Speakers

John is a Senior Manager in Technology Consulting for KPMG Caricom. He is also the KPMG Caricom Alliance lead for Microsoft and sub-sector driver for Governments. John has over 10 years of experience in consulting in Strategy and Transformation Engagements across Government, Healthcare, Telecom, Manufacturing, EdTech, Oil & Gas, FMCG, Hospitality Industry, and B&FS sectors. His areas of expertise include Business Development, IT / Digital Strategy and roadmap, Business Intelligence, Digital Transformation – Program Management.

Ex-Mastercard | Latitud Fellow LF3 | Forbes 30 – 2022 

Passionate about innovation and startup investment in Latin America. Experienced with 13+ years of knowledge in Payments, Fintech, Startups, Financial Institutions and Consumer Goods in Latin American markets. 

Strong experience in business development, team management, finance management, international account management, sales strategy, and international sales. 

LGBTQ+ & diversity leader and promoter

Martin Kwame Awagah is a highly experienced Digital Economy Specialist and FinTech Expert with over 12 years of expertise in economic research, governance, public policy, financial inclusion, international development, and project management. He is recognized for his contributions to the advancement of financial technologies (fintechs) and digital/mobile payment institutions in Ghana. Martin holds key leadership positions and plays a pivotal role in promoting financial technology innovation, knowledge sharing, and capacity building within the fintech ecosystem.

Barbadian Dr. Annalee C. Babb is CEO of Intersections, a start-up cluster driver helping to accelerate Caribbean creativity and innovation. She explores these issues in the My Belonging podcast (https://www.intersections.digital/mybelonging/). She was Digital Transformation Sherpa | Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, and the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy | Special Advisor | Ministry of Innovation, Science & Smart Technology. She led the team developing COVID-19 public health emergency management tech solutions; was legislative co-Chair for Barbados’ national digital ID | mobile ID; led on creation of a tech accelerator for digital public services; and chaired the Telecoms Working Group. She led the Digital Transformation and Solutions Committee | Prime Minister’s Jobs and Investment Council, was a member of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Board, co-lead organiser of UNCTAD 15’s Creative Industries Trade Digitisation Forum, and on the International Advisory Board of Oman’s Research Council.

Sarah Bailey is the Head of Programme for the World Food Programme Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean. She brings 18 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sector. Prior to joining WFP, she was an independent consultant and worked with the think tank the Overseas Development Institute in London. Sarah holds a Masters of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Originally from Tunisia and currently based in Geneva, Haifa Ben Salem works at the International Trade Centre – United Nations – Tech Sector Development team on projects supporting the Tech sector at different levels in more than 12 markets in Africa, Asia and The Caribbean.

Her work involves capacity building of Tech startups, enabling ecosystems, connecting digital entrepreneurs to market opportunities and investment, strengthening online freelancers’ skills & promoting job creation through tech entrepreneurship and innovation.

Annie is an international development consultant with a Harvard MBA and 20 years of management consulting, entrepreneurial, and volunteering experience in over 50 countries. After four years at the Inter-American Development Bank leading a multi-million portfolio of private sector projects, she worked for several agencies to drive digital transformation and resilience in the region. She is currently working for the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) on improving access to digital financial services in the Caribbean, and for a consortium of tourism organisations on necessary approaches to inclusive and sustainable development in Small Island Development States (SIDS). Annie began her career in 2001 at Deloitte in Montréal as a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and moved to Barbados in 2006. She loves boxing, health and craziness!

Michelle Beyo is the CEO of FINAVATOR, an award-winning future of finance consultancy. She is also a TEDx Speaker, WEDO United Nations speaker, Money 20/20 Rise Up alumni, board advisor to Open Banking Expo and the President and a Board Member at the Open Finance Network of Canada (OFNC).

With over 20 years of extensive industry experience, Michelle started FINAVATOR as she is passionate about payments and financial inclusion. She has helped to drive innovation across the retail and payments space and supported the growth of industry leaders across North America.

Michelle Beyo has won multiple awards including the “Top 30 Best CEOs in 2021” by The Silicon Valley Review, “Women in Fintech Global Powerlist” 2021, “Most Influential Leader in FinTech Consulting 2020 – Canada” by Corporate Vision.

Senator Blackman is the Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment of Barbados. With over twenty years of experience in international development, he possesses tremendous insight to the myriad of challenges and opportunities faced by countries in the Global South.

Minister Blackman previously served as a Consultant in Youth Development at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, as well as a Partner in St. Lucia-based law firm with a specialization in international trade and data protection law.

He served as Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations at Geneva, Vienna and Rome, as well as Ambassador to Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Serbia. During his tenure, he served in various committees in the WTO, UNCTAD, including Chair of the Trade and Environment Committee, and Trade and Development Committee of the WTO, the President of the G77 and China in Geneva, as well as on the Global Board of the UN International Gender Champions.

He later joined the International Labour Organization (ILO) as Senior Advisor to the Director-General with responsibility in Cabinet for Latin America & The Caribbean, Africa and Arab States; External Relations; Legal Affairs, the ILO’s Tribunal and Corporate Services.

Minister Blackman has both the LLB Law and LLM International Trade Law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom and is an Associate Member of the London-based Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Aaron is a proud North Carolina native and grew up on the family farm in the mountains of North Carolina. Aaron has over 20 years of experience in designing and implementing projects focused on forest management for wildlife in Virginia and North Carolina for private landowners.

The past several years, Aaron has been focused on leading Outsyde, Inc. a company focused on conservation land acquisitions, climate tech, outdoor recreation, renewable energy, blockchain, digital assets, public capital markets and carbon market strategies. 

Aaron is a graduate of Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, NC and holds a degree in Business Marketing and Finance. Aaron splits his time between Richmond VA and Emerald Isle, NC with his wife, daughter and his Foxhound sidekick “Molly”.

Chris Burns is the CEO of First Atlantic Commerce. He has worked in the ecommerce industry for 19 years and has served as CEO of FAC for the past 10 years. His expertise lies in assisting companies and banks develop and deploy successful ecommerce strategies across the Latin America and Caribbean region. Today FAC is operating in 29 countries, processing hundreds of millions of dollars a year, and it is the most connected payment gateway in the Caribbean and Central America with team members in five countries. FAC’s clients include Flow, Digicel, Pricesmart, Sandals, and many of the region’s governments and major utilities. Chris is also CEO of Powertranz, a sister company to FAC. Powertranz was recently started to address many of the inadequacies in the Point of Sale industry in the Caribbean.

Carmelle M. Cadet is the Founder and CEO of EMTECH, a
technology company working with central banks around the
world to make their financial infrastructures inclusive and resilient
by design. At EMTECH, Carmelle leads the vision of developing
the next generation central banking infrastructure to drive
financial inclusion, economic development and modernization of
regulatory environments. From Digital Regulatory Sandbox to
Digital Cash Platform (Central Bank Digital Currency), Carmelle
and her highly experienced team of former regulators and
experienced engineers, present groundbreaking and actionable
tech solutions to solve current economic challenges.

A thought leader and public speaker in fintech and regulatory innovation, Carmelle also advises
other women, minority fintech entrepreneurs. She has won and has been nominated for several
awards for her leadership and trailblazing work.

In her previous life, Carmelle was the Deputy CFO for IBM Blockchain where she spearheaded
the global product commercialization and financial management strategy. With clients like
Walmart, JPM Chase, Softbank, Carmelle oversaw the launch of several groundbreaking
technologies that drove better food safety, strong cybersecurity and supply chain digitization.
She joined the company as a Financial Analyst, and when Carmelle took over as Product CFO
she helped lead a highly successful product launch that created 200+ jobs while driving strong
revenue growth to over $100M in 3 years.

Carmelle earned her Executive .M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business
with specializations in Leadership and Global Business, and her B.A. from Florida Atlantic
University. She is originally from Haiti, but now lives in NYC with her husband and son.

Jasmine Chai is a seasoned Executive Consultant with over 20 years of experience in delivering impactful ERP and CRM solutions that transform businesses in various industries. She is passionate about driving organizational excellence through innovative technology solutions. Jasmine and her team at IBM Microsoft practice foster a culture of collaborative synergy, open communication, and a strategic mindset to successfully attain project objectives. She excels in building lasting client relationships by understanding their unique challenges and aligning Microsoft Business Application technology solutions with their business goals. Her commitment to client satisfaction has resulted in a strong track record of repeat business and referrals.

Jehan Chreiki (nee Jardine) is passionate about highlighting the potential of the people from the Caribbean. As a Trinidad native and adopted St Lucian, she loves all things quintessentially Caribbean and believes that we have a wellspring of talent.

While attaining a BSc. Communications in PR & Advertising at Endicott College, Jehan completed month and semester-long internships at a Community Development Program in the South End of Boston. An advertising internship at McCann Erickson and at a Literary PR firm where she worked on the publicizing of Madeline Albright’s autobiography. With those experiences fueling her she moved to London to pursue a career in Consultancy where she worked with FTSE 200 listed businesses, Boutique firms and Startups. 

The call to home came in 2010, Jehan returned to Trinidad and spent a decade as an Operations Director at a family-owned and led SME Logistics Company. During that time she represented T&T on the Caribbean stage of Shipping as an elected member of the state board, T&T Shipping Association where she served multiple terms. 

Upon relocating to St. Lucia to start a family Jehan took the time to figure out how to bring her passion to life. Having always had a yearning to elevate the region beyond beautiful beaches and parties came a vision to create a skill exchange platform that could give people opportunities beyond their borders and financial means. Jehan then Co-founded Bandy, a Caribbean digital time banking App that will foster social mobility, strengthen economies and enhance communities.

Anthony Clerk, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited, was appointed to the Board of Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited in 2017. Mr. Clerk is a career banker with more than a decade of experience at the Senior Management Level and has served as Regional Corporate Manager, Corporate Business Centre East/Central, Republic Bank Limited; General Manager, Credit, Republic Bank (Grenada) Limited; Corporate Manager, Corporate Business Centre North, Republic Bank Limited; and Branch Sales Manager, Ellerslie Court, Republic Bank Limited.

Mr. Clerk holds an Executive MBA and a Diploma in Business Management, both from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, and a Diploma in Banking from the Institute of Banking and Finance of Trinidad and Tobago. He is a pass council member of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He has served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of National Enterprises Limited. Mr. Clerk is currently the President of The Barbados Bankers Association.

Stevon D. Darling is the co-founder of Onest, a technology company focused on providing responsible financial products to the 80 million people living across the Caribbean and Central America. Onest uses alternative data to provide personalized credit to underbanked segments while simultaneously using behavioral science to help consumers develop healthier financial habits. The company’s long-term vision is to enhance all aspects of how consumers engage with money, providing them with better ways to save, spend, and earn additional income. He is the former Chief Investment Officer of H20 Capital where he was a member of the investment committee, led the firm’s Mexican operations, and built their fintech strategy. He also has prior experience at the World Bank, where he developed several financial inclusion projects and led IFC’s venture capital strategy across Latin America. He started his career as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs in New York City. Stevon, who is originally from The Bahamas, holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Morehouse College where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. 

Mr. Ian De Souza, a career banker with over 35 years of progressive banking experience, has recently been appointed Managing Director, ANSA Merchant Bank, Trinidad & Tobago. Before this, he retired from the Republic Bank Group in 2017, where he was an Executive Director and Managing Director of Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited. Further, he held the executive positions of General Manager – Risk Management, General Manager – Corporate & Investment Banking, President – Republic Bank (DR) S.A. in the Dominican Republic and Managing Director – Republic Finance & Merchant Bank Limited (FINCOR).

