecoin
Chief Executive Officer
Effie is the CEO and Co-Founder of AUDC, the issuer of AUDD — Australia’s Premier Australian dollar-backed stablecoin built for institutional-grade payments, settlement and digital commerce. She leads the strategy and execution of AUDD, positioning it as a trusted, compliant digital representation of the Australian dollar across public blockchains, with a strong emphasis on governance, transparency and real-world use cases.
A seasoned fintech executive, Effie brings deep expertise across payments, alternative rails and blockchain infrastructure. Through AUDD, she is driving the practical adoption of stablecoins in global payments, bridging traditional finance with decentralised networks and shaping the future of digital money.
Minister for Regional Development; Ports; Science and Innovation; Medical Research; Kimberley
Government of Western Australia
Minister for Regional Development; Ports; Science and Innovation; Medical Research; Kimberley
Stephen Dawson is Western Australia’s Minister for Regional Development, Ports, Science and Innovation, Medical Research and the Kimberley. He also serves as Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.
Stephen was born in Dublin and migrated to Australia with his family. Through his role as Minister for Regional Development, Stephen is focused on driving the economy through diversification and job creation and advocating for the needs of those living and working in the regions.
He has a wealth of knowledge on issues important to regional WA, having lived in the North West and holding a range of portfolios throughout his career such as Environment, Disability Services and Emergency Services.
Chief Security and Policy Officer
Safeheron
Chief Security and Policy Officer
Jag Foo is Chief Security & Policy Officer at Safeheron, where he leads global security strategy, institutional custody, and regulatory engagement for banks and financial institutions adopting digital assets. He specializes in MPC-TEE self-custody infrastructure for financial institutions and institutional-grade digital asset governance.
With over 15 years of experience spanning physical security, cybersecurity, and digital asset infrastructure, Jag has secured billions of dollars’ worth of assets across government, multinational, and financial sectors. His cross-domain background enables him to translate traditional security discipline into resilient, zero-trust architectures for the digital asset era.
Jag serves in leadership roles across industry bodies including the Digital Assets Association, Blockchain Security Alliance, and Global Fintech Institute, contributing to regulatory dialogue and advancing institutional security standards. He is a Chartered Industry Fellow and a triple-crown holder (CPP, PSP, PCI) under ASIS International.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jag-foo-cftp-cpp-psp-pci-3bb85175/
Executive in Residence & Board Member
Global Digital Finance
Executive in Residence & Board Member
Jannah advises firms on identifying and capitalising on innovation opportunities, and crafting and executing strategies within highly regulated environments. She is passionate about shaping the financial markets of the future by leveraging frontier technologies to create innovative financial services and products that drive social and environmental impact while expanding access to financial services. Her current focus areas include the evolution of digital asset markets, the development of new forms of digital money, including stablecoins, and sustainable financial systems. A long-standing contributor to the development of domestic and global financial policy and regulation, Jannah has played a key role in shaping organisations that drive the regulatory agenda for digital assets and digital currencies, both in the UK and globally, with respect to digital money and assets, including the Digital Pound Foundation, Global Digital Finance, the Whitechapel Think Tank and London Blockchain Foundation.
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder
ProspEx Group
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder
Kassia Kazmer is a mining engineer, fintech founder and the CEO of Prospex Group, where she leads the development of next-generation infrastructure for mine financing. She has a diverse background spanning 15 years in including onsite with global miners, resource focused private equity and corporate finance. ProspEx Group is an RWA tokenisation platform specialising in mining royalty tokenisation and unlocking additional funding pathways the resources sector.
Chief Executive Officer
OKX
Chief Executive Officer
Kate Cooper is CEO of OKX Australia, leading a regulated digital asset platform through market volatility, regulatory scrutiny, and accelerating AI adoption. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Digital Economy Council of Australia, working across industry, policy, and financial infrastructure.
From inside regulated markets, Kate focuses on how institutions make sound decisions when technology changes faster than humans do. As AI becomes embedded in trading, settlement becomes programmable, and financial systems evolve in real time, her work centres on accountability under automation, clear decision rights, and infrastructure that earns trust before it is tested.
She is the author of EDGE: A Field Guide for Navigating Tech-Driven Change, written for leaders who want to retain judgement and authorship as systems move faster and stakes rise.
Digital Currencies Senior Manager
Reserve Bank of Australia
Digital Currencies Senior Manager
Kylie Stewart has more than 20 years’ experience in public policy and is currently a Senior Manager at the Reserve Bank of Australia, where she leads the RBA’s research into digital currencies. She oversees the RBA’s major experimental research initiative, Project Acacia, which is exploring the role of digital money in wholesale tokenised asset markets. This work is being undertaken in partnership with the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre.
