EmTech Global 2024: Innovation, Adaptation and Transformation: Opportunities in Investment Management - Partnering for Success

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Join us as we explore the future of FinTech in asset and wealth management.

Secure your place at the most exciting and focused technology event of the year!

A showcase event of the Global Investment Futures campaign and in partnership with the Investment Association, the City of London Corporation and the Department for Business and Trade, the IA Engine is again pleased to invite you to this in-person event.

EmTech Global 2024 is once again bringing together industry leaders and subject experts from around the globe to discuss the latest trends and innovations in financial technology. With a focus on topics such as AI, Quantum, Tokenisation, gamefication and the Metaverse, EmTech continues  to be a key event in the global FinTech and investment management calendar.

Experience a face paced agenda, as we explore trends and insights through enlightening keynotes and fireside chats, engaging panel discussions, and power pitches by Engine Innovators.

Whether you're a tech enthusiast, business leader, or policy maker, EmTech Global 2024 will equip you with the knowledge and connections you need to navigate the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Don't miss out as places are limited.

Topics include:

• Adaption, resilience and transformation: Where are we now, where do we want to be, how can we get there?
• The rise of Quantum and AI -  what it really means for Investment Management
• Tokenisation and the future of funds
• FinTech investment, collaboration and regulation
• Challenges and opportunities facing investments, operations and distribution
• Gamefication, retailisation and transformation: the changing consumer landscape

In partnership with:

Exhibiting opportunities are available for this event. If you are interested please email events@theia.org

More speakers to be announced soon

Lara Lewington – Broadcaster and Journalist
Specialising in lifestyle and health tech, Lara’s always learning about, and testing, the tech that claims to make our lives easier. Having studied AI Ethics, and with a passion for people’s understanding artificial intelligence’s possibilities and limitations, she’s become a leading commentator across the media. She co-presents the BBC’s flagship technology show, Click. As well as appearing on numerous programmes and done many expert slots across a range of outlets including, BBC1’s Panorama, ITV’s Lorraine, BBC1’s The One Show, ITV’s Good Morning Britain, and has fronted documentaries for Radio 4, one being a “A Documentary: By ChatGPT”.

Gillian Painter, Head of Membership and Engine, The Investment Association
As Head of Membership and Engine, Gillian is a senior member of the IA Enterprises management team. Engine is the IA’s Innovation hub and FinTech accelerator. Since its launch in October 2019, Gillian has managed the growth of Engine which now encompasses an ecosystem of over 130 firms, innovator programmes, as well as a regional co-working hub in Birmingham and an international programme. Engine is focused on innovation and transformation for the investment management and wealth sectors providing an extensive programme of thought leadership, resources and connectivity. Gillian has a strong experience in technology having worked in technical and operational roles for global IT and telecom firms.

Chris Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, The Investment Association
Chris joined the IA in 2016 from TheCityUK, which he set up and ran as CEO for seven years. He sits on the Treasury’s Asset Management Taskforce, the Board of EFAMA (European Fund & Asset Management Association) and is the President of IIFA (International Investment Funds Association). He is also Chairman of Just Finance Foundation. He was previously a member of the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions Committee and the FCO’s Diplomatic Excellence Panel.

Max McKechnie, Global Market Strategist, Market Insights, J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Max McKechnie is a Global Market Strategist based in London. He is responsible for generating research-driven analysis on the global economy and markets, and communicating this to clients. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management Max spent 8 years as an officer in the British Army. He holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University, and a MBA from Exeter University.