Following his retirement from Republic Bank, Mr. De Souza joined the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados, in the capacities of Executive Director and CEO of the Cave Hill School of Business and Management. He was also appointed Professor of Practice, Banking and Finance, in the Department of Management Studies.

Mr. De Souza later established Advice Financial Co. Ltd, an advisory practice specializing in corporate finance, debt management and corporate turnarounds. As Consultant and Project Lead, he successfully led Republic Bank’s acquisition of Scotiabank’s operations in the Eastern Caribbean, St. Maarten and the British Virgin Islands. He also completed the restructuring and reorganization of CAPITA Financial Services Inc.

Mr. De Souza holds a BSc. Economics, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management and an Executive MBA from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant, a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor, and is certified in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Programme.

“Mr. Deambrosi joined Infocorp in 2013 to lead and strengthen the Business Development team, with an initial assignment to Central America and Colombia as Regional Manager. After a very successful period, he was appointed to become the Latam Head of Sales and Alliances since 2020.
Experienced General Manager and International Sales and marketing Director with a proven record of achievements and success in developing Business and new territories in Mexico, South America and The Caribbean. Academic degrees in Engineering, International Economics and Executive Direction. Solid skills in Management, Strategic Planning, Organizational Development, Negotiation and Leadership. Devoted builder of synergic interpersonal relations, coaching and competitive advantages. Fluent in English, German, Spanish and Portuguese.”

With over 15 years of experience spanning industries like Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Insurance, and Digital Banking for financial services in the Caribbean, she excels as a Business Development head and strategist driving the growth of the Fintech and Digital partners ecosystem in the region.

Icelsa is renowned as one of Fintech America’s Top 25 most innovative bankers and holds the esteemed title of Top 50 Women of Power and Success in the Dominican Republic.

She actively contributes to fintech organizations and accelerator entities across the Caribbean, showcasing her expertise as an Industrial Engineer with an MBA from Université du Québec à Montréal and a master’s in digital marketing and business from the University of California.

With over 25+ years of experience organizing and implementing multiple business applications with the last 18 years in Microsoft systems around Dynamics 365, M365, and Power Platform, Carlo is well-positioned to provide advice and planning in the direction of technology and software delivery solutions. He has successfully managed more than 60 ERP & CRM projects from small to multi-year – multi-country implementations.

As the Associate Partner and Delivery Executive for the Microsoft Dynamics product lines, he is responsible for providing advice on the management of consulting, development, and administrative staff within Microsoft Dynamics implementation projects. He also oversees and advises on scoping and determining the client processes, determining best practices, and providing overarching governance.  With a finance background have spent many years implementing solutions in the financial services sector from payment workflow, procurement processing, analytics and AI to digital transformation.

“Adil is deeply immersed in the realm of financial inclusion within Low- and Middle-Income countries as a member of the GSMA’s Mobile Money Programme.

His primary role involves nurturing cooperation among stakeholders within the industry, with the objective of addressing pivotal challenges and seizing opportunities in the digital finance landscape.

Adil’s focus centers on unlocking the potential of digital technology to uplift marginalized communities, driven by his unwavering belief in technology’s transformative capabilities.

Drawing from his previous experience as a business developer in the digital cross-border money transfer sector, Adil possesses a unique understanding of the sector’s intricate workings.

His wealth of expertise and unwavering commitment position him to speak on the remarkable potential of digital technology in the realm of financial inclusion”.

A forward-thinking strategic and tactical executive, I earned an MBA from Columbia University and a BSc. In Computer Science and Mathematics Magna Cum Laude from UWI in Barbados. I served as the Head of Risk Architecture Reporting to the CRO of CCB at JPMorganChase and led the ERM Capabilities at Citi Globally and lead the Risk and Business Capabilities for American Express Interactive. I have 32 years of experience in Risk, Finance, Data, Analytics and Emerging Tech, and international experience across ASIA, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. I have also been actively involved in Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies since 2016 where I supported a client project to evaluate the BlockChain technology, design and implementation of Blockchain architecture for internal and external contracts with trading partners. The pilot was then implemented for business use. I continue to provide assistance to clients on their white papers, business plans and Risk profiles and evaluates for clients the Risks to be considered. I have presented on Risk Management, AML, KYC, Fraud, Customer Onboarding, AI, Blockchain and Big Data at industry conferences and events such as the Blockchain Fest @Boston hosted at MIT, the Blockchain Leadership Connect Consensus New York 2018, the Chicago 2018 Blockchain Leadership connect and was a Blockchain Hackathon judge at the Global Blockchain Hackathon in New York in July 2018 and the Global Blockchain Hackathon in Chicago 2018. I am currently performing as the COO of TechBlue, which provides Data Analytics, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and visualization solutions that optimize operational performance in both the public and private sector. I am a Co-Founder of VENTI – a mobile digital wallet and debit card account, that allows for for the real time and free money movement to loved ones anywhere in the world. The platform allows customers to more easily pay bills, allow direct mortgage and loan deductions directly from their account. The technology allows customers more control, more security, less cost and higher quality account services without high fees, all adding up to more time to enjoy the important things in life. 

Dave Dowrich is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of TIAA, where he has responsibility for TIAA’s financial
management and planning, actuarial, tax, accounting and financial
reporting functions for the organization.

Dave joined TIAA from Prudential where he held a similar role for
Prudential Financial’s International Businesses, based in Tokyo, Japan.
Prior to Prudential, he worked at AIG as Chief Executive Officer,
International Life and Retirement, with oversight of AIG Life (UK), Laya
Healthcare (Ireland) and leading the Life and Retirement division’s
international strategy and growth. He previously served as CFO of AIG
Japan and Asia Pacific and as CFO and Chief Financial Actuary of
Institutional Markets in the USA. Prior to joining AIG, Dave held senior
roles in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse, as
well as reinsurance and transaction structuring roles at Swiss Re and
Canada Life Reinsurance. Dave began his career as a pension
consulting actuary in Toronto, Ontario.

Dave earned an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania and a BSc in Actuarial Science and Applied
Statistics from the University of Toronto. He is a Fellow of the Society of
Actuaries, an Associate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and a
Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Dave is on the board of
Scotiabank, Vantage Group Holdings Ltd, has served on several
insurance and non-insurance operating and holding company boards,
and currently serves on the boards of non-profit and academic
organizations.

In July 2022, Dave was named one of the “2022 Most Influential Black
Executives in Corporate America”
(http://savoynetwork.com/features/dave-dowrich/).

Siddharth Durbha is a Director with the Digital Trust team at KPMG in India and leads DLT & Web 3 security. He has about 13 years of consulting experience covering Asset Liability Management, Technology & Operational Risk management. He has assisted multiple central banks and financial services companies across the world in the digital transformation and security of payment systems, capital markets and risk management systems. He is also an active contributor to ISO TC307 committee involved in drafting security standards for DLT based systems.

Pascale Elie, is Chairwoman of CELLPAY.
She has a degree in Actuarial Mathematics and Economy from University of Montreal in Canada.
For many years she successfully managed and lead a top-rated Insurance Company. Later she profound her knowledge and gain experience as CEO of a Visa Credit Card issuer.
Wanting to start her own financial institution she cofounded HaitiPay the first Fintech led of mobile banking service in Haiti. With her team she worked tirelessly to develop a mobile money network of merchants and agents. This earned her the Digicel Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 award in the innovation category.

Alison Browne-Ellis is an experienced Corporate Executive with over 24 years of expertise. In her capacity, she leads a dynamic team and sets strategy for Cave Shepherd Card (Barbados) Inc. t/a as “Payce Digital”. Alison has successfully led her company to acquire the status of the first Non-Financial Institution in the English-speaking Latin American Caribbean region to obtain a Principal Membership license with Visa International while spearheading the launch of one of Barbados’s first digital payment wallets that is available to small business customers and supports the Government’s EZ Pay+ payment platform.

Prior to her current role as CEO, Alison spent 13 years at FirstCaribbean International Bank. She has a proven track record in leading change initiatives in the payments industry with expertise in implementation of innovative products, business development, marketing, credit and customer experience strategies.

Alison holds an Executive Diploma from the Ivey Business School, Western University and a MBA with Distinction, from the University of Surrey. Alison is also a Certified John Maxwell Team Coach. She is a past Vice President and Council Member of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry where she Chairs the Marketing & Communications Committee.

Alison is passionate about the professional development of our future leaders which has led to the recent launch of her book – “LIFE LESSONS A Purpose Driven Leadership Journey” and her new 365 Day Inspirational Desk Calendar.

Alison is also the Founder of Boss Ladies United – a professional development and networking association for women.

Daphne Ewing-Chow is an award-winning Caribbean journalist, renowned for her extensive contribution to global discourse on food systems and the environment. She has graced international stages as a moderator and speaker, interviewing country leaders, dignitaries, and celebrities, and holds a Master’s Degree in International Economic Policy from Columbia University.

As a Senior Contributor at Forbes, focusing on food and sustainability, Daphne’s perspectives have resonated strongly with global and regional audiences. Her work, showcased in publications such as The New York Times, The Sunday Times (London), Entrepreneur Magazine, and the International Monetary Fund’s Finance & Development Magazine, underscores her influence in shaping discussions on critical issues pertaining to climate change and food security.

As a strategic communications specialist, Daphne has managed communications initiatives for NGOs and UN agencies, and currently serves as a Communications Specialist at the World Food Programme. She has been a judge for the Zayed Sustainability Prize for the past four years and judged the Rockefeller Foundation’s prestigious Food Systems Vision Prize.

Daphne’s work has been recognized with awards from the United Nations, the Pan American Health Organization, the Caribbean Development Bank, and the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, among others.

Mervyn Eyre serves as head of Fujitsu’s operations in the Caribbean, where he is responsible for managing the strategic direction and general management of its business in this region. In 2022 and 2023 he also assumed Head the International Business Strategy Office (IBSO), a Headquarters function responsible for enabling Fujitsu’s strategy in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. For two years (2017 – 2019) Mervyn served in an interim role as Head of Managed Infrastructure Services (MIS) for the Americas, where he was instrumental in leading the successful transition of its operations into a Digital Services business, including engagement of Fujitsu’s largest customers in North America. Leveraging more than 25 years of experience in the global ICT industry, Mervyn has been instrumental in leading the introduction of managed and cloud-based digital services in the Caribbean region, opening up new, agile, pay-as-you-use consumption models to the enterprise and government. He is focused on driving growth by adding value through a human-centric, co-creative approach to transforming business operating models, customer experiences and employee well-being. Mervyn is driven by a quest for continuous learning and a passion for technology innovation to enable Fujitsu’s purpose of driving sustainability transformation for both businesses and society.

As Chief Digital Asset Officer (Financial Technology) at the Bermuda Monetary Authority, Mr. Fahmi leads the team responsible for regulatory authorization and supervision efforts under the Digital Asset Business Act 2018. Mr. Fahmi’s team is also responsible for instigating and advancing FinTech innovation, as well as developing the digital asset regime in Bermuda, one of the world’s first jurisdictions with a regulatory framework for digital assets.

Prior to joining the Authority in August 2018, Mr. Fahmi was Director – Fintech and Innovation at the Authority of Financial Markets (Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF)), the regulator of the financial services sector in Quebec, Canada.

Marwan Forzley is an innovator and a visionary who’s passionate about building companies through disruptive technologies and global strategies. After founding and selling eBillme, Marwan became the GM of eCommerce and Strategic Partnerships at Western Union.

