Co-founder and CEO at Bitkub
Topp has dedicated the majority of his career in the cryptocurrency and blockchain technology industry. He co-founded coins.co.th, Thailand’s largest bitcoin exchange. Before Blockchain emerged, Topp worked as an investment banker, financial consultant, and central banker. He is a speaker and one of Thailand’s leading bitcoin and open blockchain experts. He holds an MPhil in Economics from Oxford University, UK. Now he is the co-founder and CEO at bitkub.com – Thailand’s leading digital asset exchange.
President of African Gong
The Pan-African Network for the Popularization of Science & Technology and Science Communication
DR ELIZABETH RASEKOALA is the President of African Gong – The Pan-African Network for the Popularization of Science & Technology and Science Communication, which aims to advance the Public Learning and Understanding of Science (PLUS), scientific outreach and scientific literacy on the African continent (www.africangong.org). She is a member of the African Union Commission (AUC) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Committee for the ten-year ‘Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa’ (STISA-2024).
Dr. Rasekoala with a professional background in Chemical Engineering and industry internationally, has championed, advocated, researched, presented and written widely on public innovation and transformative development through advancing diversity, sociocultural inclusion and gender equality issues in science communication and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, skills and entrepreneurship development. She has provided extensive advisory and consultancy expertise to various governments, institutions and multilateral international organisations over the past 15 years, including the European Commission, the UN Commission on Human Rights, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), UNESCO, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Minister of Economic Development and Technology
Government of Republic of Slovenia
Zdravko Počivalšek is a university graduate engineer in agronomy. He earned his first management experience in the years 1985-1986 as a member of the business group that was responsible for remediation of business of the Agricultural Combine Šmarje pri Jelšah. Until 1994 he was Director of the Agricultural Cooperative Šmarje pri Jelšah, and then Director of the company Mlekarne Celeia. In 1999, he took over the management of the Spa Atomske toplice, which under his leadership transformed into Terme Olimia brand. There, he was employed as director of the company until he starzed with the position of minister. On December 4 2014, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia appointed him as Minister of Economic Development and Technology in the Government of Miro Cerar.
In 2005 he received the GZS (Slovenian Chamber of commerce) Award for exceptional economic and entrepreneurial achievements for 2004, and in 2010 he became Manager of the year for outstanding achievements of lasting importance in the economy.
On September 13, 2018, he was re-appointed as a Minister of Economic Development and Technology in the 13th Government of the Republic of Slovenia, led by Marjan Šarec.
Principal, European Blockchain Hub
Director, Tolar Hashnet Slovenia
Chairman World Blockchain Hub
He is director at Tolar HashNET, Co-Chair of High Level Group Blockchain for SDG at United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (CEFACT), Chairman at Eunex – Euro Asia Exchange, Principal at European Blockchain Hub and Council member at Circular Change platform. He is a former State Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, initiator and signatory of Feel the future declaration: Initiative Blockchain Europe, actively involved in promotion, development and smart regulation of circular economy, blockchain and distributed ledger technology for achieving Sustainable Development Goals at national, European and global level.
After he graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, he was working in the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia as a secretary of deputy group from 2000 – 2004. From 2002 – 2006 he was also a board member of the Financial Fund for Decommissioning of the Nuclear Power Plant Krško as a representative of the Slovenian parliament. From 2004 -2009 he was director of the Youth Centre of Dravinja Valley. In 2009 he became a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia and was a member of the following parliamentary committees: for defence, social affairs, agriculture, supervision of secret services and European affairs. As parliamentarian he proposed a law on social entrepreneurship which was accepted in April 2011. In January 2012 he became a director of INEA institute for South East Europe. He was the initiator of establishing the Slovenian national Social enterprise forum in December 2011, and in January 2012 he was elected to become its secretary general. From February 2013 – October 2014 he was working as a political advisor in the European Parliament. Since april 2015 he is a member of European Commission Expert group on social entrepreneurship
(GECES) as representative of Republic of Slovenia.
Head of Innovation Office and New Technology, BTC d.d.
Board Member, European Blockchain Hub
Experienced project manager, with a very rich education and professional background. Currently employed by BTC d.d. as a Head of Innovation Office and as Deputy Chief Innovation and Digital Officer. Also was one of the initiators of European Blockchain Hub in May of 2018; therefore is currently a Board Member in European Bockchain Hub. His
expertise lie in helping start-ups rich their full potential and connecting them to other ecosystems. Furthermore, he is the Coordinator for Smart City and Logistics working group of Slovenian Blockchain Think Tank.
Mark is skilled in Project Management, Planning and Developing Marketing Strategy, Digitalization, establishing Living Lab/Start-up ecosystem, as well as Innovation/Project Office. Strong focus on establishing innovative platforms as means to connect people and data. He is an innovator and blockchain enthusiast and has a strong passion in working on disruptive technologies, like VR, AR, Blockchain, Iot, AI and robotics. Was also one of the
persons behind establishing the first Bitcoin City in the world.