The Rt Hon. The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli
Michael Mainelli was elected as Lord Mayor of the City of London on 29 September 2023 and took office on 10 November 2023. He previously served Sheriff of the City of London from 2019-2021, being granted an
extraordinary second year in that office, the first time since 1228, in order to provide continuity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin, Michael gained his PhD at London School of Economics where he was also a Visiting Professor. Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and graphics in the USA and Switzerland, he created the first commercial digital maps of the world in Cambridge. He entered the City of London in 1984 ahead of Big Bang, becoming a partner in 1987 with BDO Binder Hamlyn, and in 1995 a Director of Ministry of Defence research. During a mergers & acquisitions spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading think-tank, promoting societal advance through better finance and technology. Z/Yen is renowned for the Global Financial Centres Index, Global Green Finance Index, Long Finance, and numerous technology and finance projects.
He has served as Alderman for Broad Street since 2013; President of Broad Street Ward Club; member of Lime Street and Farringdon Ward Clubs; Trustee of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, Lord Mayor’s Show, Lord Mayor’s 800th Anniversary Awards Trust, and Morden College; Professor & Life Fellow of Gresham College and Fellow of Goodenough College; Honorary Fellow of King’s College London; Council Member for City & Guilds. Michael is non-executive director of an AIM-listed mining firm and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service overseeing UK laboratories and quality standards. Past posts have included Almoner of Christ’s Hospital, International Financial Advisor to the Taoiseach, and London Waterways Commissioner, as well as Trustee of the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Ocean Alliance.
Michael is passionate about the Livery as a Past Master of the World Traders, Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Companies of Furniture Makers, Water Conservators, Marketors, and Tax Advisers, Craft-Owning Freeman of the Watermen & Lightermen, and member of the City Livery Club and Guild of Freemen. Michael works to maintain the City’s pre-eminence as the world’s leading professional, business, legal, technical, and financial services centre, championing the three C’s of Commerce, Community, and Charity.
His wife, Elisabeth, is from Bavaria. Elisabeth trained in hotel management and has worked in Germany and London, where she became a personal assistant to the managing partner of a large accountancy firm. They married in 1996 and have three children. She continues to work at her events company and is a director of a property management company. Elisabeth is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Masons and a Freeman Honoris Causa of the World Traders. As former Thames barge owners restoring SB Lady Daphne over two decades, they retain deep links with the sailing barge community and the venerable Thames Match (1863). Michael and Elisabeth chaired the Guildhall British Red Cross Christmas Market in 2017.
Michael’s hobbies include skiing, woodcarving, diving, dicing with bagpipes, racing sailboats, and dabbling in German, Italian, and French, but even worse Mandarin. He has written over 60 journal articles, 250 business articles and a few books. His humorous novel, Clean Business Cuisine: Now and Z/Yen, written with Ian Harris, was a Sunday Times Book of the Week in 2000; Accountancy Age described it as “surprisingly funny considering it is written by a couple of accountants”. The Price of Fish: A New Approach to Wicked Economics and Better Decisions, also with Ian Harris, won the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance, Investment & Economics Gold Prize.

Symon Garfield, Director – Capital Markets Advisory & Digital Strategy, Microsoft
Symon partners with business leaders and executives across banking and capital markets to realize the transformational potential of digital technologies and AI, and to forge strategic business partnerships. Symon is deeply engaged at the intersection of financial services with ethical AI, sustainability, and Web3, and digital securities.

Ali Hassan, Senior Representative for Europe and North America, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority
Ali Hassan is a Senior Representative for the DIFC Authority in Europe and North America.
In his current role, Mr. Hassan supports the CEO in developing and promoting the asset management, banking, capital markets and insurance sectors and the Centre’s ecosystem for innovation, multi-national companies and professional service providers, in line with the Centre’s business strategies. He plays an active role in managing client development and is also responsible for promoting and enhancing awareness of DIFC’s competitiveness and positioning regionally and globally.
Mr. Hassan brings vast regulatory knowledge and commercial experience to his position at DIFC Authority, having supervised and authorised a diverse range of businesses, including exchanges, trading platforms, asset management, investment banking and brokerage operations with experience in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Mr Hassan has a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1999. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment in the UK.

Nasir Zubairi, CEO, Luxembourg House of Financial Technology, The LHoFT
With 27 years of experience in financial services, Nasir Zubairi is a seasoned Fintech leader who established and leads The Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT) Foundation. This not-for-profit organization serves as Luxembourg's national platform for financial services digitalisation. Nasir's career began in the front offices of major financial institutions such as ICAP, HSBC, and EBS, culminating in his role as Director of High Frequency Trading (HFT) at RBS London, where he built the premier trading desk in the FX market, fully automated through Machine Learning. In 2011, Nasir made a strategic shift to Fintech, where he has been spearheading the creation and expansion of ventures in banking, lending, and payments. Having worked across eight countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Nasir brings a broad international perspective. Since moving to Luxembourg in 2016, he has taken on council roles at the British Chamber of Commerce and the British-Luxembourg Society, and has served as a Non-Executive Board Director at SEB S.A, the Scandinavian bank, and at the International School of Luxembourg (ISL). In 2022, Nasir was honoured with the "Officier de l'Ordre Mérite du Grand Duché de Luxembourg" for his contribution to the economy of Luxembourg. Nasir, an alumnus of the London School of Economics and a Sloan Fellow from the London Business School, is dedicated to fostering global financial growth and innovation. His insights have been valued as part of Christine Lagarde’s advisory council for finance and technology at the IMF, and on the Blockchain expert policy advisory board at the OECD.

Naomi Takegoshi, Relationship Manager, FinCity.Tokyo/ Senior Manager, JIAM (The Consortium for Japan International Asset Management Center Promotion)
Naomi Takegoshi joined JIAM in May 2019 and FinCity.Tokyo in October 2019 after a 25 year long career at the British Embassy in Tokyo where she supported UK companies develop their business in Japan in a wide range of industries (consumer goods, financial services, business services, tech etc) with an aspiration to bring her experiences to contribute to the internationalization of Tokyo. In her work to promote UK financial services and fintech in Japan, she built an extensive network of contacts both in Japan and in the UK. She produced the Japanese translation of "Decoding AI in Financial Services" by Clara Durodié a London-based AI specialist.