Marwan is now the co-founder and CEO of Veem, an organization which helps businesses transfer money domestically and internationally. Trusted by over 800,000 users all around the globe, Veem is transforming how businesses pay and get paid with time-saving Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable automations, and flexible payment options in over 100 countries and 70+ currencies.

Ms. Tara Frater is the Principal and Founder of FT Legal, a boutique law firm based in Barbados. She is an experienced attorney-at-law with over 15 years of experience working at leading firms in international financial services centres in the Caribbean. She has lectured in various fora on legal issues and her speaking engagements include various Caribbean and Latin American conferences hosted by STEP and other organisations.

Ms. Frater actively engages on issues affecting the international financial services sector in the Caribbean. She participates in various working groups focused on legislative reform and currently serves on the Trust Review Committee and the FinTech Advisory Committee convened by the Barbados Government. She formerly served as the Chairperson of the STEP Barbados Branch and is a former Director of the Barbados International Business Association. She has repeatedly made the Citywealth IFC Power Women Top 200 List, which recognise women of influence in government, private wealth, private client advisory and philanthropy across international financial centres. She has a keen interest in cryptocurrencies and the transformative potential of blockchain technology

Sebastian is an Ecuadorian entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Kushki, a leading payments infrastructure company for Latin America founded in 2017 and with a recent entry into the Latin American unicorn club. He also serves as General Partner of Alpha4 Ventures.

In the past, he co-founded Leaf, a technology company dedicated to financial services based in Cambridge, MA. Leaf was acquired in 2014 by Heartland Payment Systems (now Global Payments NYSE: GPN).
Mr. Castro is particularly interested in promoting Latin American tech companies and entrepreneurs and has invested in the region both through his fund as well as an angel investor. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT, where he studied mathematics and engineering.

About Kushki:
Kushki, the world-class payment platform that connects Latin America through payments, helps businesses reduce the cost and complexity of payments online while improving acceptance rates and reducing fraud. With less than a decade of existence. Kushki operates locally in 5 countries and leverages local teams to deliver customized solutions for clients in each country.

Eldred F Garcia is the SVP of Business and Partner Development at First Atlantic Commerce & PowerTranz.

He brings 25+ years of experience in the payments industry through banking, consulting, the major credit card brands, processors, 3rd party vendors, and on the merchant side as well. Eldred’s focus has been primarily on the payments industry and, more specifically, on emerging technologies and fraud prevention.

While at Visa, Eldred was responsible for cardholder authentication in e-commerce for Latin America and the Caribbean region.  Eldred also directed the Latin America and Caribbean region for TowerGroup, a research and consulting firm in Boston owned by MasterCard, Accertify, a fraud prevention company owned by American Express, and EPX, an international payments processor.

On the merchant side, Eldred owned and operated a restaurant & entertainment establishment where he launched the first “Hot Zone” in partnership with the local city and a fortune 500 telecommunications company. Eldred served in the City of Miami’s Technology Advisory Board and with the United States Secret Service MECTF and ADFIN Groups and was head of the EMV Readiness Committee.

Eldred holds a BA in International Business and Management from FIU and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Barry University.

Alfonso García Mora is IFC’s Vice President for Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. He spearheads IFC’s engagements in the two regions, including operationalizing IFC’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the post-COVID-19 recovery, building a strong pipeline for private sector investments rooted in country strategies, and fostering more collaboration opportunities with key stakeholders to maximize impact.

Mr. García Mora, a Spanish national, brings over twenty years of experience in financial and private sector development, with twelve years in the private sector and nine years in different positions at the World Bank Group. Most recently, Mr. García Mora was IFC’s Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific. Before that, he was a Director at the World Bank in charge of different regions (including Europe and Latin America) and global units in the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Practice Group, including as Global Director of Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation. His experience working across regions and institutions has enabled Mr. Garcia Mora to further foster World Bank Group collaboration and opportunities.

Before joining the World Bank, Mr. García Mora was a Partner and Managing Director in Analistas Financieros Internacionales (AFI), mostly focused on Europe and LAC. In that capacity, he gained extensive experience working with the private sector, regulators, governments, and development finance institutions in different countries.

Mr. García Mora has a PhD in Financial Economics from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain and has also lectured and published extensively on banking and financial-sector issues.

Nicky is the Senior Partner at XReg Consulting, a boutique public policy and regulatory affairs consultancy specializing in cryptoassets. A former regulator with 15 years of experience in the crypto and financial services industries, Nicky leads the development of XReg’s presence in the Americas, with a strategic focus on Latin America, the Caribbean and North America. 

Since founding XReg, Nicky has supported governments and international public bodies with the development and implementation of risk-based, outcomes-oriented crypto-asset regulatory frameworks and strategies that mitigate risk and leverage smart innovation. 

He also provides strategic regulatory advice to some of the largest crypto businesses in the world and has successfully secured licenses and authorizations for clients in Europe, Gibraltar, the Caribbean and Asia. As the co-chair of the Global Digital Finance (GDF) AML working group, he helps shape global crypto-asset regulatory standards that mitigate risk and encourage innovation.

Ms. Helen Gradstein is the Regional Representative & Digital Finance Technical Specialist covering the Eastern Caribbean for the UNCDF, based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

She is an expert in digital finance and financial inclusion and is passionate about ensuring that financial inclusion policies and programmes protect consumers, empower women, and support financial capability.

Previously, Ms. Gradstein worked as a Financial Sector Specialist in the World Bank’s Financial Inclusion and Payments team.

She holds a Masters in Global Policy from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dave is an Associate Partner within IBM Consulting Enterprise Sustainability Practice, specializing in the Financial Services Sector.  With over 23-years experience in banking and financial services, Dave focuses on the intersection of business and technology.  An Industrial Engineer by training, Dave has a MBA from the Schulich School of Business where he specialized in International Business Strategy and Marketing. 

He is a Business Transformation Leader who has designed and implemented large complex programs to drive revenue and capture efficiencies across the entire organization.  He identifies opportunities to stop, re-size and re-engineer business activities (demand side), major capability areas (supply side) and business enablers (governance, organization).  

Known as The Glue | The Advisor | The Coach | The Impact Investing Connector | The “Get It Done Guy” | | The Care Leader | The Mental Health Advocate, Dave has a reputation as a self-starter. Prior to IBM, he held leadership roles with RBC Bank, D+H, Symcor, Nortel Networks, General Motors and Ford.   A passionate philanthropist, Dave is also Founder & CEO of the non-profit Brothers Who Care. He currently leads Social Sustainability initiatives focused on Financial Security, Skills & Education, and Mental Health and Well-being in the Non-Profit sector.

Mario holds a BSc in Business Administration majoring in Finance at the Northern Caribbean University and an MBA in Banking and Finance from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. He is charged with responsibilities for policy formulation, development and implementation of financial market infrastructures (FMIs) and financial technology for the enhancement of the National Payment ecosystem, development of industry strategies and regulatory policies, guidance around technology innovation affecting the National Payments, Clearing and Settlement systems, managing the development, review and improvement of the Bank’s regulatory framework, systemically important infrastructures and financial innovation (Fintech) to ensure a robust and dynamic regime which satisfies international and regulatory requirements and ultimately mitigates systemic risk, and providing advice and contributing to the development of global and regional standards on Fintech. Currently, he is the Technical Expert providing support and technical advice on the implementation of the CBDC Pilot project. He also represents the Payment System and Money Services Oversight Division on several committees and working groups in the area of Fintech, Fast Payments, Bigtech, Cryptocurrencies, CBDC and Financial System Stability. In 2016, he was seconded to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) where he was assigned to the Monetary and Economic Department, Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructure (CPMI).

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is the Central Bank of Jamaica. The BOJ is responsible to formulate and implement monetary and regulatory policies to safeguard the value of the domestic currency and to ensure the soundness and development of the financial system.

Aaron Grinhaus LL.B., J.D., LL.M. (Tax) is a business and tax lawyer, writer and lecturer, and the founder of Grinhaus Law Firm (grinhauslaw.ca) based in Toronto, Canada. Aaron advises on business, international tax, estate structuring and regulatory matters, and is an established Web3 and Fintech consultant.

Aaron has acted as chair, presenter and lecturer through a number of educational institutions and organizations. He is Faculty and Co-Director of Osgoode Hall Law School’s prestigious Web3, Blockchain and Metaverse Law Certificate Program and in 2019 he published “A Practical Guide to Blockchain and Smart Contract Law” (LexisNexis), the world’s first textbook on Blockchain and Smart contract law now in its third edition with international editions. In January 2022 Grinhaus Law Firm became the first Canadian law firm (and one of only a few in the world) to establish an office in the Metaverse. He was also a founding member of the Metaverse Bar Association (MetBA.io).

Aaron holds law degrees from the University of Ottawa (LL.B.), Michigan State University College of Law (J.D.) and a Masters in Tax Law from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University (LL.M.)

Carol spearheads global payments, partnerships and commerce innovation, holding executive roles at Citi, Northwestern Mutual, Ant Group, and Google. Integral in developing super apps and unified commerce, she excels in emerging markets and the US-Asia tech sector.

Driven by a passion for fintech and social impact, Carol leads advancements in AI, commerce, and payment technologies. She is a vocal advocate for women in business and dedicates herself to community development. As a TeamUnity board member, Carol focuses on enhancing social health factors in Harlem, NY.

Martin Hanna is a renowned fintech and retail entrepreneur who has made a significant impact in the business world. As the CEO and Founder of Penny Pinch Inc., he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to build innovative products and systems that provide immense value to users.
Martin’s passion for design, product development, and marketing has enabled him to create solutions that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally effective. He has a keen eye for identifying gaps in the market and developing products that fill those gaps, making life more convenient for people in the process.
Despite dropping out of college, Martin’s entrepreneurial spirit and determination have driven him to become a successful business leader. He has won several awards for his innovative ideas and has been recognized as a thought leader in the fintech and retail space.
Aside from running Penny Pinch Inc.,a regulated money services business (MSB) that offers a mobile-first alternative to money management and spending, Martin is committed to helping other entrepreneurs succeed. He has a talent for guiding new business owners through the challenges of building and growing their businesses. His expertise and mentorship have helped many young entrepreneurs to achieve their goals and realize their dreams.
Martin’s dedication to innovation, creativity, and helping others has made him a standout figure in the business world. He continues to inspire and motivate people through his work, and his impact on the fintech and retail industries is sure to endure for years to come.

Zachary Harding is the Executive Chairman and co-founder of Delta Capital Partners, a Caribbean based Private Equity firm. Delta has investments in Financial Services, Health and Wellness, E- commerce, Media and Entertainment, and Industrials and was awarded as “The Next 100 Global Awards – Private Equity Deal House (2021)”.

Natasha Harper-Madison is a seasoned member of the Austin City Council, representing the 10th largest city in the U.S., Austin, Texas, for a second term. With six years of experience, she is a champion for addressing Austin’s housing crisis and navigating economic opportunities in a city marked by economic segregation.

Harper-Madison’s leadership stands out in a city on the cusp of innovative revitalization, despite being behind in infrastructure. She excels in balancing pragmatic policy-making, cutting-edge technology, and community-driven growth. As a Community Revitalization Specialist, she actively works towards breaking the cycle of poverty.

In addition to her political role, Harper-Madison is the founder of CivSop, a civic education and workforce development initiative. Her entrepreneurial endeavors and commitment to civic education showcase her forward-thinking approach.

As a sought-after speaker, Harper-Madison inspires others to engage in shaping a more vibrant and equitable future for Austin. Her multifaceted contributions make her a transformative force in the city’s growth and development.

