Join leading regulators, policymakers, industry experts and technology innovators for a forward-looking discussion on the trends transforming financial services. The conference will explore the opportunities, challenges and regulatory developments shaping the financial sector including digital assets, payments, tokenisation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and financial crime.
Who Should Attend
- Senior executives, board members, regulators, innovators and decision-makers shaping the future of financial services.
- Financial institutions and regulated entities
- FinTech, RegTech and Crypto-Asset firms
- Payment service providers and digital finance companies
- Investment firms, asset managers and family offices
- Regulators, central banks and policymakers
- Compliance, AML, Risk and Internal Audit professionals
- Technology, AI and cybersecurity leaders
- Legal, audit and consulting firms
- International investors and foreign financial institutions
- Academia, researchers and innovation hubs
Agenda
| 08:30H | Registration & Welcome Coffee | |
| 09:00H | Welcome Remarks
Kenneth Farrugia - Chief Executive Officer, MFSA |
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| 09:10H | Strategic Overview of the Current Regulatory Landscape
Christopher P. Buttigieg - Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA |
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| 09:25H | MiCA 2.0 - European Commission Perspective
Peter Kerstens - Advisor on Technological Innovation and Cybersecurity, DG FISMA, European Commission |
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| 09:40H | MiCA – Experience with Supervisory Convergence
Carlo Comporti - Commissioner, CONSOB |
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| 09:55H | MiCA Lessons Learnt - 2 Years On
Giles Swan - Public Policy and Regulatory Consultant |
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| 10:10H | Stablecoins: Between Liquidity Tension and Solvency Risk
Marco Bodellini - Professor, Banking and Financial Regulation, University of Bergamo |
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| 10:15H | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45H | Panel Discussion | MiCA - Insights Across Europe and Beyond
Christine Cachia - Head, Communications, MFSA (Moderator) Christopher P. Buttigieg - Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA |
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| 11:45H | Crypto Assets: Views from Bermuda
Christos Efthymiopoulos - Deputy Director, Supervision (FinTech), Bermuda Monetary Authority |
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| 12:30H | Lunch Break | |
| 13:30H | PSD 3 / PSR – Implementation in Malta | Local Perspective and Readiness
Christopher Aquilina - Head, FinTech Supervision, MFSA |
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| 13:45H | Tokenisation: International Developments Opportunities and Challenges
Sulolit Raj Mukherjee - Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bodin Advisory LLC, Washington DC, USA |
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| 14:00H | Tokenisation: Opportunities and Challenges | Tokenisation of Securities: State of Play
Pedro Gurrola-Perez - Head of Research, World Federation of Exchanges, London, UK |
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| 14:15H | Tokenisation of Fund Units
Ian Meli - Head, Investment Services Supervision, MFSA |
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| 14:30H | Panel Discussion | Tokenisation
James Farrugia - Partner, Ganado Advocates (Moderator) Luca Celati - Chief Risk Officer and a Board Member, HEKA Funds Sicav |
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| 15:15H | Coffee Break | |
| 15:35H | Emerging Risks and Regulatory Responses
Alan Decelis - Head, Supervisory ICT Risk and Cybersecurity, MFSA |
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| 15:40H | Panel Discussion: Frontier AI Systems
Neil Micallef - Manager (AI Supervision and Market Surveillance), MDIA |
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| 16:10H | Panel Discussion: Quantum AI Systems
Alessandro Curioni - IBM Research and Director, IBM Research Europe, Zurich |
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| 16:40H | AML Risks in Crypto Assets
Jason Sandoval - Head, European Operations, Asset Reality Panel Session: Elena Tabone - Head, Enforcement, FIAU (Moderator) Alfred Zammit - Director, FIAU |
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| 17:25H | Closing Remarks
Kenneth Farrugia - Chief Executive Officer, MFSA |
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| 17:30H | Networking | |
Registrations
The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) invites interested participants to register here and by no later than 18 September 2026. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability. Please note that registration fees are non-refundable. If a registered participant is unable to attend, substitutions may be accepted at the MFSA's discretion, provided that written notification is received in a timely manner before the event.
Participants who attend the event will be eligible for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours, where applicable. To facilitate the issuance of CPD attendance records, participants are required to provide their ID card number during the registration process.