Fumin Feng, Head, Asset Management and Funds Division, Development and International Group, Monetary Authority of Singapore
Fumin is the Head of Asset Management and Funds Division, overseeing strategies to develop Singapore as a full-service asset management centre. Prior to this appointment, he and his team led MAS’ efforts to introduce the new Variable Capital Companies (VCC) framework for investment funds and worked closely with stakeholders, including fund managers, asset owners and fund advisers, to strengthen collaboration within Singapore’s funds ecosystem.

Fumin holds an Honours Degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the National University of Singapore. In 2017, he graduated with a Master’s degree in Accounting at the Singapore Management University and received the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) Gold Medal Award.

Jonathan Lipkin, Director, Policy Strategy and Innovation, The Investment Association
Jonathan is Director of Policy, Strategy and Innovation at The Investment Association (IA) and a member of the IA management team. 
Jonathan’s policy role focuses on how the industry serves its customer markets. This includes areas such as products and competition; fund communications and governance; and the long-term savings and pensions regimes in the UK and internationally. He also works closely on the IA’s broader strategic positioning and leads its programme to support industry innovation.

Jonathan joined the IA in 2005, becoming Director of Public Policy and a member of the IA Executive Committee in 2012. Prior to 2005, he worked for a number of years at Oxford Analytica, an international consultancy. At OA, he led the European political and economic analysis serving a wide range of domestic and overseas clients, both corporate and governmental. 

Jonathan is a Board Member of the Cost Transparency Initiative, Chair of the EFAMA Pensions Group and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Asset Management Research at Bayes Business School. He writes and speaks regularly both in the UK and abroad on investment management and pensions issues.

Nike Trost, Head of Asset Management and Pensions Policy, Market Wholesale Policy / Strategy and Competition Division, FCA
Nike Trost heads the Asset Management and Pensions policy department. As Head of Department Nike is responsible for delivering the FCA’s policy strategy in relation to the asset management sector and FCA regulated pensions.

Nike has 15 years regulatory experience gained from working across the FCA, including in asset management supervision, oversight of primary capital markets transactions and heading the FCA’s prospectus approval function.

Prior to holding this role Nike was the senior manager of the FCA’s Markets Policy department. In that capacity, she gained extensive policy making experience and oversaw several teams delivering a broad policy portfolio, including in relation to the UK’s primary markets and market abuse regimes, derivatives and securitisation regulations as well as wholesale market conduct, audit and accounting and sustainability/ESG policy.

Jason Webb, Director of Web3, SS&C
Jason Webb is Director of Web3 at SS&C Technologies where he is responsible for implementing the DLT, Tokenisation and Metaverse strategies. He joined in May 23 from Fidelity International, where as global lead for blockchain and crypto he led the project that successfully tokenised a fund share class in production for the first time.

Rory McLaren, Chief Product Officer, Kaizen
Rory has more than 30 years’ experience working in technology, product and regulation in a variety of organisations.
Rory joined Kaizen as Chief Product Officer in 2022, and is working across the business to promote product, strategy and management.
Rory was co-founder and CTO of Impendium Systems, a regulatory FinTech that provided reporting services for MIFID and EMIR as well as a number of value-add services based on regulatory data. After their acquisition in 2014 by Deutsche Boerse he led the Product and Services section of the Regulatory Services entity within the group, providing reporting across MIFIR, EMIR and other regulations to internal and external clients across Europe, Asia Pac, and the US.

James King, Senior Policy Adviser, The Investment Association
James King is the Senior Policy Adviser at the Investment Association responsible for operational resilience, cyber resilience and technology.

Prabhakaran (Prab) Pitchandi, Vice President and Global Head, Analytics & Insights, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, TCS
Prab is the Global Head of Analytics & Insights unit with Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) business group at TCS. With his breadth of Quants experience and passion for Data, Prab enjoys working in the intersection of Advanced Analytics, AI and BFSI business domain to create unique solutions that unearth hidden value for Financial Institutions.

In his role, Prab is focussed on transforming Financial Institutions into a data driven organisation, creating innovative & new business models underpinned by data ecosystem, crafting automated & contextual data architectures and deriving intrinsic value out of the data assets through Quants, Analytics, AI, ML driven innovative solutions.

Prab has 30 years of extensive industry experience in BFSI with specialisation in Capital Markets and Risk Management as head of Capital Markets Consulting and Solutions. He has led many front-to-back transformations and regulatory programs for leading Wall Street firms and has been involved in setting up new business functions within global banks.

James Palles-Dimmock, CEO, Quantum Motion
James is CEO at Quantum Motion, where he is responsible for defining an IP, technical and commercial strategy for the business, developing silicon-based qubit architectures which are compatible with standard CMOS fabrication and has raised over £60m in grants and equity since inception.