The Hon. Jason Hayward JP, MP currently serves as the Minister of Economy and Labour in the Bermuda Government. In this role, he is primarily responsible for the economic growth, development and the expansion of jobs in Bermuda. His portfolio oversees the island’s immigration, workforce development, labour relations, financial assistance, international business, statistics and economic development.

Minister Hayward was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2019, and was later appointed as the Minister of Labour in 2020. Before becoming a Member of Parliament, he was appointed to the Bermuda Government Senate in 2017, and served as Junior Minister of Education, Health, Labour, Community Affairs and Sports. Mr. Hayward is a former Chairman of the National Training Board and chaired the Working Group which produced Bermuda’s first National Workforce Development Plan.

Prior to entering the political arena, Min. Hayward worked in the Economic and National Accounts Division of the Department of Statistics. Min. Hayward also served as the first elected full-time President of the Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU), President of the Bermuda Trade Union Congress, and Director and Treasurer of the Bermuda Credit Union.

Min. Hayward is an alumnus of the Canada – Caribbean Emerging Leaders Dialogue (a Commonwealth leadership development program), an alumnus of the US Department of States’ International Visitor Leadership Program, and holds a Chartered Manager Designation from the Chartered Management Institute.

Minister Hayward holds a MBA in Finance from Nova Southeastern University, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Mount Saint Vincent University and an Associate’s degree in Arts and Science from the Bermuda College

Peter Hazlehurst, CEO and co-founder of Synctera, is a global FinTech entrepreneur and philanthropist with nearly 30 years of experience creating financial products for banks, FinTechs, and large tech companies. 

In 1993 he built core banking technology for Phoenix, which still powers companies today. More recently, Peter served as Head of Uber Money, Chief Operating Officer at Postmates, Senior Director of Product Management at Google, CEO and Board Member of Google Payments Corporation, and Chief Product Officer at Yodlee. 

Peter also led Product at Nokia for Enterprise Mobility and Mobile email and has served as a CTO and consultant at several startups.

Roger is the CEO of Avvant – an advisory firm focused on strategy, innovation and digital transformation. Avvant works, in conjunction with its global network, to support private sector clients and governments in the Caribbean region and Africa. Roger also works as an independent consultant supporting the work of multilateral agencies, such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Organisation of the American States (OAS).

Roger has driven advisory services in organisations such as IBM, Fujitsu and most recently, Deloitte. An experienced digital transformation expert, Roger has led development of the Government Digital Strategy for both the St. Kitts & Nevis and Barbados governments.

When not working with commercial clients, Roger works tirelessly support the development of innovation and entrepreneurship. He has worked in an advisory capacity with TEN Habitat (Barbados) and mentorship capacity with the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship (Jamaica).

Garnet Heraman is a serial entrepreneur and fund manager with over 20 years experience at the intersection of innovation, diversity + technology. Garnet’s family emigrated to the US from Trinidad & Tobago, and he was educated at Columbia University, NYU and The London School of Economics. As an entrepreneur, he built 3 startups, had 2 exits one of which was to a publicly traded company. As an investor, Garnet has helped build 2 investment platforms, the most recent being Aperture Venture Capital, VC For The Multicultural Mainstream™.

Garnet’s investment experience with AI goes back to the early 2000’s when his second company – University Ventures – was engaged in the acquisition of patent portfolios related to NLP, OCR, machine vision, machine learning & decision support systems from a network of 40 research universities across North America.

Garnet lives in Laguna Beach, CA with his wife and one very spoiled rescue dog.

Juan Luis Hernández is a professional with over 12 years of experience in the remittances business. He has a proven track record of creating and implementing innovative products aimed at simplifying and enhancing the accessibility of remittance services.

Currently serving as the Regional Business Development Manager at TerraPay, Juan Luis is instrumental in driving the company’s expansion efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Before his role at TerraPay, Juan Luis held positions in Banco Azteca, Millicom (Tigo), and Banco G&T Continental, where he honed his skills in market analysis, strategic planning, and international business development.

Daryl is first and foremost a fanatic older brother who always comes equipped with a story about his latest adventure. Affectionately described by others as “someone you want on your team when sh** hits the fan”, Daryl brings that same intensity to the strategy and vision for Revival, where borrowers can buy out and eliminate their debt for the discounted rates it gets traded for on the aftermarket. 

Prior to starting Revival, Daryl designed the websites for two of the leading organizations in the fight to cancel student debt and served as a US Senate panelist on the issue. Outside of work, Daryl is a marathoner, a novice sailor and that person who will facetime an old friend without any warning. 

More than anything, Daryl cares about access to opportunity and regularly volunteers and donates to organizations focused on helping people create a better life for themselves.

Dwight Housend is a Co-Founder and The Executive Chairman of TT RideShare Ltd, Trinidad & Tobago’s largest ridesharing company. He has over 12 years of experience in Banking and Finance in Trinidad and has utilized his expertise and knowledge of Information Systems to guide and expand the ridesharing market in T&T.

Dwight’s guiding philosophy as a young professional is that, in the Digital Era, technology solutions should be utilized in process development, strategic planning, and structural and change management. He has led with a focus on people analytics, enforced by his view that many organizations often overlook psycho-social factors as they utilize new technologies to pursue digital transformation. He has strong values of integrity,  respect, responsibility, and family.

ARTEL uses artificial intelligence-based (A.I.) solutions, to solve the globe’s disaster management challenges. Our Company develops Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) that save lives and protect property from man-made and natural disasters. The aim is to dramatically improve the decision-making capabilities of our clients, through risk management, monitoring and evaluation. This is for Climate Change Adaptation, Resilience and the impact hazards have on our clients’ bottom line, across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our AI, climate-driven solutions therefore target Disaster Agencies, Multi-lateral agencies, Development Banks, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions and Local Government Council, among others.

Paul is a successful and results driven insurance executive, with extensive knowledge and experience in leading high-performance teams in the insurance and banking sectors across multiple Caribbean jurisdictions. He has proven successes in implementing and executing business strategies for large regional financial institutions. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF CAREER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS  

• Executive Vice President & General Manager – Sagicor Life Inc – Barbados Operations  
• SVP, Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry  
• Director, Insurance Association Caribbean  
• Director, Insurance – CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank  
• Chief Operating Officer – Island Heritage Insurance Company  
• General Manager for Barbados & Eastern Caribbean Islands with Pan American Life Insurance Group  
• Past President – General Insurance Association of Barbados (GIAB) PROFESSIONAL 

EDUCATION / DEVELOPMENT  

• MBA – Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland  
• Fellowship (FCIP) – with Specialization in – Risk Management  
• Fellow, Life Management Institute – FLMI  
• Canadian Risk Manager (CRM) – Institute of Risk Management – Canada  
• Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) – Insurance Institute of Canada, Canada 

Paul serves his community as an active member and past president of the Optimist Club of Barbados Central and served as President for the period 2021 to 2023. He also currently serves as Director, Barbados Jazz Society.

Felicity is a seasoned product manager with over 5 years of demonstrated experience working in the Fintech space. She specializes in product design, innovation and implementation. Felicity is passionate about digital financial services and facilitating inclusion for the last mile in Africa and beyond.

 She has been intrinsically responsible for driving Zeepay’s financial inclusion agenda by deploying various projects such as D4i. Over the years she has worked closely through partnerships with donor and bilateral agencies such as the UNCDF (Ghana) and RGF, to develop and deploy financial solutions for the last mile.

 Felicity works for Zeepay Ghana Ltd as a Product Manager. She is responsible for deploying Zeepay Mobile Money and sales coordination to build an expansive distribution network of products and agent points.

She is currently the Country Manager for ZeeMoney (Barbados) Ltd, a subsidiary of Zeepay Ghana Ltd. She oversees the deployment & operationalization of the business in-country

 From working within Zeepay’s commercial team coupled with other diverse roles, Felicity’s experience spans project management, business development, operations, product development and innovation.

Assurance Partner With over 14 years experience Sirpaul currently leads PwC’s East Caribbean Hospitality practice. Over the last 14 years, Sirpaul has audited many of Barbados’ hospitality and tourism products.

Relevant experience:-
• Sirpaul joined the Barbados office of PwC East Caribbean fourteen years ago from Guyana. He has over fifteen years of audit and assurance experience in various industries. His primary role is providing assurance services to clients in the Private Clients space. Before joining the Barbados office he was part of the assurance team with a firm in Guyana. • Sirpaul’s experience with the hospitality industry brings an understanding of your business and the team with strong leadership.
• He currently services South and West Coast hotels, tourism attractions, and tourism associations.
• Digital leader of PwC East Caribbean.

Qualifications and Memberships:-
● BSc. in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University (UK)
● Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
● Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB)
● Certificate in Digital Innovation for Finance Professionals (ACCA)

Forbes “International Speaker” and Inc.’s “Billionaire Networker” Christopher Kai is a 7X author, founder of GPS, a speaker training program and founder of GifterX Talks, the world’s leading speaker community for entrepreneurs which has been called the “TED Talks for Entrepreneurs.” He is a former American Express business strategist. He teaches entrepreneurs how to build a global personal brand, master networking, and become a professional speaker. Christopher has helped his clients in 120 cities and 30 countries generate $200 million. He is the author of “Wizard of Words: The 7 Magical Words for Success,” “Story-based Leadership: How 2 Rise 2 the Top with Your Story” and “Big Game Hunting: Networking with Billionaires, Executives and Celebrities” which is a #1 international bestseller. Outside of his business, he created Mondays at the Mission, the only homeless youth program of its kind in the world. Elon Musk once exclaimed in an interview, “Wow! You really know a lot!

Sanjib has built and launched over 20 products and businesses in his career. He is Founder & CEO of Guppy, a fintech startup focused on self-sovereign credit data.

He was the Wizard and former Chief Marketing Officer at Money20/20, a fintech conference he helped grow from startup to exit. He worked for Citi, managing the world’s largest credit card portfolios, Google, creating partnerships for Google Wallet, and Intel, launching their graphics chip business.

Sanjib has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.

Warren Kellman is the Founder and CEO of Nickel & Dime – a Barbados-based startup revolutionizing the traditional financial system, empowering borrowers and lenders by providing a transparent, convenient and flexible peer-to-peer lending solution.

As a passionate and persistent entrepreneur, Warren sees challenges as opportunities. He is an engineer with experience that spans a range of industries including finance, agriculture, construction and manufacturing, giving him a diverse perspective to rally teams and launch new ventures. Warren has a unique drive to create solutions that make a positive impact and has demonstrated the ability to turn ideas into action through perseverance, strategic thinking, and a hands-on approach. He values innovation, sustainability and building connections within communities. Warren aims to empower others through his work while creating social and economic value.

Asif R. Khan is a proud Canadian and veteran tech startup, business-development and marketing entrepreneur with more than 20 years experience in building high-performance startups. He is currently the Founder and CEO of GroundLevel Insights, a movement science company leveraging consumer location data to inform business insights and analytics and the creator of the free CANATRACE platform. Asif is also the founder of the Location Based Marketing Association (The LBMA) — an international group with operations in over 30 countries dedicated to research and education in the space — and a desired advisor to the FCC, CRTC and Ontario Privacy Commission on the development of privacy laws regarding the use of location data.

Asif holds degrees in economics and management sciences from the University of Waterloo and is a regular guest lecturer at his alma mater as well as at Ryerson University, Penn State, University of Texas.

Marcia is a thought leader in emerging payments with over 15 years of experience in the financial services and payments industry, and 5+ years in fraud and identity. She has led international, cross-functional teams to build and deliver secure products and solutions. Marcia has worked at industry leaders such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Visa, FIS Global, and LexisNexis Risk Solutions. She excels in creating a vision, connecting people to ideas, and bringing game-changing solutions to market.