Photos and videos will be taken during the event with the intent to publish this material on digital platforms, including, but not limited to, its website, social media platforms, and other official publications. By registering, one would be granting consent to the data being used.
Speakers
Chief Executive Officer, MFSA
Kenneth Farrugia
Kenneth Farrugia, CEO of the MFSA, holds a Bachelor of Accountancy (Hons), an MA in Business Ethics, and is a Certified Public Accountant and a fellow member of the Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA). Throughout his career, Mr Farrugia held audit positions both within private audit firms and the public sector. Prior to joining the MFSA, Mr Farrugia was the Director of the FIAU, Malta’s financial intelligence and single AML/CFT Supervisor and Enforcement Unit in Malta, for six years until April 2023. During his tenure he implemented major policy, system and procedural reforms within the various sections of the FIAU, including intelligence analysis, AML/CFT supervisory and enforcement initiatives, and legal and international relation areas. Additionally, Mr Farrugia spearheaded the setting up of new teams within the Unit such as the cash limitation supervisory team, the central bank account registry and data analytics team, as well as the strategy, policy and quality assurance teams to cater for new responsibilities assigned to the FIAU by law, and also to enhance the overall governance structure of the Unit. He represented the FIAU in international fora, including the EBA AMLC, FIU Platform and EGMONT, amongst others, and participated in various AML/CFT high-level committees. For nine years up to 2017, he was engaged within the Government of Malta’s Internal Audit and Investigations Department (IAID) where he held various roles, including that of Director General. Mr Farrugia provided support to the Internal Audit & Investigations Board (IAIB) in drafting policies and procedures, implementing and managing the necessary change programmes and served as Secretary to that Board. He also participated in various meetings, seminars and conferences organised by the European Commission in the fields of auditing and financial investigations. Mr Farrugia is currently also the Chairman of the FIAU.
Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA
Christopher P. Buttigieg
Prof. Buttigieg has more than twenty five years of professional experience in financial regulation and supervision. He is the Chief Officer – Supervision, responsible for the Supervision Directorate, the Chair of the MFSA’s Regulatory Committee and the AMLCFT Committee and a member of the Authority’s Executive Committee. He is responsible for the co-ordination and implementation of the supervisory and regulatory strategy across all the sectors under the MFSA’s remit. Between October 2020 and September 2021, Prof Buttigieg fulfilled the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Financial Services Authority. Throughout his career at the MFSA, Prof Buttigieg was responsible for managing various functions and teams. He was also responsible for the implementation of several European Directives and Regulations and the development of new regulatory frameworks at national level. Prof Buttigieg is a member of the Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority and European Banking Authority. He was the Chair of the ESMA Data Standing Committee (until December 2022) and a member of the EBA Task force on proportionality (2025). He is currently the Chair of the ESMA Proportionality and Coordination Committee and a member of the ESMA Management Board. Prof Buttigieg has a commerce degree (B.Com 1998), an accountancy degree (B.Accty. Hons. 2000) and a financial services law degree (M.A. Fin. Ser. 2003) from the University of Malta, as well as a European Union Law degree (M.A. EU Law and Soc 2005) and a doctoral degree in law (PhD 2014) from the University of Sussex (UK). His Doctoral thesis deals with the governance of EU securities regulation and supervision. Prof Buttigieg is an Associate Professor in the Banking, Finance and Investments Department of the University of Malta. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of European Law (ERA) in Trier, Germany, and a visiting lecturer at the same institution. He is an active researcher and has published various papers in reputable journals, including the Columbia Journal of European Law, the European Company and Financial Law Review, the ERA Forum, the Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, the Journal of Business Law and the Law and Financial Markets Review. His latest publications deals with centralisation of supervision of CASPs under the EU Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation. He is also the Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Financial Supervisors Academy, which seeks to bridge academia with financial supervision.
Commissioner, CONSOB
Carlo Comporti
Carlo Comporti is Consob Commissioner since 7th February 2022. From 2011 to 2022 he holds the position of CEO of Promontory Italy and COO of Promontory Europe (Business Unit of IBM Consulting), after having been Director General of Promontory France. In 2011 Acting Secretary General and Senior Advisor to the President at the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in Paris. From 2003 to 2010 at the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) in Paris, holding the functions of Secretary General and, previously, Deputy Secretary General. In 2002 he was seconded to the European Commission, DG Internal Market, in Brussels. In 2001 he was seconded to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. From 1994 to 1997 he joined Consob at the Intermediaries Division in Milan and the International Relations Office in Rome. From 1999 to 2007 contract lecturer for the annual commercial law course at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Siena. He graduated from the University of Siena in 1991 and in 1995 obtained a Ph.D. in Banking and Financial Market Law at the University of Siena.