Kylie’s previous roles at the RBA include serving as Senior Manager of Clearing and Settlement Supervision and Senior Manager responsible for business policy for the RBA’s settlement infrastructure. She has also worked at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in the United States, where she played a key role in the initiation of US faster payments.
Chief Executive Officer, GFTN Advisory
Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)
Chief Executive Officer, GFTN Advisory
Maha is Chief Executive Officer, GFTN Solutions. GFTN (Global Finance and Technology Network) bridges policy, capital and technology to build resilient, efficient and inclusive ecosystems.
Prior to this Maha served as Centre Head, BIS Innovation Hub Singapore. The centre develops public goods in the technology space to support central banks in how they discharge their roles in a digital economy and improve the financial system using emerging technologies.
In previous roles, Maha was Head of Department for Early and High Growth Oversight leading the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) response to the Kalifa review of Fintech. She served as Chief Payments Officer at Pay.UK on secondment from the FCA, responsible for running the payments operations of the UK’s payment operator.
Maha joined the FCA in 2017 to set up the first Payments Department and was responsible for crafting and implementing the FCA supervisory strategy for the UK Payments Sector.
Maha has a keen interest in observing and participating in the many exciting changes that are unfolding in the financial services, innovation and fintech environment. She mostly enjoys crafting and implementing solution with tangible impact.
She is the author of Fintech Regulation in Practice. A book that provides a clear, hands on guide to the practical considerations that fintechs, banks adopting fintech and other key players in the fintech ecosystem need to take into account when embedding regulation.
She serves as the independent reviewer of the Australian Regulatory Sandbox, appointed by the Australian Treasury.
Maha has a Degree in Commerce from Macquarie University and a Masters in Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Project Ohm
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Matthew Meszaros is the Founder and CEO of Project Ohm, an Australian deep-tech startup developing energy-aware computing infrastructure for the AI era. His work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and energy systems
Project Ohm is building modular, distributed compute nodes that dynamically align AI workloads with renewable energy availability and electricity market signals, transforming high-performance computing into a flexible grid resource.
Matthew has spent over two decades working across telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and technology commercialisation. Prior to Project Ohm, he founded a technology commercialisation consultancy that was recognised with the FastStarter, Fast 100, and SmartCompany Smart50 awards.
Through partnerships with utilities, research institutions, and industry, Project Ohm is developing new models for integrating large-scale compute into modern electricity networks while supporting the sustainable growth of AI.
Chief Executive Officer
JellyC
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Prendiville is a financial markets professional with extensive experience across global investment management and trading. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia and a Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia.
Michael has worked in major financial centres including Singapore, Hong Kong, Melbourne and London, where he led currency trading and proprietary trading teams. During this time, he was actively engaged in market-making, proprietary trading, and advising financial institutions, central banks, and large corporations on foreign exchange and derivatives strategies.
His expertise spans global macro markets and institutional trading, with a strong focus on currencies, derivatives, and strategic risk management. Throughout his career, he has managed complex trade flow exposures and speculative trading strategies, navigating volatile markets while optimizing risk for both strategic and opportunistic trades in fast-moving environments.
Later in his career, Michael transitioned into investment management and managed investment schemes. He served as Managing Director of TAF Capital Pty Ltd, where he oversaw the management of the ABE Fund and Bluebottle Fund, investing across currencies, fixed income, commodities, equities, and digital assets. His work has also involved developing innovative approaches to custody, trading infrastructure, and portfolio management in emerging digital asset markets.
Michael is the Co-Founder of JellyC, an Australasian digital asset investment manager focused on bridging traditional financial markets and blockchain-based digital asset infrastructure, providing sophisticated investors with secure and professionally managed access to digital asset investment opportunities.
He also serves as a Director of Macropod, helping shape Australia’s digital financial infrastructure through the development of regulated blockchain-based payment systems and programmable Australian dollar stablecoins.
Chief Executive Officer
Stirling and Rose
Chief Executive Officer
Natasha is one of the world’s pre-eminent Live Contract experts.
She is recognized in Chambers as a global fintech expert with technical product design experience and deep legal understanding as a co-author of the seminal 2022 Oxford text on SLCs and is also a contributing author to the upcoming 2025 text, “Private Law: Digital Assets and Infrastructure.”