James has over 15 years of experience delivering products from early stage concepts through R&D programmes; developing, protecting and commercialising new semiconductor technologies, in particular during his time at Japanese electronics company Sharp. James has transferred technology to factories both in the UK and Japan and his work has spanned the TRLs, from developing the first lab-based demonstration of a hot carrier solar cell to consulting on production issues in an assembly line. A physicist by background, James has a first class MSc in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, a PhD in Quantum Physics from Imperial College London and is a fellow of the Electrical Research Association (ERA).

John Allan, Head of Innovation and Operations Unit, The Investment Association
John is responsible for the Innovation and Operations Unit which aims to build the industry’s innovation capacity through IA policy development on technological change, DLT, crypto and AI, as well as promoting fund modernisation and supporting firms on operational policy including resiliency. John is also a fixed member of the FCA’s Innovation Advisory Group bringing the regulator’s attention to key issues impacting the investment sector and fintech.

Amarjit Singh, Partner, EMEIA Assurance Blockchain Leader, Financial Services, Ernst & Young LLP
Amarjit Singh, is EY’s EMEIA Assurance Blockchain Leader. He is a strong advocate of helping build trust in the blockchain sphere with the purpose of meeting the needs of the various stakeholders in the ecosystem. This had led to Amarjit being in regular discussions with various regulators and governments as well as corporations and users as their navigate this space. Being a Financial Service Partner with deep hands on regulatory experience  arising from implementation of various UK/EU legislation as well as leading the custody and other regulatory engagements, he has represented EY externally on regulatory matters in the Financial Services Industry for many years. Amarjit is an active supporter of D & I programme and chairs the EY Sikh Network.

Anna Matson, Senior Vice President, Digital Assets & Financial Markets, Northern Trust
Anna leads digital asset advocacy and innovation opportunities for the EMEA region based in London and reporting to the Global Head of Digital Assets and Financial Markets. Her role includes leading digital asset and digital advocacy engagement with EMEA regulatory and key industry infrastructure groups, governmental bodies, other financial services firms and other such strategic relationships in support of Northern Trust’s strategic innovation initiatives. In particular, Anna’s focus is on future infrastructures, market access and commercial innovation opportunities.

Steve Harker, Head of Architecture and Strategy, LGIM
Steve is Global Head of Architecture and Strategy at Legal & General Investment Management. He has extensive experience across all aspects of the Investment Management value chain and has held lead design roles across a number of industry mergers and acquisitions. Steve joined the IA working groups last year and has helped to lead a number of the discussions related to tokenization of Funds and Assets. Steve has over 20 years of experience within the industry having previously worked in similar roles at Aegon Asset Management, Abrdn and Scottish Widows Investment Partnership.

Julia Streets, Founder & CEO, Streets Consulting
Julia Streets is the Founder & CEO of Streets Consulting and is a champion of fintech, entrepreneurship, innovation, diversity, equity and inclusion.

In 2007, she founded Streets Consulting, the business development, marketing and communications consultancy. She and her team advise a wide range of fintech startups and scaleups, global organisations, key industry bodies and technology incubators.

Streets Consulting’s core focus is on helping businesses to grow and/or transform by delivering 3 key areas of service (3Cs): campaigns, content and coaching.

Prior to becoming a founder & CEO, Julia was global head of communications at NYSE Technologies, serving on the Executive Committee and European head of marketing and sales development at Instinet Europe.

A certified transformational leadership coach, she works with senior executives and is an advisor, mentor and investor and is called upon to chair many of the world’s leading conferences drawing not only on her industry experience, but also on her skills as a speaker, host and sell-out stand up comedian.

Julia has received many awards and accolades including being listed as one of Brummell Magazine’s 30 Women on Boards, 30 Female Entrepreneurs, and 30 Women of Influence. She is one of the Global Diversity List’s 20 global champions and is regularly called out as a trailblazer and changemaker. Julia is a founding member of the Power Women Network and a fellow of the British American Project.

Charlotte Crosswell OBE, Chair of the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT)
Charlotte has been involved in capital markets, fintech and technology throughout her career - as CEO, Chair, Board Advisor and Non-Executive Director. Prior to CFIT, Charlotte was Chair and Trustee of Open Banking and was also CEO of the fintech industry body, Innovate Finance. In this role, she supported the work of Sir Ron Kalifa in delivering the strategic fintech review (“The Kalifa Review”). She works closely with entrepreneurs, financial services firms, academia, government and regulators on fintech advocacy and strategy. Charlotte received an OBE for her contribution to financial services in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021. She believes firmly in a diversity and innovation-first approach.