Public Policy and Regulatory Consultant
Giles Swan
Giles Swan has over two decades of public and private sector leadership experience spanning the breadth of the financial services industry, including the capital markets, investment funds and asset management, insurance and digital finance sectors. Giles has been a regulator, policymaker, the policy head of a major global FinTech firm and the global policy director of a leading trade association. Giles is a non-executive director, an expert witness, public policy and regulatory consultant, academic programme director and associate faculty for several finance related courses and education certificates. During his time as a policymaker, Giles was a national expert on the European Securities and Markets Authority’s Investment Management Standing Committee, the International Organisation of Securities Commissions’ Standing Committee on Investment Management and the European Union’s Council of Ministers Financial Services Working Party. Giles holds a BA in Banking and Finance, first class, from London Guildhall University, an MSc in Finance and Investment from CASS Business School and professional certificates in teaching and learning, and blockchain strategy.
Advisor on Technological Innovation and Cybersecurity, DG FISMA, European Commission
Peter Kerstens
Peter advises on Technological Innovation, Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity at the European Commission’s financial services department. He has lead work on the European Commission’s Fintech Action Plan and Digital Finance Strategy and co-chaired the European Commission’s Fintech Taskforce. Peter is often referred to as the architect of Mica (the EU Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation) and Dora (the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act). He has extensive experience in EU policy and regulation. Earlier in his career, Peter was Finance Counsellor at the EU Embassy in Washington DC. He has also been a member of the private offices of the Commissioners for the internal market and services and for health and consumer protection. Before joining the European Commission in 1996, Peter advised major corporations on EU policy and regulatory affairs. Peter holds double magna cum laude Master degrees in European affairs and political science from the College of Europe in Bruges and the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University Law School.
Head, Innovation, Payments, Market Infrastructures and Governance, CSSF, Luxembourg
Karen O’Sullivan
Karen O’Sullivan is head of the Innovation, payments, market infrastructures and governance Department at the CSSF. She coordinates the activities of this department which is responsible for financial innovation and the CSSF’s Innovation Hub, both the application process and on-going prudential supervision of payment institutions and electronic money institutions, the registration and AML supervision of virtual asset service providers, market infrastructures and the oversight of remuneration and governance practices and policies implemented within financial institutions. She represents the CSSF on an international level through participation in various working sub-groups and as speaker at several conferences, covering payment services, virtual asset and/or crypto asset service providers, innovation topics, and corporate governance matters at both national and international level. Karen is both an Irish and Luxembourgish qualified chartered accountant. Prior to joining the CSSF in September 2012, Karen was an audit director at PwC Luxembourg specializing in the audit of investment funds.
Head of Authorisations and Innovation, Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority, Estonia
Tõnis Reinik
Tõnis works as the Head of Authorisations and Innovation at Finantsinspektsioon. His background is in law and he is also currently enrolled in a master’s program for IT (with emphasis on data science). His department is responsible for (among other things) authorisation processes within the whole regulated financial sector. Tõnis has lead the MiCA authorisation processes in the EFSA and has definitely valuable insights to share. Given the active start-up and fintech scene in Estonia, Tõnis’ department is also busy with assessments of a variety of innovative business models and their regulatory compliance. He is also part of the Connection Science alliance at MIT.
Head, Investment Services Supervision, MFSA
Ian Meli
Ian Meli was appointed Head of Investment Services Supervision in January 2025. Ian joined the Securities and Markets Supervision Function of the MFSA in 2011, after a short stint with a local fund administration company, and progressed through various roles within the function, eventually being promoted to Deputy Head in 2019. He worked on various policy initiatives and conducted several high-profile investigations in the area of asset management and investment firms. He represented the MFSA in a number of fora and working groups within the European Securities and Markets Authority in the field to asset management. Ian has also been a member of the management committee of the Depositor Compensation Scheme and Investor Compensation Scheme since 2022. Ian holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Banking and Finance and a Master of Arts in Financial Services, from the University of Malta. He further specialised in financial services by completing an Advanced Diploma in Fund Administration from the University of Manchester.