Ronan is the CEO of DLT Solutions which he founded in 2021. He is a UK & Irish national resident in the BVI. Ronan has a BA in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University and a MA in South East European Studies from the School of Slavonic & East European Studies, UCL. He is a Chartered Director and also holds a Diploma in International Trust Management. Since 2018 Ronan has been working in the Blockchain, Web 3 space and quickly began consulting, advising and investing in several projects. His work with dynamic, forward-thinking entrepreneurs on top-tier projects in the space catalysed his interest and generated the impetus to set up DLT, which offers a range of bespoke advisory services to blockchain projects intending to set up in the Caribbean. 

Ronan is an experienced international financial services professional with an open-minded and broad international perspective on both traditional and innovative business. Ronan’s portfolio includes an extensive network of contacts, partners, and resources in the Caribbean and internationally. He is well-regarded by leading professionals in the region. His approach is frank, and he is known for his ability to provide pragmatic guidance on navigating challenges.

Sabrina Lamb is the Founder/ CEO of Wekeza, a U.S. based fintech, whose mission is to provide families from the African diaspora residing in the United States with financial education and services. Wekeza, means ‘save’ and ‘invest’ in Swahili, and reflects her vision.

Sabrina also founded the WorldofMoney non-profit, the leading provider of immersive youth financial education for ages 7 – 18, empowering 7,000 youth globally. Her six best-selling books, include the NAACP Image Awards-nominated “Do I Look Like An ATM?”.  WorldofMoney received Motley Fool’s award for the “Best Overall Financial Literacy” app. 

Sabrina appears globally at fintech and financial inclusion conferences. Her shortlist of awards includes Rep. Gregory Meeks, Westchester Board of Legislators, New York State, NBC News/The Grio 100, State Farm’s National Dream Achiever Award, Essence Magazine’s “Shining Moments: 50 Women Who Made Us Proud” and Rainbow Push/Wall Street Project Honors.

36 years old, Theo is a partner and Commercial Director at ByBnk. He began investing in the United States and the international market in 2014, looking for assets that historically offered the best returns with the least amount of risk.

After nearly 10 years as an attorney specializing in banking law (with a specialization from FGC), Theo and his partners founded ByBnk, a Bahamas-based bank, to enable Brazilian investors to access the North American market with the best services, assets, and advisory.

He has completed a course in entrepreneurship and innovation from MIT, was a resident at Plug’n’Play in Silicon Valley, and holds an MBA from Fundação Dom Cabral.

Theodora (Theo) Lau is the founder of Unconventional Ventures, a public speaker, and an advisor. She is the co-author of Beyond Good: How Technology is Leading a Purpose-driven Business Revolution, and host of One Vision, a podcast on fintech and innovation. Her monthly column on FinTech Futures explores the intersection of financial services, tech, and humanity. She is named one of American Banker’s Most Influential Women in FinTech in 2023. She is also a regular contributor and commentator for top industry events and publications, including BBC News, Finovate, American Banker, and Journal of Digital Banking. Her latest book, the Metaverse Economy, co-authored with Arun Krishnakumar, offers a balanced insight into the complex world of the Metaverse, and demystifies the technology and economic paradigms that have triggered the rise of the metaverse.

Hailing from the beautiful and industrious country of Trinidad & Tobago, Jeston, a digital entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of TrumeiD, brings two decades of experience in the digital arena.

With multiple certifications in Business, Digital Marketing, Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation, AI, and Machine Learning, he has excelled in various sectors, including Government Communications, Media, Advertising and Technology.

Having founded a creative agency and Ignition Innovation, a technology company, Jeston has collaborated with renowned organizations such as HBO, Coca Cola, UNDP, GE, Atlantic LNG, Royal Unibrew, the City of Miami, and various Caribbean governments.

Now, his unwavering focus on Digital Identity is propelling the Caribbean region towards a new way of doing business, creating policies and achieving specific Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Angel is the Founder and CEO of FinTech Connector, a globally acclaimed member platform spanning over 120 countries. His visionary leadership propels this platform, uniting experts, investors, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs to cultivate fintech innovation.

Prior to FinTech Connector, Angel was an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, leading multifaceted CFO teams covering trading businesses, risk management, and treasury functions. Furthermore, Angel was instrumental in steering the Finance division’s digital innovation strategy as the Digital Tooling & Data Transformation Leader, where he reengineered processes by integrating cutting-edge automation tools and upskilling the workforce to drive efficiency and modernization.

Beyond his corporate achievements, Angel is an avid contributor to the startup ecosystem. He offers invaluable counsel and mentorship to financial services innovators and fintech entrepreneurs, empowering them to scale and navigate the complexities of their enterprises.

Angel’s contributions have been widely acknowledged, earning him a place on Diversity MBA Magazine’s esteemed Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Executives list.

His academic pursuits underscore his commitment to continuous learning and innovation. He holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from the City University of New York – Baruch College and an MBA specializing in Finance and Information Systems from Pace University. To augment his expertise in digital transformation, Angel obtained Certificates in Fintech: Future Commerce and Big Data & Social Analytics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Vlad Lounegov is the CEO of Mbanq, a prominent US-based banking technology innovator and a global Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) provider. 

Under his leadership, Mbanq has evolved into one of the world’s leading FinTech companies, serving numerous banks and credit unions with its cutting-edge technology stack and compliance-first approach. 

Vlad’s visionary technology innovations and entrepreneurial acumen have been instrumental in Mbanq’s remarkable global success as a comprehensive BaaS provider, achieving recognition for regulatory compliance, risk management, and advanced technology solutions.

Mr. Maharaj, a national of Trinidad and Tobago has extensive experience in international trade, working with the private sector, governments, and multi-lateral institutions in a career spanning more than 25 years. He knows the Region well, having lived and worked in Barbados, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; served with the Caribbean Development Bank; and has consistently championed the development agenda of the Region in his various roles.

He previously served as Deputy Secretary General of the 54-nation Commonwealth where he led its work in economic and social development. He spearheaded the trade and investment agenda for the Commonwealth across its developing country membership in the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa, and Asia. Mr. Maharaj understands the vital role of the private sector as a key driver and partner in development and in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement in partnership with government. He also recognises the importance of creating an enabling environment for businesses to succeed and the imperative of attracting foreign direct investment in regions such as ours.

Mr. Maharaj supported the establishment of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and sat on its Advisory Board for three years. Mr. Maharaj also served with the United Nations in senior roles in the field and at headquarters. He has also lived and worked in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Tanzania and Mozambique.

A graduate of the University of the West Indies, Mr. Maharaj’s academic qualifications include a BSc; Government; Postgraduate Diploma, International Relations; MSc., International Affairs; Bachelor of Laws; and Postgraduate Legal Practice Certificate.

Kadeen Mairs is a Jamaican businessman, investor and philanthropist. He is currently CEO and Founder of Dequity Capital, a privately held investment Company with Assets under management exceeding J$3 billion. Dequity owns a collection of businesses in different industries including financial services, healthcare, technology and Real estate. Kadeen is widely regarded as a visionary entrepreneur and strategist whose philosophy of “solving problems and creating businesses with the solutions” has resulted in extraordinary business success and becoming one of Jamaica’s youngest self-made billionaires. Kadeen has over 16 years of experience in the financial sector, starting at 18 working within Credit Unions, Commercial Banks, Investment Banks, Venture Capital Companies and the Founding of Micro Finance Company Dolla Financial Services and listing it on the Jamaica stock exchange with one of the largest oversubscriptions in the history of the Junior Market. Among his many personal accomplishments, Kadeen holds a BSc in Business Administration. He is also a Certified Expert in Micro Finance from Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany and holds an Executive Certificate in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School. Kadeen is a member of the Forbes Business Council and was awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 by the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce. In 2023 Kadeen Adopted the Grange Hill Health Centre in his hometown and donated $5 million.

Rohan Marley is an entrepreneur and former football player for the University of Miami Hurricanes and Canadian Professional Football League. He is the son of reggae legend and humanitarian, Bob Marley.

Rohan founded Marley Coffee, an organic coffee plantation and sustainable farming business sourced from Jamaica’s Blue Mountains and Ethiopia with coffee shops in operation worldwide. Later he founded House of Marley, an eco-friendly headphones and speakers electronics company. The brand can be found worldwide throughout all major electronic stores.

Rohan helps run his family’s charitable organization 1Love, as well as, Tuff Gong Clothing company.

Another venture by Rohan is the RoMarley Beach House in Puerto Morales, which opened in July 2020 in partnership with The Fives Oceanfront, a luxury boutique hotel.

In 2022, Rohan launched Lion Order, a Rastafari cannabis and hemp lifestyle brand. Lion Order is currently sold in Michigan with plans for expansion throughout all U.S. and international recreational and medical markets.

Begoña is a Deals partner with PwC, sought for her M&A background to provide advice on acquisitions, divestitures, and mergers in Latin America. During her 20+ years of experience in deals, Begoña has been a senior advisor to more than 200 M&A projects, mainly in the fintech sector.

She has been a leader in multiple offices around the world (Madrid, Mexico City, Miami and New York), where she has developed an intrinsic knowledge of the fintech and microfinance space, working with key players in these markets.

 Begoña has a BA in Business by the Universidad de Navarra (Spain), holds a CPA license in the State of New York and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

 She is a board member of the US-Spain Chamber of Commerce in New York and founder of the Women’s Hispanic Executive Association in Florida. As an active member in associations such as EJE&CON in Spain and ALPFA in the United States, she is an advocate for the participation of women and minorities in the corporate world.

Grant McDonald is a partner with over 38 years’ experience at KPMG in Canada, the US and Barbados. He is currently the Country Managing Partner for KPMG in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. As Country Managing Partner, Grant provides leadership to the Audit, Tax and Advisory functions and promotes service excellence to our clients across the Eastern Caribbean. He is also a Corporate and International Tax Partner, serving both multinational and Enterprise clients with tax compliance and planning matters. As global sector leader for KPMG’s Aerospace and Defence (A&D) industry practice, Grant is responsible for staying abreast of the current issues facing A&D companies around the world and for sharing his industry knowledge with our clients and KPMG team members.

Grant was previously Office Managing Partner and Tax Partner at KPMG in Ottawa, Canada as well as the KPMG Executive Relationship Partner for the Government of Canada and the Canadian A&D Industry leader.

Grant has been an active community volunteer throughout his career and for his volunteer efforts he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Dr. Mark Moyou is a Senior Data Scientist at NVIDIA, developing scalable machine learning solutions for top North American retailers.

With previous roles at Lucidworks and Alstom Transportation, he brings a wealth of experience in machine learning applications.

Dr. Moyou, who holds advanced degrees in Systems Engineering, also actively contributes to the tech community as the host of the Caribbean Tech Pioneers Podcast and the Southern Data Science Conference in Atlanta.

Henry has over 15 years experience in financial services at Guardian Group, KPMG UK, Capita PLC and Willis Towers Watson, with a diverse career spanning actuarial consulting, operations, strategy and merger and acquisitions. He is a devoted family man with a formidable drive to provide value through entrepreneurship and a plan to one day summit Mount Everest — so far he’s climbed three of the seven summits!

Bianca is a writer at heart, with vast experience in academic publishing, digital marketing and content creation. Since training as an iOS Developer during the pandemic, she has combined her ability to use words with a newfound love of and knack for coding, to produce apps that people love using. She is also a dedicated wife, mother and football coach, founder of football academies in the UK and Trinidad and an ex-national team player who loves being an ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago.