Hilary Smyth-Allen, Executive Director, SuperTech
Hilary is the Executive Director for the UK’s only professional services tech supercluster, SuperTech, which is the representative body for Birmingham/ West Midlands within the FinTech National Network. A former chartered surveyor and qualified tax technician, Hilary has a wide-ranging career spanning professional and financial services sector including 10 years in practice as a national director in Fortune 500 company AECOM. Since her time in practice, Hilary worked as Executive Director for regional membership body for professional services for 5 years and established herself as a key influencer in BPFS policy in the West Midlands working for Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP. She also leads industry engagement on behalf of a range of organisations including nationally funded research projects with University of Sheffield Management School, Oxford Brookes University, City-REDI at University of Birmingham, Dept of BEIS and Innovate UK with a strong emphasis on professional and financial services technology adoption.

Rashee Pandey , Associate Director, Membership and Growth, Innovate Finance
Rashee is the Associate Director of Membership and Growth at Innovate Finance, the independent industry body that represents and advances the global FinTech community in the UK. Rashee has been working in FinTech since its nascent days in London. Prior to Innovate Finance, Rashee led marketing and communications for high-growth FinTechs including Bankable and Applied Blockchain. Rashee enjoys working with startup teams as well as global tech & financial institutions and is passionate about driving the voice of fintech and innovation globally. She is also a diversity leader and was a working group member of the Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce commissioned by the HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Rashee holds an MSc in Strategic Marketing from Imperial College London. A Thai-born-Indian, Rashee calls both Bangkok and London home.

Tom McHugh, CEO, FINBOURNE Technology
Tom is CEO and Co-founder of FINBOURNE. Prior to founding FINBOURNE, Tom spent his career building world-class technology for global financial institutions including RBS and UBS where he led quantitative development.

Adam Toms, COO / CEO Europe, Openfin
Adam Toms serves as Global COO and CEO Europe and is responsible for all global GTM activities and company operations. He works with the firm's largest clients on their most important strategic initiatives shaped by his extensive background in innovation and transformation projects across Financial Services in both banking and asset management.

Prior to OpenFin, Adam served as CEO of Instinet Europe. Under his leadership, the firm ranked #1 for customer volume on the London Stock Exchange, #3 for Pan-European equity customer volume, achieving record market share and profitability.

During his 20+ years in financial markets, he led numerous high-profile businesses and large-scale M&A integration projects resulting in a reputation for delivering strategic change and first-to-market innovations.

Toms also fosters and supports innovative early-stage companies and has served as Non-Executive Board Director and Board Advisor to several companies, many of which have subsequently enjoyed successful exits.

Carol Thomas, Head of Sustainability and Responsible Investments, The Investment Association
Carol started her career in EU regulatory affairs in Brussels before joining the FSA in 2010. Carol’s work at the FSA/FCA spanned pension policy, financial disclosure and leading on life insurance thematic reviews. She also spent a year working for the Irish Department of Finance in Brussels covering financial services files in the European Council. In 2018, Carol joined the Investment Association as a Retail Markets Specialist covering all issues related to the regulation and distribution of retail funds in the UK and across the EU. Following a short period as Head of Asset Management Policy for M&G, Carol re-joined the IA and was appointed Head of Sustainability and Responsible Investment, leading on the full range of sustainability & responsible Investment issues impacting investment management industry today.

Dan Jones, Future Markets Lead, UK Space Agency
Since 2014 Dan has led the UK’s involvement in the EU-funded PERASPERA and EPIC projects, writing European technology roadmaps for space robotics and electric propulsion, and is responsible for delivering the Agency’s national technology roadmaps for space. He is the UK’s delegate to the Horizon Europe Programme Committee for Digital, Industry, and Space; and is the UK’s delegate to the European space Agency for their Scale-Up Invest Programme to grow UK space businesses.

He created and is the chair of the UK Space Agency’s Space Investment Forum series of events, which aims to connect innovative SMEs with investors looking to enter the space market. He co-chaired the UK Task Force for Cross-sector Robotics between 2022 and 2023, and was Chair of the Advisory Board to the Future AI & Robotics Hub for Space between 2018 and 2022.

Prior to that Dan worked at the trade body ADS Group writing technology roadmaps for the UK civil aerospace sector, which underpinned the Aerospace Growth Partnership and the creation of the Aerospace Technology Institute.

Outside of work he is a science-fiction author. He also co-hosts Chronscast: The Fantasy, Science-Fiction and Horror Podcast; and he plays bass guitar for the prog rock band Sky Empire. He lives with his family in Essex.

Dan Osrin, Senior Manager, PWC Strategy& - Global Space Practice
Dan leads the delivery of PwC’s strategic work in the UK space sector, and is part of PwC’s Global Space Practice, which is active across over 13 countries and focused on supporting public and private organisations across the space domain. He authored PwC’s report on ‘The down to earth guide to investing in space’, and is leading the delivery of the UK Space Agency programme ‘Unlocking Space for Business’ which is seeking to raise awareness and uptake of innovative satellite data and services in the UK Financial Services sector.