Founder of Chambers ranked national tech law firm Stirling & Rose and former Global Head of Digital Law at a major international law firm, Natasha advises Legal Commissions on SLCs, DAOs, and digital assets in the UK and Australia and has been awarded the Financial Times Most Innovative Lawyer, Thought Leader of the Year, Finalist Partner of the Year, and Innovator of the Year.
Chief Executive Officer
Mid West Development Commission
Chief Executive Officer
Nils Hay is the CEO of the Mid West Development Commission and Chair of the WA Regional Development Alliance. Based in Geraldton, Western Australia, he is passionate about regional development, and has spent the last decade working in senior State and Local Government roles in regional Australia. In 2024 he completed a Churchill Fellowship examining on the impacts of large-scale renewable and low-carbon energy projects in regional communities.
With the Mid West emerging as a key contributor to Australia’s energy transition, Nils’ work is increasingly focused on the intersection between major project development, infrastructure delivery, investment, and the pivotal role of the regions where these projects are taking place.
Principal Program Adviser, International Partnerships and Engagement
Perth USAsia Centre
Principal Program Adviser, International Partnerships and Engagement
Inaugural Chair QEII Precinct Leadership Group, Board Director Rugby WA and Advisory Council Member ECU School of Business and Law and Strategic Consultant
Recently appointed to Chair the QEII Precinct Leadership Group for the WA Government. Paula is a widely respected leader in the WA business community. After three hugely successful years as the CEO of Committee for Perth increasing the membership and profile of the organisation and launching the 2050 Report and Summit and leading a thought leadership series advocating for the future of the Perth region, she has stepped down from executive roles and is transitioning to a full portfolio career.
Paula has decades of experience in membership engagement, stakeholder management and economic strategy from across the globe, with prior market dealings in the UK and Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Australasia. Since arriving in Perth and prior to Committee for Perth, she has been a publisher, event CEO, marketing and communications manager for aged care and a global law firm and State Director of a national economic development membership organisation.
Known for her collaborative and strategically driven leadership, Paula is passionate about activating Perth and WA towards an ambitious and courageous future. Paula and her young family migrated to Perth in 2002, and the city and State are close to her heart and pivotal to her career.
Paula has held various board director roles including Heritage Perth, North Metro Health Service and Barking Gecko and consulted to government, the public sector, universities, and several clients in the private sector on communication, marketing, events and stakeholder management.
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy
Queen Mary University of London
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy
Bernard Carr is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Queen Mary University of London. For his PhD he studied the first second of the universe with Stephen Hawking at Cambridge University and Caltech. He then held Research Fellowships at Trinity College and the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge before moving to Queen Mary in 1985. He has also held Visiting Professorships at various institutes in America, Canada and Japan. His professional area of research is cosmology and astrophysics and includes such topics as the early universe, black holes, dark matter and the anthropic principle. He is the author of around 300 papers and the books Universe or Multiverse? and Quantum Black Holes. He is very interested in the role of consciousness, regarding this as a fundamental rather than incidental feature of the Universe. He also has a long-standing interest in the relationship between science and religion. He is President of the Scientific and Medical Network and a former President of the Society for Psychical Research.
Director
University College Oxford Blockchain Research Centre
Director
Professor of Computer Science at Oxford 1997-2024, now Emeritus. Head of Department 2003-14. Leading authority on Computer Security, Concurrency, Verification and Blockchain. Founder of several companies including TBTL (Security and Blockchain), Cocotec (Verification) and Iothic (Network Authentication). Author of over 200 academic papers and several books including the forthcoming Understanding Decentralised Systems — a reinvention of blockchain for the mainstream world.
Chief Executive Officer
Perth USAsia Centre
Chief Executive Officer
Professor Gordon Flake is the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Perth USAsia Centre at The University of Western Australia.
Professor Flake is one of the world’s leading authorities on strategic developments in the Indo-Pacific. Having spent twenty-five years in the US foreign policy community focused on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia and now ten years in Australia’s Indian Ocean capital, he is an expert on key strategic relationships in the broader Indo-Pacific. He has authored many scholarly and policy studies on security developments in the region, and their policy implications for the US and its regional partners.
Since establishing the Centre in 2014, Professor Flake has worked to build stronger international relationships between Australia, the US and the broader Indo-Pacific. He has led the growth of several major international conferences in Australia and the region; and established a range of high-level diplomatic and policy dialogues on issues of shared concern for the Indo-Pacific.
Professor Flake is a sought-after media commentator, particularly on strategic developments in the Indo-Pacific and change order issues to do with US politics and foreign policy. His work has appeared in many leading international outlets, including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, as well as across the Australian media landscape.
Professor Flake holds several key strategic leadership positions. He is a Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham) and serves on the boards of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and the Australia Korea Foundation.