Henry and Bianca are husband and wife co-founders from Trinidad. Henry’s work in financial services spanning actuarial consulting, operations, strategy and M&A, combined with Bianca’s experience in digital marketing, content creation and app development, as well as their complementary sense of humour, shared love of community building, desire to create value through entrepreneurship and personal experience conquering debt, has launched them on an exciting journey of helping others tackle their debt one automated repayment at a time.

Paolo Narciso, an accomplished author and social entrepreneur, is renowned for his contributions to the non-profit and technology sectors. He is the author of “NFTs for Business: A Practical Guide for Harnessing Digital Assets,” a pivotal work that explores the use of digital assets in contemporary business practices, available on Amazon and SpringerLink. 

As the Vice President of New Program Development and Program Optimization at AARP Foundation, Paolo is pivotal in developing solutions to improve the lives of vulnerable older adults. He oversees initiatives that create new economic opportunities, financial inclusion and foster social connections. The solutions he deployed integrated disruptive technologies like Web3, and VoiceAi into the products used by older adults living with low income. 

His entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding CloudHealth Asia (now Global Medical Technologies), providing critical primary care access in Southeast Asia. A serial tech entrepreneur, Paolo has led multiple startups to successful exits and demonstrates a profound commitment to leveraging technology for social good.

Paolo holds a Doctorate from Creighton University, awarded in 2016, underlining his interest in research and academia alongside his practical achievements in technology and social entrepreneurship. 

Alicia D. Nicholls is an international trade consultant with over a decade of experience providing bespoke trade research and advisory services to a variety of clients. She is currently a research fellow and part-time lecturer with the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy & Services of the University of the West Indies and also lectures part-time in the political economy of international trade and finance in The UWI Cave Hill’s Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology.  Miss Nicholls is the founder of the Caribbean’s leading trade policy and development blog, www.caribbeantradelaw.com, since 2011. She also presents regularly at both regional and international academic and industry-related conferences and webinars. Her primary research interests are foreign investment law/policy, global financial regulation and international business.

Miss Nicholls’ multidisciplinary background includes a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with First Class Honours, a Master of Science in International Trade Policy with Distinction and a Bachelor of Laws with Upper Second Class Honours from The University of the West Indies. She also holds the prestigious FITT Diploma in International Trade from the Ontario, Canada-based Forum for International Trade Training (FITT). She attained the Post-Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (PGCUTL) from The UWI in July 2022.

Miss Nicholls is a member of several professional organisations, notably the FITT, the Academy of International Business, the Caribbean Studies Association and the International Studies Association. She is also part of the network of experts of the Caribbean Chamber of Commerce in Europe (CCEE), an Advisory Committee member of the Caribbean-ASEAN Council and a Fellow of the Caribbean Policy Consortium (CPC). In her limited spare time, she enjoys volunteering, travelling and is a proud member of the Lions Club of Bridgetown.

Richard Nunekpeku is the Vice President – Legal & Strategy for the Ghana Fintech and Payment Association (GFPA), an association of all Fintech ecosystem players in Ghana. He is also the Managing Partner of Sustineri Attorneys PRUC – a boutique law firm specializing in business and transactional legal services, particularly for Startups and Fintech Companies.

Equally, he devotes his time to matters concerning Entrepreneurship and Youth development across Africa, facilitating training and mentorship programs for young entrepreneurs and sharing his experience as an entrepreneur on programs such as the Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) AgriTech Challenge, Total Energies Startupper Challenge, NextGen Incubator Program and the Tony Elumelu Foundation among others.

Richard is a qualified legal practitioner in Ghana and a product of the Ghana School of Law School, an LLB degree holder from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), an MBA holder from the University of Ghana Business School and holds a Certificate in Fintech and Regulatory Innovation from the Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance, Cambridge Judge Business School.

Richard spends his time advocating for the use of law to promote Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and has passionately used credible platforms including the America Bar Association International Law Session’s Pan Africa Forum and the Ghana Economic Forum organized by the Business and Financial Times (B&FT) among others to push this agenda.

As an entrepreneur, he prides himself as an award winner of the Agriculture Man of the Year, 2019 by EMY Africa. He has also been recognized by notable institutions such as the US Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), the Youth Enterprise Support (YES), now NEIP Ghana, and Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurial Foundation.

Since completing his first degree from the University of Ghana, Legon, he has held several roles in multi-national companies like Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited and PZ Cussons. He has also led high-performing teams to achieve great results in Sub-Sahara Africa working for world-class brands like Haier Thermocool and Samsung as a Marketing Executive.

He writes for the START COLUMN; a column in the Business and Financial Times Newspaper in Ghana, which seeks to demonstrate the intersection of law and business in ordinary and plain language.

His vision is to provide legal services that will be useful to business managers and owners in their quest to promote sustainable and compliant business operations across Africa.

N’Nhyn Fernander is a dynamic young Bahamian entrepreneur who embarked on his digital journey at the age of 17 by creating his first app, BahBing, in 2015.

His entrepreneurial path includes co-founding Brandsy, a Bahamian digital marketing agency, and establishing successful platforms like StarOptions Institute and iKnowealth, focused on digital education and youth development. Notably, N’Nhyn established O’cof Securities Limited at the age of 21 and obtained his license at 24. His firm introduced Prospuh, a mobile-first investment platform connecting non-accredited investors in the Bahamas to major international stock markets.

He also launched a free financial literacy and investment education platform serving the Caribbean community.

In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, N’Nhyn has represented The Bahamas as a premier swimmer, embodying qualities of discipline, resilience, and personal growth.

He envisions a future where he and other young Bahamians make substantial contributions to the global community

Ali is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief at FF News | Fintech Finance and creator of “The Payments Race.”
Since inception Ali has managed to grow Advertainment Media from a bootstrapped startup to a profitable company with turnover in the millions, while retaining 100% equity.
As well as shepherding bespoke video and media assets, he runs the content for Fintech Finance, interviewing some of the best and brightest representatives across the financial services landscape.

Zia leads Digital Services at PwC in the Caribbean and is also the joint leader of the Consulting Practice for PwC in the Southern Caribbean. 

With over 25 years of experience, Zia works closely with clients across many sectors to deliver successful outcomes. Zia advises on Strategy as well as Implementation including complexities associated with People and Change, Process and Systems. Zia advises clients in both the public and private sectors and works closely with multi-national teams as well as multi-disciplinary teams.

Zia has a strong network of global specialists with whom she frequently collaborates and is currently working with teams to drive increased digital adoption here in the Caribbean. 

Qualifications and memberships 

• Fellow Member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants 
• Heriot-Watt University (MBA) 
• Prosci® Certified Change Practitioner

Keeghan Patrick is a graduate of MIT, cofounder of Orbtronics, and a recent member of the inaugural 35 Under 35 Caribbean 2023 Cohort.

Keeghan and his team are now building Rifbid an AI-powered e-procurement platform connecting government agencies and suppliers. Rifbid is eliminating the tedious search process, and long pay cycles and allowing for faster responses to government contracts with AI assistance. Rifbid is helping governments accelerate development in their economy and suppliers gain access to millions of dollars in government contracts.

Jarryon Paul is a Visionary Founder from Trinidad and Tobago with 17+ years of experience as an entrepreneur. His current startup Sunshine ☀️ is focused on transforming currency exchange & conversion and aims to replace every Cambio at airports around the World. Sunshine has a Vision of FINANCIAL FREEDOM FOR ALL and Jarryon and his Team are relentless in their pursuit of this goal.

Paul is the CEO of TCI Finance, working with the Government and Private Sector to promote the Financial Services industry in TCI. With an honours degree in Law and a Masters in Corporate Finance, Paul has over 20 years’ experience in Investment Banking and Consultancy.

Before joining TCI Finance, Paul was a Director at JP Morgan leading their Digital Asset strategy across Trading Services, and prior to that led transformational projects around the globe for PWC´s Advisory group. Paul is a keen believer in an “Innovative and Agile approach to change”.

Originally from the UK, Paul has spent most of his career overseas in Luxembourg, South Africa, Canada, Singapore, and the United States.

Richard Powell’s story is an inspiration. Born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, he excelled as a teenager in both academics and athletics. After playing soccer for Jamaica at the U17 and U20 level, and considering an opportunity to play professionally in Europe, Richard ultimately decided to study economics at Harvard University, where he represented the school in soccer and track & field, and founded his first company while still an undergraduate.

Now, with over two decades of experience in corporate finance, governance, business development, and principal investing in private and public companies, Richard is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor who has co-founded and led multiple successful ventures. Two of these were scaled to billion-dollar enterprises, these were: Zerochaos,  a global HR BPO that grew to 12,000 employees globally and $1.2 billion in revenues at exit, and most recently Project Black at Ariel Alternatives, a $1.4 billion private equity platform that aims to create the next generation of large, global, diverse suppliers to the Fortune 500. 

Richard is currently the Chairman of Sequential Technologies International, a global BPO headquartered in the USA, APC Holdings, a 20-year-old investment firm that partners with institutional investors and business owners to build lasting companies with measurable social impact, and The RMP Group, his family office. He is a YPO member and a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum. Perhaps most timely, he is currently putting together an innovative vehicle to invest over $2.0 billion of capital, with the flexibility to deploy in the US and Caribbean region, to address the demand in private equity, private credit, real estate and infrastructure assets.

Alex Preece is co-founder and CEO of Tillo, an embedded digital rewards platform that connects the world’s most popular brands with businesses looking to reward and incentivize their customers in new ways. Starting his career in the British Army, Alex spent seven years touring Bosnia and Iraq on active duty. Alongside his co-founder, Gareth Gillatt, Alex started the UK’s first daily deal business, later sold to Moneysupermarket.com, the world’s biggest comparison website. Trading in 36 countries and across 16 currencies, Tillo is the industry innovator for digital rewards and incentives globally.

Usman has over a decade of experience in the FinTech industry across the globe, and works as an advisor, mentor, consultant and thought leader within the industry. He is passionate about exploring how the intersection of technology and payments combine to remove friction and improve the experience of payments, people and processes within the banked, un-banked and financial inclusion segments.

While working closely with Banks, Central Banks, FinTechs, MNO’s, FI’s, Startups and other organizations, Usman has a successful track-record of launching new projects, products and services in the market by utilizing his in-depth expertise of product, partnerships, leadership and strategy to build and scale innovative payment solutions (digital wallets, agent banking, merchant solutions, virtual cards, online & offline payments etc) in various markets.

Usman has previously participated in a number of strategic projects such as interoperability between digital wallets in Africa, OPEN API’s for mobile money (GSMA), e-voucher solutions for unbanked and more. A special highlight of a project launched in Malaysia was covered as a case study by GSMA: “Mobile money-enabled remittances are a lifeline for families of migrant workers”.

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

Kanoo has now grown to become the Caribbean’s leading “Super App,” offering an integrated digital marketplace and wallet experience. Nicholas’ vision for Kanoo is to provide true financial inclusion and empowerment by connecting the people and businesses of the Caribbean through technology. 

Nicholas believes in a humanistic, people-first approach to deploying technology solutions and aims to empower people to prosper. Nicholas is committed to delivering on the Kanoo promise of Security, Prosperity, Empowerment, and Convenience. 

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

Dr Terri-Karelle Reid, is a human ethernet – connector of people and dots!
She has built a brand that is synonymous with the word excellence in the
world of Event and TV Hosting, Speaking, Content Curation, Online
Branding and Storytelling. Terri-Karelle is also the author of “My Brand
Compass, The 13 Cs to Building Your Personal Brand.”