Chris Hill, Senior Adviser, BCG
Chris was CEO of Hargreaves Lansdown from April 2017 to August 2023. Prior to that he was Deputy CEO and CFO from February 2016. Before HL Chris was CFO at IG Group plc, the financial trading company and Travelex Holdings, the foreign exchange and payments company. Chris qualified as an accountant with Arthur Andersen in 1993 and spent time at GE Capital in a number of leadership roles. He is a member of the Advisory Panel for IA Engine, a Senior Adviser to Boston Consulting Group, a Trustee of the financial education charity Just Finance Foundation, and a member of the FCA Practitioner Panel.
During Chris' tenure at HL assets and client numbers doubled to £130 billion and 1.8 million with market share increasing from 35 to 41%. Chris launched the cash savings platform in 2018 and led its digital transformation. He is passionate about improving the financial resilience of individuals and launched HL's Financial Resilience Barometer which is published every 6 months, in conjunction with Oxford Economics, and helps to improve the decisions individuals and policymakers make to boost financial resilience, "Investing remains a minority activity and if we are serious about improving financial resilience for all, we need to make saving and investing an everyday activity.

Sean Hagerty, Managing Director, Vanguard Europe
Sean Hagerty is managing director for Vanguard Europe, responsible for leading the operations and distribution efforts of the European business. Sean relocated to London from Vanguard’s global headquarters in the United States in 2016.
Prior to this role, Sean was head of the Portfolio Review Department, responsible for overseeing all of Vanguard’s mutual funds and ETFs, assessing fund performance and portfolio consistency, and monitoring Vanguard’s external managers. Since joining Vanguard in 1997, Mr. Hagerty has been headof Corporate Strategy and head of Retail Marketing and Communications, and he has held various management positions in Vanguard’s institutional business.
Before Vanguard, he worked for PNC Bank and Peat,
Marwick, Mitchell & Co. Mr. Hagerty earned a B.B.A. from St. Bonaventure University and an M.S. in communications from Villanova University. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Jessica Hardman, CEO DWS UK 
Jessica Hardman performs two primary responsibilities at DWS; CEO for the DWS UK, with over 400 staff across Passive, Active and Alternative investing, the UK business is a centre of excellence for DWS's key investment capabilities. Jessica also undertakes the role of Head of European Portfolio Management at DWS, based in London, focusing on an international client base overseeing European and global real estate portfolios from core to value-add strategies. The suite of products includes European diversified and sector specific strategies via co-mingled funds and separately managed accounts. Previously, she was the Head of UK Real Estate Transactions and has overseen over €10.5 bn of transactions during her career at DWS. She managed the investment team covering all real estate sectors, as well as building major separate account relationships with an Asian client base. Hardman is CEO of DWS Investment UK Limited, board member for DWS Alternatives (Global) Ltd, a member of DWS Global leadership team and Global Investment leadership team, and a voting member of the European Investment Real Estate Committee. She joined DWS in 2004. Jessica will also become President of the British Property Federation (BPF) in 2024.

Ann Prendergast, Head of EMEA, State Street Global Advisors, Executive Vice President
Ann Prendergast is an Executive Vice President and Head of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region for State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. She is a member of the SSGA Operating Group and chairs the EMEA Executive Committee.
Prior to this role, Ann was CEO of SSGA Europe Ltd, the entity with responsibility for SSGA’s EU businesses. Previously she led the sales and marketing team for the Irish market, having joined the organisation in 2000.
Ann also worked with the Bank of Ireland Group in both their fund administration and private banking divisions.
Ann holds a Business Studies Degree from the University of Limerick, is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and is a Certified Investment Fund Director (CIFD).

Richard Wilson, CEO, Interactive Investor
Richard is the CEO of interactive investor (ii), the UK retail investment service. He has spent the last 30 years leading technology-driven change in banks and brokers, both retail and wholesale, in the US and Europe. His passion for service and people are his core interests.

Richard is a member of the PRA Practitioner Panel, Board member of the Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association (PIMFA), and Vice Chairman of the Poddar Housing Corporation, the Mumbai-based affordable housing business. Richard is a graduate of Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

John Macpherson
Former JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs – Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Managing Director. Co-founder and CEO at BMLL Technologies. Member of the Investment Association Engine advisory panel since inception (2018) and Chairman since 2021. Chairman, NED or senior adviser to approx. 12 Financial Technology firms worldwide.