Head, FinTech Supervision, MFSA
Christopher Aquilina
Christopher Aquilina was appointed Head of FinTech Supervision at the Malta Financial Services Authority in April 2026, bringing extensive experience in ICT risk, cybersecurity, and regulatory policy. A qualified advocate with a strong technical background, he has built his career at the intersection of technology, law, and financial supervision. Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Head of Supervisory ICT Risk and Cybersecurity at the MFSA, where he led authorisation and supervisory initiatives, contributed to regulatory policy development, and represented the Authority in European fora. His expertise spans cybersecurity frameworks, cloud technologies, and digital infrastructure, underpinned by hands-on technical knowledge and strategic oversight. He has also held senior roles within the Malta Information Technology Agency and the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union, including serving as Cyber Attaché and Chair of the Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues. In these capacities, he played a key role in shaping Malta’s position on EU cybersecurity legislation and advancing national cyber resilience strategies. Christopher combines leadership in large-scale ICT and EU-funded projects with strong stakeholder engagement across government, industry, and international institutions. He is also a visiting lecturer at Global College University and remains actively engaged in promoting innovation, robust governance, and effective supervision within the evolving fintech landscape.
Director, FIAU
Alfred Zammit
Alfred Zammit, Director of the FIAU, joined the Unit in 2010 and was appointed Director in December 2023. Mr Zammit regularly participates in AML/CFT international workshops and conferences, and represents the FIAU in international I, such as the meetings of the Egmont Group of FIUs, the EU FIU Platform and Moneyval, among others. He has participated in various AML/CFT training sessions, both locally and internationally, and regularly contributes in formulating AML/CFT guidance documents, legal amendments and the transposition of EU AML/CFT directives. Mr Zammit also participates in the various internal committees, including the Compliance Monitoring Committee, which reviews compliance cases and possible breaches by subject persons of the pertinent legislation.
Head, Enforcement, FIAU
Elena Tabone
Elena Tabone joined the FIAU in 2015 as a compliance officer, playing a key role in supervising financial institutions and DNFBPs. Her diligence and expertise led to her involvement in implementing CASPAR, a key tool for assessing obliged entities’ compliance standards and risks. In 2020, she was entrusted with leading the newly established Enforcement Section, overseeing the enforcement of AML/CFT obligations and promoting high compliance standards. Recently, Elena has been appointed as Deputy Director focussing on the FIAU’s Strategy, Legal Affairs and Administrative Enforcement. Elena’s contribution extends beyond her national remit, reflecting a strong commitment to international cooperation in AML/CFT supervision. She has actively contributed to international working groups and meetings held previously by the EBA and now by AMLA. Elena is also a certified FATF ICRG Reviewer and Moneyval assessor.
Head, Communications, MFSA
Christine Cachia
Christine Cachia joined the MFSA in September 2024 as Head of Communications. Christine and the communications function are responsible for the internal and external communications of the authority, including events, digital engagement and campaigns, contributing to the achievement of the MFSA’s strategic priorities. Christine graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a Master of Arts Degree in English and the Media, both from the University of Malta. Christine also attended relevant training in London, Berlin, Brussels and Rome. Prior to joining the MFSA, Christine served as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Malta High Commission in London. Throughout her twenty-year career, Christine worked in various areas of communications, starting off as a broadcast journalist before shifting to strategic communications in various fields including education, digital innovation, diplomacy and trade promotion. Apart from planning and delivering communications plans for VVIP visits and high-profile events, she also drafted and implemented crisis communications strategies.