Prior to joining the Centre, he was the Executive Director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, an Associate Director of the Program on Conflict Resolution at The Atlantic Council of the United States, and Director for Research and Academic Affairs at the Korea Economic Institute of America.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Korean) and Master of Arts (International and Area Studies) from Brigham Young University. He speaks both fluent Korean and Laotian.
Professor, Founder and Director
Research Centre for Quantum Information, Simulation and Algorithms, The University of Western Australia
Professor, Founder and Director
Professor Jingbo Wang established and currently leads the Research Centre for Quantum Information, Simulation and Algorithm that fosters collaboration and entrepreneurship, bringing together academics and industrial partners to develop innovative quantum solutions to tackle otherwise intractable problems and complex phenomena. Widely published in prestigious journals like Nature Photonics, Science Advances, Physical Review Letters, Quantum Science and Technology, her contributions have significantly advanced quantum computing and laid the foundation for future breakthroughs.
Head, School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Curtin University
Head, School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Kate is the Head of School for Curtin University School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences (EECMS).
Kate is an expert in scoping and delivering projects of strategic importance to business, government and universities. Kate values building relationships and networks and has a keen eye for connecting interesting people to start conversations that generate new ideas. She is also passionate about STEM and skilling up Australia’s workforce for a digital and sustainable world and has a keen eye for what's on the horizon in terms of new opportunities and challenges.
Kate has PhD in astrophysics and spent the first part of her research career in Chile working for the European Southern Observatory and then the University of Chile before moving to Sydney to accept the CSIRO Bolton Research Fellowship. Kate was elected President of the Astronomical Society of Australia for 2011, 2012 and was awarded the CSIRO Chairman's Medal in 2015 for her contribution to Australia's involvement with the SKA telescope.
Kate's career roles include State Director for the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub (a collaboration between federal and state governments); Lead Advisor Research for Murdoch University, Innovation Manager for Wesfarmers (WESCEF); and Deputy Head of Operations for CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science. In her most recent role with the Federal Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, Kate led the design and implementation of a program to helpl 150 businesses across Australia to decarbonise.
Kate also holds a Grad Cert in Innovation & Commercialisation and is a member of several Advisory Boards for universities and not-for-profit organisations. Kate co-founded Green Caffeen, a sustainably coffee cup startup on the eastcoast and was a member of the Board of Directors for StartupWA. Kate has also lectured for Murdoch University's MBA Global program on innovation and commercialisation.
Director
Curtin Institute for Energy Transition
Director
Professor Peta Ashworth is the Director of Curtin University’s Institute for Energy Transition. She is a renowned expert in energy, communication, stakeholder engagement, and technology assessment. Professor Ashworth has researched public attitudes towards climate and energy technologies, including wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS), solar photovoltaic, storage, geothermal and hydrogen, for almost two decades.
Ambassador (Climate Action), Singapore, Former Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)
Ambassador (Climate Action), Singapore, Former Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Mr Ravi Menon has a portfolio of work in sustainability, innovation, and inclusion.
Mr Menon is Singapore’s first Ambassador for Climate Action and Senior Adviser to the National Climate Change Secretariat at the Prime Minister’s Office. He plays a leading role in Singapore’s efforts to foster collective action internationally and transition planning locally towards a low-carbon future. He is also Chairman of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) Asia-Pacific Advisory Board and a member of the GFANZ Principals Group.
Mr Menon is Chairman of the Global Finance & Technology Network, which harnesses technology and fosters innovation for more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial ecosystems globally. He is also a Trustee of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Chairman of its Innovation and Enterprise Committee.
Mr Menon is Chairman of ImpactSG, a philanthropy which aims to grow a community of purposeful givers in Singapore and Asia. He is also a Board Member of The Majurity Trust, a charity which deploys cause-based funds for social needs; and a Trustee of the Singapore Indian Development Association, a community self-help group.
Prior to his current roles, Mr Menon served for 36 years in the Singapore Public Service.
As Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (2011-23), Mr Menon oversaw monetary and macroprudential policies, reformed the financial regulatory framework, and developed Singapore as a green finance centre and a global FinTech hub. On the international front, he served as Chairman of the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System and Chairman of the Financial Stability Board Standing Committee on Standards Implementation.
As Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade & Industry (2007-11), Mr Menon helped to steer the economy during the global financial crisis. As Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (2003-07), he oversaw fiscal policy and government reserves.
Mr Menon is a recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal from the Singapore Government, the Distinguished Alumni Award from NUS, and the Distinguished Leadership and Service Award from the Institute of International Finance in Washington.