Rajesh Amin, CEO, 2RSQUARED
Raj has more than 25 years of experience in financial markets, in leading roles spanning quant, trading and portfolio management in both start up and established company settings. His experience includes setting up and running custom index desks, rules-based asset management and managed account platforms from the perspective of running the activity, creating and managing investment content, and organising technology and business process. Prior to founding 2RSquared, Raj was Head of Investment Management at Brevan Howard Liquid Portfolio Strategies and ran two of their UCITs funds. Prior roles included Head of Investment Management at Decura, Global Head of Fund Derivatives and co-head of Global Structured Credit Trading at Goldman Sachs. During his career he has been responsible for over $5 billion of Index notional and $10 billion in fund structures. Raj has a BSc in theoretical physics from Imperial College, a master's degree in chaos theory from UCL and a master's degree in mathematics from Cambridge.

Darshita Gillies, Founder and CEO, Maanch
Darshita Gillies, acknowledged as an ESG and Diversity Trailblazer, honoured among the 100 Most Meaningful Business Leaders and a driving force in UK-India Relations. She proudly serves as the Founder and CEO of Maanch, a visionary technology company revolutionising stewardship efforts for asset managers and investors.

At the heart of Maanch's mission is the Maanch Engagement Tracker, a cloud-based solution that empowers asset managers to track, report, and analyse all portfolio engagements, fostering enhanced collaboration, transparency, and adherence to global regulations.

With a diverse background as a Chartered Accountant, Investment Banker, Executive Coach, and FinTech-Blockchain Specialist, Darshita has set her vision to transforming how Asset Managers handle, analyse, and report ESG and sustainability data tied to their stewardship activities. The impact of this vision is evident in Maanch Engagement Tracker’s impressive clientele, which spans across the UK and Europe to over £240bn+ in assets.

Rob Sanders, CEO and Co-Founder, DOOR
Prior to co-founding DOOR, Rob was Global Head of Marketing at Aberdeen Asset Management. Rob also managed Aberdeen’s digital marketing and communication efforts. Rob joined Aberdeen in 2007 from Investit, an asset management consultancy. Rob has 20 years’ experience in asset management, having previously worked at Russell Investments, Deutsche Asset Management and Legal & General Investment Management.

Freddie Frith, Vice President , Sales, Corlytics
Freddie Frith has extensive experience working in sales leadership roles, serving on Clausematch’s commercial team for over five years. Freddie has had great success in leading the got to market across Asset Management, Banking, Insurance and other highly regulated industries, as well as engaged in numerous keynotes. Before Corlytics, Freddie held various roles at Silverfin, L’Oreal, and Ogilvy.

Simon Swords, Managing Director, Fundipedia
Simon is the founder and Managing Director of Fundipedia. He has been at the forefront of the company since 2007, steering its global strategy and leading a team of nearly 40 dedicated professionals. His work involves close collaboration with key regulatory bodies and industry associations, including the FCA and the Investment Association. With his extensive experience in the financial services industry, Simon has developed a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in fund data governance for global asset managers of various sizes and complexities. He is passionate about building partnerships and leveraging technology to innovate and solve data problems across the asset management industry.

Allee Zhang, Sustainable Investment Director, UBS Asset Management
Allee is a Sustainable Investment Director at UBS Asset Management (UBS AM) responsible for the development and implementation of the sustainability strategy across Real Estate and Private Markets (REPM), with a focus on sustainable and impact oriented themes, climate, nature, and net zero portfolio alignment. Previously Allee was a Sustainability Risk Director at UBS AM responsible for overseeing the management of environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities across UBS AM’s global portfolio of investments. Allee holds a Master of Finance from London Business School and BSc/BCom from University of Auckland.

Harry Thomas, Relationship Manager, Investment Association
As Relationship Manager for the Investment Association (IA), Harry works closely with the IA’s c.270 investment managers to support them in accessing the IA’s initiatives and policy expertise. Since joining the IA in 2019, Harry has assisted in the growth of Engine, the IA’s FinTech hub and accelerator, which now supports over 150 FinTech firms with buy-side focused solutions from across the value chain. Prior to the Investment Association, Harry held a number of client facing roles within the Legal and FinTech sectors, with involvement in the latter consisting of focus on AI, DLT and Blockchain.

John Thompson, Delivery Lead, ESG Investments, abrdn
John has over 20 years’ buy-side industry experience delivering business change and technology to investment managers, working on both FinTech and client sides. He started in consultancy at SS&C before moving to Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs. After working in business consultancy for SimCorp’s global clients, he joined Newton Investment Management (BNY) before moving to his current position at abrdn. His focus has expanded from Front Office to enterprise regulatory initiatives and most recently ESG investments.

John is longstanding adviser to the IA Engine, the Investment Association’s digital technology accelerator and innovation hub. Following his keen interest in innovation and FinTech, he completed the Oxford Fintech Programme at Saïd Business School as well attended INSEAD business school to deepen his knowledge of the latest Design Thinking/Agile techniques. John holds a degree in Law & German from the University of Surrey, an MSc in IT and is a Chartered Member (MCSI) of the CISI (Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment).

Note: The schedule is subject to change.