Head, Financial Crime Compliance, MFSA
Matthew Scicluna
Matthew Scicluna joined the MFSA in 2010, after a 2-year stint with a local bank, and has extensive experience in financial services regulation, risk management, supervision, focusing on AML/CFT and combatting financial crime. At the MFSA, he has held various positions within the Securities and Markets Supervision function, the Conduct Supervisory function and the Enforcement (AML/CFT section) function. Throughout his career, Matthew has been involved in a number of projects and assignments and worked on several major investigations related to ML and TF, currently representing the MFSA in various evaluations conducted by international bodies. He represented the MFSA within various Committees of the European Supervisory Authorities and is currently involved in a number of European network groups related to financial crime compliance. He also sits on the National Coordination Committee. He also attends sessions of the recently established Standing Committee on AML/CFT, which is a permanent internal committee of the EBA. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons), Banking and Finance and the Master of Arts in Financial Services, from the University of Malta. He continued to specialise in financial services, completing an International Diploma in Anti-Money Laundering and an International Diploma in Financial Crime Prevention, both from the University of Manchester. He also possesses Crypto Currency Investigator accreditation from the Blockchain Intelligence Group.
IBM Research and Director, IBM Research Europe, Zurich
Alessandro Curioni
Dr. Alessandro Curioni is an IBM Fellow, Vice President of IBM Research Europe and Africa and Director of the IBM Research Lab in Zurich, Switzerland. He is responsible for IBM corporate research in Europe and leads IBM's global research strategies in Algorithms and Applications. Dr. Curioni is an internationally recognized leader in the area of high-performance computing and computational science, where his innovative thinking and seminal contributions have helped solve some of the most complex scientific and technological problems in healthcare, aerospace, consumer goods and electronics. He was a member of the winning team recognized with the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize in 2013 and 2015. Currently, his research interests include accelerating the rate of discovery with AI, Quantum, and Hybrid Cloud. Dr. Curioni received his undergraduate degree and PhD in Theoretical Chemistry from Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy. He started at IBM Research – Zurich as a PhD student in 1993 before officially joining as a research staff member in 1998. Since then, he has had several research and manager roles, including as the founding manager of the Cognitive Computing and Computational Sciences department. He is a member of the Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences.
Head, Supervisory ICT Risk & Cybersecurity, MFSA
Alan Decelis
Alan Decelis was appointed Head of Supervisory ICT Risk and Cybersecurity in July 2021. Alan brings over twenty years of experience in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), mainly with the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) including ten years in information security. He is a member of the National Cybersecurity Strategy Steering Committee and sits in various groups within the European System of Financial Supervision and the EU Agency for Cybersecurity. He has direct industry experience in ICT operations and service management, quality and security management systems, public key infrastructures, identity and machine-readable travel documents, and electronic signatures. He is also experienced in cyber incident management, forensic investigations, security testing, threat intelligence, and security operations centres. Alan pursued undergraduate studies in Electronics Engineering, Economics, Information Systems and Management and postgraduate studies in Information Security specialising in Security Testing and Digital Forensics. He is also GIAC, CISA, CIPP/E, CIPM, ITIL, and ISO/IEC 27001 certified.
Head of Research, World Federation of Exchanges, London, UK
Pedro Gurrola-Pérez
Pedro joined the World Federation of Exchanges in October 2019 from the Bank of England, where he led the Financial Market Infrastructures Directorate’s research team. Previously, Pedro spent more than 15 years as a lecturer and researcher at various academic institutions, including the University of Barcelona and the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). Pedro holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Montpellier, France, and has published across key academic journals. His recent work includes research on the economics of distributed ledger technologies (DLT) and on the procyclicality of CCP margin models. In 2007 he received the National Award on Derivatives Research, awarded by the Mexican Derivatives Exchange (MexDer). He currently serves as a member of the Board of Advisors of the Robert A. Schwartz Centre for Trading and Financial Markets Research at Baruch College and is the Managing Editor of the Journal of Exchanges, Clearing & Settlement (JECS).
CEO, Diaman Partners
Daniele Bernardi
Born in 1969, Automotive Engineer, Daniele Bernardi is a serial-entrepreneur constantly searching for innovation. Founder of DIAMAN, a Group active in investment management, software development and crypto activities, he has developed proprietary quantitative models and indicators since 2002. Bernardi activity is oriented to mathematic model development, which simplify investors and family offices decision making processes, for risk reduction. He is the author of interesting academic papers about innovation in finance, published by Wilmott Magazine in May 2014 and on Journal of Accounting and Finance in April 2015. Models, indexes, and indicators developed by Bernardi have been presented in international conferences such as the Financial Management Association Conference in Denver and Nashville, the World Financial Conference in Shanghai, Venice and New York. Bernardi is also Chairman of DIAMAN Tech SRL, and the CEO of an Asset Management firm, Diaman Partners. He was recognized as “Inventor” by European Patent office for two European and Russian Patent into mobile payment field. Diaman Partners has launched the first ever AIF Fund investing in Crypto Assets in Malta in 2020 and the first UCITS fund investing in Crypto Related Securities (ETPs) for retail investors.