Mr Menon holds a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in Economics from NUS.
Head of Hedera Enterprise Adoption Team
Hashgraph
Head of Hedera Enterprise Adoption Team
I am a value-driven entrepreneur, engineer, technologist, startup founder, conservationist and author. After 30 years in enterprise technology and consultancy in the banking, technology and military sectors, I now build and advise teams looking to use emerging technology to solve real world problems.
As Head of the Hedera Enterprise Adoption Team, I lead the global professional services team that supports the Hedera Council members adopt this ground breaking technology.
My consultancy, nodl.io, is an impact-focused technology consultancy specialising in innovation and the application of decentralised technology to address financial democratisation, sustainable development and environmental issues. I co-authored "Fintech Revolution: universal inclusion in the new financial ecosystem".
Group Chief Executive Officer
Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)
Group Chief Executive Officer
Sopnendu Mohanty is the Co-founder and Group CEO of the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), a global advisory and investment firm. At GFTN, he leads innovative strategies that drive development and transformation in the financial sector through four operating arms: Forums, Advisory, Platform, and Capital.
He served at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as its first Chief Fintech Officer for nearly a decade, establishing Singapore on the global map as a leading center for innovation in the financial sector and a dynamic hub for fintech development. He continues to advise MAS on technology and innovation.
He currently serves on several boards, including the board of A*STAR, Singapore’s leading public sector agency dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and technological innovation. Before his leadership role in the public sector, he spent nearly two decades at Citigroup. He is credited with developing many public goods, including the notable PayNow, Singapore’s digital public infrastructure for payments. He conceptualized the globally well-known Singapore Fintech Festival and its global network of forums; today, the GFTN forum is the world’s largest convenor of tech, policymakers, and the financial sector community. Mr. Mohanty has co-authored several patented works in digital finance and received numerous industry accolades. He advises governments and various institutions on policies and implementation strategies for innovation, infrastructure, and ecosystem development in the financial sector.
President, Enterprise Digital
ST Engineering
President, Enterprise Digital
Tan Bin Ru is a renowned leader in the Fintech industry globally and a prominent figure in the Singapore blockchain community. As the Chairwoman of the Blockchain Association of Singapore (BAS), she leads the organization with the vision to be the leading industry organization for the advocacy, collaboration, convergence, and fair use of blockchain and scalable technologies in Singapore.
Bin Ru is a regular speaker at various Fintech events on Artificial Intelligence & Blockchain including Singapore Fintech Festival, Singapore Blockchain Fest, Abu Dhabi Finance Week, Singapore – India Hackathon 2023 (Fintech & ESG) and many more. Through her speaking engagements, Bin Ru aims to promote the adoption and responsible use of technology in various industries and sectors.
Currently, Bin Ru serves as President, Enterprise Digital in Singapore Technologies Engineering in addition to her role as the Chairwoman of the BAS. With over 25 years of experience, Bin Ru has led several leadership roles in MNCs and startups. Notable roles include Deputy CEO and COO of ChainUp Pte Ltd, a leading blockchain technology solutions provider for digital asset exchanges and institutions, and CEO (Southeast Asia) of OneConnect Financial Technology Co. Ltd., a technology-as-a-service platform for financial institutions. Bin Ru also held various leadership roles at Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.
Bin Ru's contributions to the Singapore fintech industry have been recognized with numerous accolades, including being named "Top 5 Women in FinTech" and "Asia FinTech Leaders" at the 2019 Singapore FinTech Awards. Bin Ru was also recognized with the "Woman in Fintech" award by Fintech Nation 65 in 2022. She is also a role model for women in the tech sector and was featured in the inaugural Singapore 100 Women in Tech List in 2020.
Bin Ru holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from National University of Singapore. She is also a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
Abbot
Bodhinyana Monastery
Abbot
Ajahn Brahm was born in London in 1951 and earned a degree in theoretical physics from Cambridge University. He became a monk in 1974 in the Forest Tradition. Ajahn Brahm is today a revered spiritual teacher and guide, and is abbot of the largest Buddhist monastery in the Southern Hemisphere. He is the author of Opening the Door Of Your Heart, Mindfulness Bliss and Beyond, The Art of Disappearing and Don’t Worry Be Grumpy.
His public teachings regularly attract thousands to his inventive and insightful talks. He was awarded John Curtin medal in 2004 for his vision, leadership and service to the community and he is also recipient of Order of Australia in 2019 for service to Buddhism and gender equality.
A $10
*Only applicable to currently active students from educational institutions.