08:30 - Registration

09:15 - Welcome to EmTech 2024

Lara Lewington – Broadcaster and Journalist

09:25 - Welcome Address from the CEO of The Investment Association

Chris Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, The Investment Association

09:35 - Macro Dialogue - The Current and Future Landscape - Opportunities for Innovation

Max McKechnie, Global Market Strategist, Market Insights, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

09:50 - Global Partnerships and Opportunities – Global Investment Futures: Address from The Lord Mayor

The Rt Hon. The Lord Mayor, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli

10:00 - Big Opportunities - How Big Tech is Transforming the Investment Landscape

Symon Garfield, Director – Capital Markets Advisory & Digital Strategy, Microsoft

10:20 - Global Partners: Resilience in a New Era of Cross-Border Collaboration

Moderator: Gillian Painter, Head of Membership and Engine, The Investment Association

• Ali Hassan, Senior Representative for Europe and North America, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority
• Nasir Zubairi, Chief Executive Office, the LHoFT Foundation
• Naomi Takegoshi, Relationship Manager, FinCity.Tokyo/ Senior Manager, JIAM (The Consortium for Japan International Asset Management Center Promotion)
• Fumin Feng, Head, Asset Management and Funds Division, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)

10:40 - The Metaverse and What it Means for Investors

Jason Webb, Director of Web3, SS&C

10:55 - Networking Break

11:15 - The Innovation Agenda: The Regulator's View

• Jonathan Lipkin, Director, Policy Strategy and Innovation, The Investment Association
• Nike Trost, Head of Asset Management, Funds & Pensions Market Analysis & Policy at Financial Conduct Authority

11:35 - RegTech Revolution: Unleashing AI to Transform Regulatory Compliance

Rory McLaren, Chief Product Officer, Kaizen

11:55 - AI and Quantum Computing: What Investment Managers Need to Know, The Next Steps, Opportunities, and Considerations

Moderator: James King, Senior Policy Adviser, The Investment Association

• Prabhakaran Pitchandi, Vice President and Global Head of Analytics and Insights, Banking Financial Services and Insurance, TCS
• James Palles-Dimmock, CEO, Quantum Motion

12:20 - Cohort 7 – Welcome the Class of 2024

12:40 - Lunch

13:35 - Fund Tokenization: The Future of Investment Management – Where Are We Now, Where Do We Want to Be, How Can We Get There?

Moderator: John Allan, Head of Innovation and Operations Unit, The Investment Association

• Amarjit Singh, Partner, EMEIA Assurance Blockchain Leader, Financial Services, EY LLP
• Anna Matson, Senior Vice President, Digital Assets & Financial Markets, Northern Trust
• Steve Harker, Head of Architecture and Strategy, LGIM

14:00 - State of the Nation: Challenges and Opportunities for the UK Fintech Ecosystem

Moderator: Julia Streets, Founder and CEO, Streets Consulting

• Charlotte Crosswell OBE, Chair of the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT)
• Hilary Smyth-Allen, Executive Director, SuperTech
• Rashee Pandey , Associate Director, Membership and Growth, Innovate Finance

14:25- Scaling Fintech Propositions in a Competitive Landscape

Moderator: Julia Streets, Founder and CEO, Streets Consulting

• Tom McHugh, CEO, FINBOURNE Technology
• Adam Toms, COO / CEO, Europe, Openfin

14:45- Reaching for the Stars: The Opportunities of Space Tech in Investment Management

Moderator: Carol Thomas, Head of Sustainability and Responsible Investments, The Investment Association

• Dan Jones, Future Market Lead, UK Space Agency
• Dan Osrin,  Senior Manager, PWC Strategy& - Global Space Practice

15:05 - Networking Break

15:25 - Client Experience – A View from the Top: Gamification, Retailisation, and Transformation of the Changing Consumer Landscape

Moderator: Chris Hill, Senior Adviser, Boston Consulting Group

• Sean Hagerty, Managing Director, Europe, Vanguard
• Jessica Hardman, CEO DWS UK
• Richard Wilson, CEO, Interactive Investor
• Ann Prendergast, Head of EMEA, State Street Global Advisors

16:10 - Cohort 6 – Graduation and Innovator Reflections

Moderator: John Macpherson

• Darshita Gillies, Founder & CEO, Maanch
• Rajesh Amin, CEO, 2RSQUARED
• Rob Sanders, CEO and Co-Founder, DOOR
• Freddie Frith, Vice President , Sales, Corlytics

16:30 - FinTech Best Practice – a Checklist for Success 

Moderator: Harry Thomas, Relationship & Business Development Manager, The Investment Association

• Simon Sword, Managing Director, Fundipidia
• John Thompson, Delivery Lead, ESG Investments
• Allee Zhang, Sustainable Investment Director, UBS

16:50 - Closing Remarks

17:00 - Networking drinks

18:00 - End of the event