Partner, Ganado Advocates
James Farrugia
James Farrugia is the Partner heading the firm’s financial services regulatory practice. He focuses on the asset management, investment services, funds and fintech sectors. James is able to offer clients sound insight and practical solutions to their regulatory challenges. He has also been actively involved in assisting a number of blockchain-based projects. James regularly contributes to international journals and has addressed a number of local and international conferences focusing on this sector.
Founder, Resilia Connect
Moona Ederveen-Schneider
Moona Ederveen-Schneider has spent over twenty years shaping cybersecurity strategy for top tier financial institutions. As former Executive Director EMEA at a global threat intelligence-sharing body, she built trusted networks connecting the private sector and central banks across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Moona now holds faculty status at the University of Cambridge PACE programme and founded Resilia Connect. She created the Practical Post-Quantum Preparedness Series™ to help organisations of all sizes navigate the shift to quantum-safe cryptography. She runs the Quantum Security Connection™, a facilitated tabletop exercise series on post-quantum preparedness. A sought-after international speaker at events including Davos and Gartner, Moona was named Most Inspiring Women in Cyber 2026. She brings energy, clarity, and practical insight to complex emerging risks.
Partner, GTG Legal
Cherise Abela Grech
Cherise Abela Grech is a partner at GTG Legal, overseeing the firm’s financial services practice. Having graduated in 2013 she brings over a decade of formal legal expertise to her role. Since joining the firm in 2011, she has played a pivotal role in assisting clients to successfully obtain licences from the MFSA across various financial services categories, with a particular focus on crypto-asset service providers and financial institutions. A recognised specialist in the FinTech space, Cherise works extensively with DLT and digital assets advising issuers and service providers to navigate regulatory obligations. She has advised on multiple notable corporate transactions and matters, guiding large-scale firms undergoing a merger or acquisition process, or the acquisition/disposal of critical infrastructure. Her extensive experience, combined with her specialised FinTech expertise, enables her to provide clients with well-rounded and strategic guidance.
Deputy Director, Supervision (FinTech), Bermuda Monetary Authority
Christos Efthymiopoulos
Christos Efthymiopoulos is a Deputy Director within the Financial Technology (FinTech) Department at the Bermuda Monetary Authority (Authority or BMA). Mr Efthymiopoulos is responsible for the regulation, licensing and supervision of the FinTech sector, particularly digital asset businesses and issuers. He is directly involved in developing, implementing and administering the legislative and regulatory frameworks under the Digital Asset Business Act 2018 and the Digital Asset Issuance Act 2020. Mr Efthymiopoulos is a legal professional with more than thirteen years of experience in the financial services industry, focusing on FinTech for the past ten years, including more than six years at the BMA. Prior to joining the Authority, Mr Efthymiopoulos worked at the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), where he was heavily involved in developing and implementing Malta’s legislative and regulatory Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) framework. He was, inter alia, responsible for regulating, licensing and supervising VFA Agents, VFA Issuers and VFA Service Providers. During his tenure, Mr Efthymiopoulos represented the MFSA at various European fora, including the European Banking Authority’s taskforce on crypto assets.
