Crypto industry leader Jeremy Allaire will join David Burt, the Premier, for the opening keynote conversation at the Bermuda Tech Summit on October 16.

The event has been organised by the Bermuda Business Development Agency, in partnership with FinTech Bermuda.

The conversation kicks off a complimentary full-day agenda, under the theme “Focused on the Future”, at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, showcasing Bermuda’s ongoing success in embracing innovation that will shape the future of international commerce.

Mr Allaire is the founder and chief executive officer of Circle, a global crypto financial services company that provides individuals, institutions and entrepreneurs a digital assets platform to trade, invest and raise capital, backed by $250 million from investors including Goldman Sachs. In the next two years, the company plans to grow its Bermuda office to more than 30 people and has already started hiring.

As part of Bermuda Tech Week 2019, ten panel sessions will look at the extent of business transformation in a wide range of industry sectors including financial services, hospitality, insurance and telecommunications. A networking reception will conclude the event in the evening.

Mr Burt said: “I look forward to sharing a dynamic discussion with Mr Allaire, exploring the opportunities technology can bring not only to Bermuda’s economy but in its potential to fundamentally improve financial services globally.

“As the first company to be granted a full licence under Bermuda’s Digital Assets Business Act of 2018, Circle exemplifies the quality we are looking to attract to our island. By highlighting what can be achieved together, we hope to open the door to more growth and innovation moving forwards.”

Mr Allaire said: “I am honoured to be joining Premier Burt on stage for the Bermuda Tech Summit. A lot can be learnt from Bermuda’s visionary approach and its ability to keep pace with change whilst simultaneously providing a regulatory framework that delivers certainty and security.

“Digital currency technologies and blockchains will continue to evolve rapidly in the next several years with adoption becoming mainstream. Countries, like Bermuda, able to participate in the innovation stand to benefit, helping hundreds of millions of people in the process.”

Mr Allaire has spent the last 25 years building internet technology platforms and companies, including multiple global, publicly traded technology companies.

As one of the most respected leaders in his field, Mr Allaire has provided expert testimony on cryptocurrencies and digital assets before the US Senate Committee on Banking where he spoke about Bermuda’s approach and how it should be emulated by other countries.

Roland Andy Burrows, CEO of the BDA, said: “Bermuda is now leading the way in emerging technologies, specifically fintech and insurtech, attracting innovative companies by offering them a global platform from which to grow and do business while ensuring our hard-earned reputation is not compromised.

“Our Bermuda Tech Summit, as part of the wider Bermuda Tech Week 2019, reflects this and is the ideal event to attend for those who want to stay informed on current trends and hear from key players in government and industry.”

The day’s line-up promises to deliver fresh perspectives with insights from industry leaders, including Sean Neville, co-founder of Circle; Chris Evans, CIO and co-founder of Flyt Limited; Niclas Adler, CEO of Seaheal; Alex Wilson, co-founder of The Giving Block; Philip Bekhazi, CEO and Julien Aucherone, COO of XBTO; Chance Barnett of Jewel Bank; Michael Fan, chief strategy officer of Blade; Lucia Gallardo, founder of Emerge; Tim Grant, CEO of DrumG; Ted Chuckmala, Executive Director of Technology, AccorHotels North and Central America Region; Eduardo Cruz Del Rio, vice-president of operations, Wyndham Hotel Group; Diana Plazas, vice-president, marketing, Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott; Davina Nightingale, senior digital property channel, Hilton; Mina Matin, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright; Oscar Garcia, CEO of Uulala; Sol Girouard, CEO of Data Innovation Labs; Susan Oh, CEO of Muckr.ai; Joel Ogren, CEO of ACA International; Erik W. Contag, executive chairman, GlobeNet Telecom; David Edwards, CEO and founder of ChainThat; Cormac Kinney, CEO of Diamond Standard and Lewis Katz of Permanent Capital.

Other Bermudian-based participants include Denis Pitcher, chief fintech adviser to the Premier of Bermuda; Gerald Gakundi of the Bermuda Monetary Authority; Roland Andy Burrows of the BDA; Fiona Beck, board director of the BDA and former CEO of Southern Cross; Kevin Richards of the BDA; Steven Rees Davies of Appleby Bermuda; Kathleen Faries of RICAP Bermuda; Katryna Gorbunova of EY; Giles Harlow of Aon (Bermuda) Ltd and Susan Pateras of Liberty Specialty Markets.

The latest Bermuda Tech Summit sponsors include 24Exhange, Appleby (Bermuda), Blockchain Radio, ChainThat, ConnecTech, HubCulture, Swan Group, The Royal Gazette and Walkers (Bermuda).

Register now for the Bermuda Tech Summit at https://tinyurl.com/y4vq6d5g and learn more about Bermuda Tech Week 2019 by visiting www.bermudatechweek.bm