Peter Renton is the chairman and co-founder of Fintech Nexus (formerly known as
LendIt Fintech), a diversified media company providing essential knowledge,
connections and inspiration to the entire financial services industry. Our community
of 225,000+ banking, fintech and investment executives enjoy our diverse portfolio
of original news, newsletters, podcasts, webinars, research, credentialed education
courses, and more. Fintech Nexus is also home to the Fintech Blueprint brand.
Peter has been writing about fintech since 2010, over 2,500 articles, and he is the
author and creator of the Fintech One-on-One Podcast, the first and longest running
fintech interview series.
Peter has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The New York
Times, CNBC, CNN, Fortune, NPR, Fox Business News, the Financial Times and
dozens of other publications.

Matteo Rizzi is an unconventional entrepreneur with two decades of experience in Financial Services, constantly referred amongst the top executives in the industry.

He spent 13 years at SWIFT – where he co-founded Innotribe, the innovation arm of the cooperative, launching the first global startup challenge. Since 2013, he has a FinTech Investor and/or Venture Partner role with global VCs and CVCs (20+ deals, 5 exits). In 2015, he co-founded FinTechStage (now FTSGroup.eu) – a platform for Investors and Innovators to boost FinTech innovation globally. In 2019, Matteo founded Timepledge.org, a global initiative to foster financial inclusion and entrepreneurship. The same year he launched Breaking Banks Europe (as the Executive Producer).

He is the author of “The FinTech Revolution” and “Talents & Rebels” and is fluent in 5 languages.

Anita C. Roberts is an inspiring minority tech ecosystem builder and international speaker. She has held multiple executive and senior-level positions throughout her career and served as an army executive spokesman and public relations/marketing guru. 

Currently, Anita is Founder & Managing Partner of Silicon Hills Capital and a Founding Partner of mvmt inc., two venture firms focused on bridging the gap to venture capital for underrepresented founders. Through these funds, Anita helps build scalable, growth-aggressive companies that create accessible technologies to empower millions of people to live healthier, happier, and more productive lives. 

Anita has also created Made Media Group, a nonprofit organization that empowers and educates African-American business owners in North America to build sustainable wealth, promote cultural relevance, and uplift their communities through economic equity.

Ramon holds a BSc in Information Technology majoring in Enterprise Systems from the University of Technology, Jamaica. He is charged with responsibilities for the information technology architecture supporting the Bank’s current and future requirements, including ongoing review, maintenance, design and implementation based on the impact of global technology trends relevant to the Bank’s business. He retains the role of Information Systems Technical Manager providing support and technical advice on the JAM-DEX® National Roll-Out after the successful completion of the CBDC Pilot in 2021. In this capacity, he continues to work with members of the stakeholder community, which includes Government entities and wallet providers, in the implementation of the JAM-DEX® Wallet System Technical Specification and Standards. His contributions also include the training of internal and external stakeholders as part of the readiness assessments.

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is the Central Bank of Jamaica. The BOJ is responsible to formulate and implement monetary and regulatory policies to safeguard the value of the domestic currency and to ensure the soundness and development of the financial system.

Keron Rose is a Digital Strategist who has worked with Caribbean Entrepreneurs and Businesses across the region.

He is the host of one of the top business podcasts in the Caribbean called “Digipreneur FM”.

He is also the host of the radio show “The Digital World” on Freedom 106.5fm and a column writer for both the Trinidad & Tobago Newsday and the Jamaica Observer.

Mr. Rose is also an advisor for the Digital Marketing Program at the University of Southern Florida and a workshop facilitator at UWI-Lok Jack School of Business for Marketing.

Mr. Rose has worked with companies across the Caribbean such as The Organization of American States, The Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Flow, Digicel, Bmobile, Huawei, Sagicor, Scotiabank, Eastern Credit Union and Wipay.

His goal is to help Caribbean businesses build their digital presence, monetize their platforms and participate in the global economy.

Mr. Houston Ross is a vision-driven strategist, leader and change agent with an internationally well-earned reputation for driving fundamental business transformation and realising growth objectives through technology innovation. A repeat award-winner for contributions to solution design and delivery, he was named among the Top 100 IT Executives Globally.

Prior to joining the Republic Financial Holdings Team on June 1st, 2023, Houston was an Executive Committee member of Paidy, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, which was one of the only six “unicorn” fintechs in Japan’s history. He successfully led several innovations such as redesigned payments platform in the cloud, with over eight (8) million customers, integration of a post-payment service within Amazon, Japan and the largest exit in Japan’s history of a foreign owned start-up.

He also held Board level roles in Banking and Insurance Industries within Asia and Europe, leading regional and global transformation initiatives.

Houston has a Master of Business Administration from University of Liverpool, UK and a Bachelor of Science, Management Information Systems from Barrington University, Mobile, Alabama, USA.

Lars Rottweiler is a banking and FinTech expert with 25+ years of industry experience.

 As Co-founder and CTO of Mbanq, a leading US-based Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) provider, Lars pioneers BaaS by facilitating the establishment and operation of banks, neobanks and FinTech platforms for clients through Mbanq’s digital banking platform, white-label mobile apps, and comprehensive support services.

 Mbanq stands out for its exceptional regulatory prowess, modern technology and industry-specific solutions, extending embedded banking benefits to a diverse clientele, from retail brands to sports teams.

 Previously, Lars served as Managing Director at Deutsche Bank and held senior roles at PwC, Accenture, and Infosys. Recognized as a prominent digital banking influencer, Lars is a distinguished speaker, having lectured at prestigious institutions like Stanford University and the University of Liechtenstein, solidifying his global reputation as a banking industry expert. 

Martin Rowinski is a visionary leader in the global technology landscape, boasting 25 years of top-level executive experience. As the co-founder and CEO of Boardsi, I take immense pride in our recent accomplishment of securing the #640 position on the esteemed Inc5000 list. At Boardsi, we’ve revolutionized executive recruitment with our platform using AI and human touch to provide perfect white glove service. This innovative tool empowers companies to seamlessly pinpoint the most qualified Boards of Directors and Advisors from a vast pool of elite executives across the U.S. and beyond. Executives, too, benefit from our platform, easily discovering coveted board positions within premier companies through a straightforward and streamlined process.

With Boardsi, we’re all about catalyzing exponential growth by helping companies swiftly and efficiently assemble top-tier executive boards. Our dedication to this mission has solidified us as industry trailblazers, establishing a nationwide private network for C-level executives. Beyond my role at Boardsi, I’m honored to be the author of the acclaimed book, “The Corporate Matchmaker.” My insights have garnered recognition in prestigious publications, including Inc. Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur, FastCompany, NASDAQ, Bloomberg, CEO Today, and The Marquis Who’s Who (2022 – 2023). Join me on this dynamic journey of shaping the future of executive recruitment and propelling businesses and individuals toward unmatched success.

Self-made fintech entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Girasol Payment Solutions with strong knowledge in technology, payments, financial systems and operations. 

Focusing on developing cutting edge solutions by revolutionizing the way payments platform operates and interacts between traditional banking and fintechs in the Caribbean and Latam.  

Also passionate about developing an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Caribbean Region.

Dr Iwa Salami is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Financial Law and Regulation at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law, University of East London (UEL). She is the Director of the Centre of FinTech at UEL and the Programme Leader for the LLM in FinTech Law. She has published extensively in the field of financial and FinTech regulation.

Iwa is a highly sought-after voice in FinTech Regulation and is one of the leading minds in digital assets regulation. She is currently researching the legal and regulatory implications of the adoption of AI in Finance; regulatory frameworks for Web 3.0 application in finance, including crypto-assets, stablecoins, decentralised finance (DeFi) and Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs), Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the metaverse and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).

Eduardo Sanchez is Senior Vice President and Head of Cyber & Intelligence for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In his role, Eduardo is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the company’s global strategy on fraud prevention, cybersecurity, identity, and network solutions, driving long-term, sustainable growth in the region.

He brings extensive knowledge and expertise to ensure the safety, security, and experience of Mastercard products and solutions for consumers, merchants, partners, and governments.

Eduardo joined Mastercard in Brazil in 2009 as part of Business Development for Data & Services (D&S) and has since held various positions within the company. He has led D&S Sales and Client Services at the divisional, regional, and global levels and, most recently, served as the sales lead for the Caribbean and Andean divisions.

Before joining Mastercard, Eduardo worked at global consulting firms, including Boston Consulting Group, Accenture in Brazil, and Citibank in Europe.

Eduardo received his Electrical Engineering degree from Universidade de São Paulo and an MBA from The University of Chicago and is currently pursuing his doctorate at Vanderbilt University.

Ravi is a Partner and the Head of Cyber Security and Technology Consulting for KPMG Caricom, an integrated KPMG economic network within the Caribbean, with 23 Partners, 16 Directors, 120 Managers and over 1,240 staff.

Ravi has over 15 years’ experience in the Caribbean and Europe in the areas of Internal Audit, Business Development and Information Technology Security. In his recent role as Chief of Information Security Officer for a European firm, Ravi was responsible for developing recommendations to improve the clients’/firms’ internal control structure(s). He has intimate and in-depth knowledge of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and has conducted training sessions to ensure that all staff stay informed of privacy laws and regulations

Hon. E. Jay Saunders is the Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, Investment & Trade of the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI). Since becoming the Minister of Finance, the TCI has seen a significant uptick in annual revenues, reaching a record US$413.2M in FY2022/23.

Hon. Saunders’ impact has also been felt in the health sector. From February to July 2021, he served as the Ministry of Health & Human Services. His leadership was instrumental in reducing the islands’ active COVID-19 cases from approximately 400 to 0.

Hon. Saunders is a member of the National Security Council, contributing to vital decisions on external affairs, defense, and internal security.

Outside of politics, Hon. Saunders founded DSS, the maker of the award-winning SafetyNet.ai, which aids financial organizations in complying with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Client (KYC) rules and regulations. Hon. Saunders also co-founded Digicel TCI where he served as CEO from 2006-2014.

Leila has 20+ years of experience in financial services and technology investments. She leads IFC’s FinTech investments in Latin America and also leads specific verticals globally including TradeTech and Lending. She’s contributed to numerous IFC/WBG initiatives on financial inclusion and development. 

Prior to IFC she worked at Bank of America in financial lending and structured finance products, and the World Bank Group in financial sector development of emerging markets. 

Leila also had a previous career in programming and technology development that contributes to her enthusiasm for digital finance and fintech innovation.

In the role of Finance Innovation Director with the Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator Inc., Cheryl holds responsibility for fundraising, climate finance solutions, financial management, administration and technology portfolios. Cheryl is an experienced strategy and finance leader who has managed operations across several industries and sectors over the last twenty years. She has extensive experience with financing for operations and capital projects and investments and has provided successful leadership of related business functions specifically procurement, technology, human resources and administration with a focus on leveraging technology solutions to build operational efficiency and improve process management. She has completed graduate and postgraduate education in business, financial management and financial and commercial law.

Lodewijk Van Setten has comprehensive expertise across diverse investment and trading products, and a keen focus on cutting-edge blockchain technologies.

Having led the European legal department at State Street Global Advisors and served as General Counsel and COO at Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s international division, Lodewijk has an impressive track record across investment funds, OTC derivatives, and securities financing.

Presently, as General Counsel and executive director at Trilitech, a prominent Tezos ecosystem company, Lodewijk supports critical blockchain matters, from core protocol development to application and business development, propelling groundbreaking ventures in gaming, art, and DeFi domains.

Chris Skinner is an award-winning speaker, one of the most influential people in technology, and a best-selling author. He is an independent commentator on the financial markets and fintech through his blog, the Finanser.com, which is updated daily. He helped to found one of the first mobile banks in the world, and has advised CEOs and leaders from every continent of the world including the United Nations, the White House, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum. In 2023 he was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Payments Association, the largest community in payments.