Founder and CEO, Bodin Advisory LLC
Sulolit Raj Mukherjee
Sulolit Raj Mukherjee ("Raj") is the Founder and CEO of Bodin Advisory LLC, a strategy consulting firm that helps fintech, crypto, and emerging tech companies navigate global regulatory frameworks through policy, tax, and compliance advisory. Most recently, Raj served as Head of the IRS Office of Digital Assets, where he led US Treasury's Digital Asset strategy through tax policy development, regulatory rulemaking, and global policy initiatives. He co-authored the U.S. Treasury's Digital Asset Broker Regulations, represented IRS on Treasury’s Digital Asset Policy group and oversaw the implementation planning that translated policy into practical technology and procedural frameworks. Prior to his government service, Raj built tax and compliance functions at major blockchain and digital asset companies. As Global Head of Tax at ConsenSys, he managed the firm's domestic and international tax interests while serving as the company's tax policy lead in Washington, leveraging his relationships with federal agencies and Congress to advance regulatory clarity. Earlier, he held similar roles at Binance US and Coinbase, where he created end-to-end tax compliance programs from the ground up and led policy engagement on emerging regulatory issues in crypto and blockchain both within the organization and through leadership roles at trade groups like The Blockchain Association. Raj came to crypto after spending over 12 years in traditional finance at S&P Global, JP Morgan, and HSBC, where he focused on leading global tax compliance and reporting functions focusing on building and implementing US and international compliance regimes like Qi, FATCA, and Common Reporting Standard (CRS). A proponent of balanced regulation that protects participants without stifling innovation, Raj is a Forbes Business Council member, has been recognized by Forbes as an Asian American Crypto Leader to Watch and by Butterscotch Media as a DeFi & Web3 Changemaker to Watch. Raj holds a J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law and B.A. degrees in International Relations and English Literature from Washington College in Maryland. He lives in Washington DC, though he originally hails from Kansas City.
Professor, Banking and Financial Regulation, University of Bergamo
Marco Bodellini
Marco Bodellini is a Professor of Banking and Financial Regulation at the University of Bergamo, a Visiting Professor at the Université de la Côte d’Azur in Nice, Fordham University in New York, University of Westminster in London, and China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, as well as the vice president of South Korean Digital Finance Law Forum in Seoul. He has published a significant number of books and articles in peer-reviewed American, British and European journals on several matters concerning banking regulation, bank crisis management, corporate governance of financial institutions, central banking, investment funds and asset management law, sustainable finance and fintech. Marco is an Italian qualified lawyer and an of counsel at PWC Legal in Milan. He provides legal and regulatory consultancy to financial intermediaries and international institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International Finance Corporation. Marco is also a member of the expert group advising the European Parliament on bank resolution and a member of the advisory panel of the International Association of Deposit Insurers.
Manager (AI Supervision and Market Surveillance), MDIA
Neil Micallef
Neil Micallef leads AI supervision and market surveillance at the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, with a focus on implementation of regulatory frameworks on trustworthy, human-centric AI. Previously, he contributed to AI research at CERN in Geneva and managed local projects in critical infrastructure and transport, where he specialised in solutions architecture. Neil holds a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence with distinction and was also involved in AI research with the University of Malta, exploring the intersection of computer vision and biomedicine.
Chief Risk Officer and a Board Member, HEKA Funds Sicav
Luca Celati
Luca Celati is a Director of HEKA Funds Sicav PLC, an MFSA-regulated self-managed scheme in Malta that manages six crypto sub-funds pursuing a variety of strategies. He is one of the co-founders of Abraxas Capital Management, a London-based FCA regulated Investment Manager in London. Prior to setting up Abraxas, he was responsible for Risk in the Debt division of Dresdner Kleinwort Wassterstein in London. His career in financial services started as a Proprietary Trader at Bankers Trust Company, evenly split between London and New York, where he pioneered Credit Derivatives. He also published The Dark Side of Risk Management (FT/Prentice Hall, 2004), the first book introducing Behavioral Finance in the Risk Management arena. He holds a Laurea in Economics Summa cum Laude from LUISS in Rome and an MBA from Northwestern's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Evanston, USA.
Deputy General Counsel & Head of Legal Europe, OKX
Samuel Azzopardi
Samuel Azzopardi is Deputy General Counsel and Head of Legal Europe at OKX, one of the world's leading cryptocurrency platforms, where he leads European legal strategy across MiCA, MiFID, and Payments frameworks. A warranted lawyer with over 20 years of experience, Samuel specialises in the intersection of traditional financial regulation and digital assets, advising international financial entities on regulatory compliance and corporate governance across multiple jurisdictions. He holds more than a decade of experience in MFSA and FIAU approved regulatory roles across licensed AIFMs, MiFID firms, and investment funds. Samuel holds a Doctor of Laws and a Master of Arts in Financial Services from the University of Malta, with additional studies at the Università degli Studi di Verona. He is passionate about building compliant, sustainable frameworks for the next generation of European finance.
