Crypto + Blockchain: The Future Of The Financial World

Arshad Khan has diverse expertise in the complete financial markets ecosystem and the technology behind it. Being at the helm of several financial exchanges, he has detailed insight in technology, operations, products, regulations, strategy, finance, and marketing from inception. He pioneered the region's first exchange hosted Islamic finance platform 'Bait Al Bursa' to facilitate Murabaha transactions. With 22 years of experience, out of which 15 years in the Gulf countries, he established strong business relations with regional financial institutions and regulatory authorities. In 2008, Arshad established the Bahrain Financial Exchange regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain. As a Board Member of the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange and its' clearing corporation for five years, Arshad was part of the core team that established the exchange in a record time of 12 months from conceptualisation to its launch in 2005. Before that he played a key role in the establishment of the Multi Commodity Exchange of India in 2003. MCX has become one of the largest commodities derivatives exchanges in the world. He worked on opportunities to establish exchanges in Hong Kong, Singapore, Qatar and Africa.

Arabian Bourse (ABX) is an Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Abu Dhabi, UAE, based, fully regulated, crypto-asset Multilateral Trading Facility Custodian; to be primarily targeted at global institutional and retail traders. ABX has received In-Principal Approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of ADGM. Its development is lead by leading exchange business services and technology provider, GMEX Group (GMEX) based out of UK and regional exchanges founder and business expert - Arshad Khan based out of UAE. ABX has chosen to be based in ADGM, Abu Dhabi, because of the enlightened crypto asset regulatory framework, rapidly growing crypto asset industry in the region, concentration of global financial institutions and a trusted regulatory regime. ABX expect to bring in the crypto asset holders, partnerships, additional technology opportunities and related strategic investment via their comprehensive ecosystem in the blockchain space.

Irina Heaver is a Dubai based Australian lawyer with Master of Laws and Juris Doctor Degrees. With over 15 years of experience gained in-house (as a regional General Counsel) and private practice (as a Partner in a law firm) she worked across the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, CIS countries, Europe and North America. Irina advised on over 500 billion USD worth of projects and transactions in the oil&gas, mining, construction, maritime and emerging technology sectors.

Irina's particular skill is on structuring legally compliant market entry, growth and capital formation for Technology companies, specifically focusing on Fintech, AI & Blockchain infrastructure projects. She structured several asset tokenisation projects, as well as consulted multiple Governments and Regulators on policies surrounding such emerging technology as Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.

Irina is a certified blockchain expert and passionate about designing token economic models and logic for smart contracts.

Sharjil Ahmed is a Tech entrepreneur and spent the early part of his career as an Investment Banker. He is the Co-founder of Cykube, a UK headquartered Blockchain and Fintech advisory and solutions provider. He is working on promoting Fintech and Blockchain solutions in the areas of Finance, Government, Health care, Shariah compliant Investments, Halal economy, SDG's and financial inclusion. Sharjil has gained training and certification from Oxford University in Fintech and Blockchain post completing his MBA degree in International Business from Anglia Ruskin University, UK. Sharjil is also an industry associate at University College London, Centre for Blockchain Technologies(UCL CBT).

He has 15 years of experience in Islamic Investment banking and been involved as a founding team member of BLME, Al Rayan (Islamic bank of Britain) & Dux Capital, DIFC, to name a few. Sharjil is one of the early starters in the UK Islamic finance scene and worked with the UK Government to make London the leading Western Hub for Islamic finance. For this he has worked closely with UK government bodies like UKTI, HM Treasury and Lord Mayor's trade delegations, including writing a report on the History of Islamic Finance in the UK commissioned by the UK Government Islamic finance task force. He is an alumni of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) on special invitation from the US State Department representing UK.