His latest book (eighteenth!) is Intelligent Money, which discusses the implications of Generative Finance as Artificial Intelligence takes over the world, and is released in the Spring of 2024. His previous books include:

• Digital for Good, focusing on how technology and finance can work together to address the environmental and social issues we face today and make a better world;
• Doing Digital, which shared the lessons of how to do digital transformation through interviews with leading global banks such as BBVA, China Merchants Bank, DBS, ING and JPMorgan Chase;
• Digital Human, which showed how digitalisation is a revolution that allows everyone from the plains of Africa to the mountains of Tibet to be included and served by the network; and
• Digital Bank that provides a comprehensive review and analysis of the battle for digital banking and strategies for companies to compete. Chris has recently been added to The Mad 33 List for Inspirational change and transformation leaders – making a difference – making the future a reality. He is a non-executive director of 11:FS and WP Communications and also on the advisory boards of many FinTech and financial firms including WebAccountPlus. Mr. Skinner is a visiting lecturer with Cambridge University as well as a TEDx speaker. In recent years, he has been voted one of the UK’s foremost fintech observers by The Telegraph and one of the most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal’s Financial News and Thomson Reuters. Chris is also a successful children’s author with a series, focused upon Captain Cake and the Candy Crew. He is also co-founder, with renowned artist Basia Hamilton, of The Portrait Foundation, a non-profit platform to encourage children and the arts.

Antonio Soares is the CEO of Dock and one of the pioneers in innovation and fintechs in Brazil.

The entrepreneur was responsible for transforming the company into a unicorn with less than 10 years of leading the business. Antonio has been working continuously to foster financial inclusion throughout the region to empower Latin America’s unbanked and underbanked population and offer new solutions to escalate businesses in different sectors.

Due to his purpose-filled career, he was elected Brazil’s Master Representative for EY’s World Entrepreneur of The Year program in 2023.

Adam Swartzbaugh is on a mission to provide equitable access to financial services globally. 

His current work focuses on cost optimization and risk reduction in cross-border transfers through the application of predictive modeling techniques in multi-blockchain routing.  

Adam holds advanced degrees from MIT, Harvard, and Brown, spanning technological innovation, economics, and policy.  

Adam is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Almond FinTech, an award-winning technology infrastructure company transforming international payment and credit evaluation processes.

Diego Szteinhendler is Senior Vice President of Fintechs, Enablers and Crypto for Latin America and the Caribbean. In this role, he and his team are responsible for the strategy, relationship, and growth of the fintech ecosystem in the region.

Diego joined Mastercard in 2008, and since then, has held roles in different areas of the organization and geographies. In his most recent role, he led business development for Mastercard’s fast growing Cyber & Intelligence business in North America, where he partnered with established companies and startups to improve and optimize their fraud, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, authentication, biometrics, chargebacks, crypto AML and other key operational functions.

Throughout his career, Diego also led product management and business development at industry leading companies like Discover and PayPal as well as in start-ups including, Transpay and CheckWow.

Diego holds an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and is a graduate of the Digital Transformation program at Columbia.

He is an avid traveler having visited 75 countries.

Rohin Tagra has 20+ years of experience in the financial services, banking regulatory, and technology space. Rohin founded Azimuth to develop an innovative approach to a very manual and costly industry. Rohin Tagra Founder & CEO Rohin’s vision came to life helping businesses demonstrate compliance with laws, increase the accuracy of regulatory exam responses, reduce the cost of preparing for the exam, and automation of regulatory change management. Before founding Azimuth, Rohin was a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase in their Mortgage and Oversight & Controls Divisions. He was responsible for leading many of the regulatory efforts and settlements post the financial crisis. Rohin built out the Risk and Compliance functions at Lender Processing Services (Black Knight). He managed the execution of their Consent Order to closure. Rohin held executive-level positions at Bank of America in Operations and Technology. Rohin led the execution team to integrate the Risk and Compliance functions of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Rohin holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from Emory University. He lives in Jacksonville with his wife and two children.

Mikel is a 3x Olympian from Trinidad and Tobago, the first athlete from the region to qualify for both the Summer (110m hurdles; Beijing 08, London 12, Rio 16) and Winter Olympics (2 man Bobsleigh-Beijing 2022). 

With an impressive track record of driving innovation and execution within large global organizations, his skills have consistently enhanced the performance of the teams he’s worked with. 

Currently, Mikel supports Visa’s Global & North American Fintech Partnerships driving growth and development of fintech wealth management platforms, as well as Visa’s Inclusive Client Partnerships focused on innovating relationships and amplifying impact of underrepresented founders (Black, Brown, Latinx, LGBTQ, Indigenous and women founders) within the fintech space in North America. 

Prior to joining Visa, an experienced storyteller and marketer, Mikel worked with brands like Airbnb, Brooks and JBL, to global organization like the International Testing Agency(ITA) and the International Olympic Committee(IOC). 

Mikel has also spent time serving his community as a former Firefighter/EMT in Atlanta metro area in Clayton County. 

He gained his Master’s degree in Sport Management and Technology from the International Academy of Sport Science and Technology (AISTS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, Bachelors in Kinesiology from the University of Kentucky.

George Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer of Sagicor Bank (Barbados) Limited. He is a champion of the digital revolution with over thirty years of experience in the finance and technology sectors. 

Throughout his career, George has led digital transformation through the provision of internationally accepted cutting-edge technology solutions at global banks, fintechs and consulting firms. 

George was the architect responsible for the initial implementation of Internet, Mobile, Telephone Banking and Online Payments at a regional Canadian-owned bank. 

He was also the Consulting Lead for digital transformation at two leading mass market retailers and was responsible for the evolution of one of Barbados’ newer card products into a digital wallet. 

George, a Barbadian national, has worked across the pond, providing executive leadership in the USA, Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa. 

George possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from The University of the West Indies and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Computer Engineering from Louisiana State University.

Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, Sagicor Life Inc in January 2021.

Prior to this, he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager, Trinidad & Tobago since 2007.

Assumed executive responsibility for Dutch Caribbean and Sagicor Life Aruba N.V. in 2017.

Graduate of the University of Toronto (Bachelor Arts – Economics).

More than 20 years in the Insurance and Financial Services Industry.

Board Member of Sagicor Investments Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Nationwide Insurance Company Limited, RGM Limited and several of its subsidiaries.

President of the Trinidad & Tobago Insurance Institute (TTII) Board of Governors.

Former President of the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC) 2015-2016, having served as a Board Member of the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC) 2006-2018.

Roberto is a believer in Freedom and Union as conditions for economic growth and development. Peruvian, he studied at the Sagrados Corazones Recoleta school. He has studies in Economics (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú), Public Management (Peruvian University of Applied Sciences), MBA (Technological University of Peru) and in Strategic Management for Defense and Crisis Administration (Higher School of Naval Warfare, Navy From Peru).

He has led different organizations in Senior Management teams in the public and private sectors for more than 17 years. He has served twice in the Presidential Office of Peru, in the South Korean Embassy for Peru and Bolivia and in the International NGO CARE, among other organizations. He was elected president of the Fintech Association of Peru in the period 2020-2022 and re-elected for the period 2022-2024. In addition, he is President of the Ibero-American Fintech Alliance and member of the Advisory Committee on Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the IDB Group and IDB Lab (Andean Region).

He is Founder & CEO of Betriax, a fintech semi-finalist at MIT Fintech 2021. In addition, he is CFO at SetHunt and Advisor at SmartDoctor. Throughout his career, he has been honored by different organizations such as the Lima Stock Exchange (investments), the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (economic research), Motorola and Intel (technological entrepreneur).

He lives in Bogotá, where he has lived since 2018.

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Warrick Ward has over 20 years of diversified financial sector experience, having served in several senior roles within both the public and private sectors. Since January 2023, Warrick assumed the role of the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Services Commission, having most recently served as the Managing Director of AltoComp Consulting Inc. – a boutique firm offering corporate finance and strategic advisory services to a range of clients. Warrick also served as a Senior Manager in the Advisory practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he offered advisory services ranging from corporate finance and financial modeling to merger and acquisition strategy. Warrick also served previously as Chief Executive Officer of NCB Capital Markets (Barbados) Limited, and within the public sector, he has served in senior positions at the Financial Services Commission in Barbados, the Barbados Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Central Bank of Barbados. Warrick has a diversified background in finance, economics, compliance, and other policy-related work. He has chaired several policy-making committees and boards of directors. He currently sits on the Macroprudential Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS).

Aldwyn L. Wayne graduated from Georgia College & State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Master of Computer Applications from the University of Georgia. 

He hails from the twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and is the founder and CEO of Colour Bank and WiPay which provides innovative solutions for e-commerce, online payments and facilitating digital transactions for the unbanked in Trinidad & Tobago.  He has extended the service to other countries such as Jamaica, Guyana and St. Lucia.

WiPay was created in 2016 as a direct result of a persistent problem. The Caribbean faced challenges with digital payments and the lack of ‘financial inclusion’ for the majority of persons. WiPay developed a uniquely ‘inclusive’ platform that is secure, flexible and simple to use. WiPay allows anything connected to the Internet to move money quickly, safely and easily for the ‘Banked’ and for the ‘Unbanked’. WiPay integrates with existing legacy systems to bring payments over the Internet to any industry, taking advantage of the latest developments in technology; built on the blockchain making it safe and secure. WiPay is the number one payment platform in the Caribbean empowering people to accept and make payments online using all forms of payment in local currency. The Company has raised 1.5 million USD over 2 funding rounds and acquired WiFund you in December 2017. His recent activities include launching a mobile app designed to make all of WiPay’s services even more accessible to users and a line of Point of Sale devices which range from handheld units to sleek, compact countertop units.

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

In January 2022, Aldwyn launched Colour Bank, a US-Based Neobank for Caribbean and African Diasporas in America. Colour Bank allows Caribbean students in universities across the United States to open bank accounts without a social security number. 

Cherie Williams, an accomplished entrepreneur, and visionary is the founder of Veekle and owner of FIRM1040. A deep passion for helping others drives her journey. Before starting her own ventures, Cherie gained valuable experience in various corporate leadership roles, preparing her for the entrepreneurial path.

Despite facing challenges, Cherie’s unwavering determination and resilience propelled her forward, allowing her to overcome obstacles and achieve her goals. Alongside her professional accomplishments, she is dedicated to giving back to her community through volunteer work and donations. Cherie actively mentors aspiring entrepreneurs, inspiring them to pursue their dreams.

With certifications as a New Jersey Certified Public Accountant, an MBA in Finance, and a BS in Accounting, Cherie is highly accomplished in her field. Outside of work, she finds joy as a loving spouse and proud mother of four children. 

Cherie’s diverse achievements and commitment to making a positive impact position her as an inspirational figure in entrepreneurship. Her journey stands as a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of dreams.

Jose Wolff serves as the Vice President, Latin America for Accion Advisory and sits in Accion’s Management Team and Embedded Finance Community of Practice. Jose is responsible for leading all advisory activities across the region, overseeing and guiding all our advisory portfolio, business and partnerships, and key strategic initiatives in the region. Jose is a results-driven professional with over 20 years of experience working across Latin America and North America in different industries, including consulting and banking. In the last four years while working at Accion, Jose has focused on helping clients across the region to drive financial inclusion at scale by exploring new technologies, becoming customer-centric organizations, developing new business models, and reshaping their business strategy to succeed in this changing environment. His areas of expertise include financial inclusion strategy, partnerships, regional expansion, and open banking in the region.