Finished Missouri State University, Drury University and Faculty of Economics- University of Ljubljana with an MBA, M.Sc. in Project Management, M.Sc. in Health Promotion and Wellness Management, and M.A. in International Business.
President & CEO
European Blockchain Hub
I am fully committed to manage the European Blockchain Hub to become the leading multi-stakeholders platform for solving societal challenges. As a Chairman of GFS Institute and Ljubljana Forum on Future of Cities I would like to strengthen the co-operation with various strategic partners worldwide. I am passionate about Europe and digital entrepreneurship. I believe that disruptive technologies and new business models will bring about prosperity and well being.
With a start-up company SmartIScity Ltd we designed digital platform & applications for development of smart cities. According to the Silicon Valley CIO Review, SmartIScity Ltd. was selected between 20 most promising Smart City solution providers in 2016.
From 1996 I organised 15 forums on Future of Europe in Bled Slovenia, Ljubljana and in Brussels at the European Parliament.As an expert for EU affairs, digital transformation and governance I was a member of the European Commission EU Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship and SFRI Strategic Foresight for Research & Innovation of the EU (2014 – 2016). I graduated at University of Ljubljana and specialized on European Law at Cambridge University.
As a founding director of a public-private partnership education & training institution CeGD Center for eGovernance Development for South East Europe inaugurated by Bill Gates and Angela Merkel at Berlin leadership forum during the Slovenian EU Presidency in 2008. Together with his team he invented CeGD unique eGovernance model of 7 ePillars that was shared by 350 top experts/partners worldwide. CeGD influenced information society development in 87 different countries with the inclusion of 3.000 customers/partners. CeGD accomplished its mission in September 2014.
Specialties: Blockchain and DTL (Distributed Ledger Technologies) Management, Governance, Information Society
Development, European Law, Institution setting & Policy making, Foresight (futures studies
The Millennium Project
Executive Director & Futurist
Jerome C. Glenn is co-founder (1996) and Executive Director of The Millennium Project on global futures research with 63 Nodes around the world, lead-author of its annual State of the Future reports for the past twenty years, co-editor of Futures Research Methodology 1.0-3.0, co-editor of FUTURES encyclopedic dictionary, and designed and leads its on-line Global Futures Intelligence System.
He has over 45 years of Futures Research experience working for governments, international organizations, and private industry in Science & Technology Policy, Economics, Education, Defense, Space, Forecasting Methodology, International Telecommunications, and Decision Support Systems with the Committee for the Future, Hudson Institute, and his own firm, the Future Options Room. He has keynoted over 400 conferences for leading corporations,
governments, UN organizations, and universities around the world. His first email was 1973.
Recent research includes: Future Work/Tech 2050 Global Scenarios, collective intelligence systems, hidden hunger, elements of the next economic systems, venerable urban coastlines, Education 2030, Emerging International Environmental Security Issues, Global Energy Scenarios for 2020, the Future of Ethics, 2025 S&T Scenarios, and Middle East Peace Scenarios.
Glenn was the Deputy Director of Partnership for Productivity International involved in small business development, mirco credit, national strategic planning, institutional design, training, and evaluation in economic development in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America and created CARINET in 1983 as the leading computer network in the developing world subsequently bought by CGAIR. He was instrumental in getting packet switching (that makes Internet low cost) in nearly 20 countries in the development word and is an independent
consultant for the World Bank, UN organizations, and several governments and corporations.
He invented the "Futures Wheel" a futures assessment technique, Futuristic Curriculum Development, and concepts such as conscious-technology, transInstutions, tele-nations, feminine brain drain, management by understanding, self-actualization economy, and “Nodes” as a management concept for interconnecting global and local views and actions, and definitions of environmental security, collective intelligence, and information warfare. He was instrumental in naming the first Space Shuttle the Enterprise and banning the first space weapon (FOBS) in
SALT II.
His publications include over 200 future-oriented articles in publications such as the Nikkei, ADWEEK, International Tribune, LEADERS, New York Times, McGraw-Hill’s Contemporary Learning Series, Current, Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Journal, Foresight, Futures, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, World Future Review, and The Futurist. He is the author of Future Mind, Linking the Future, and co-author of Space Trek: The Endless Migration.
Jerome C. Glenn has a BA in philosophy, an MA in Teaching Social Science – Futuristics, was a doctoral candidate in general futures research at the University of Massachusetts, and awarded honorary professorship and doctor’s degrees from Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. He received the Emerald Citation of Excellence, 2008 Bled Forum on Europe, Donella Meadows Metal (Club of Rome-USA), Kondratieff Metal (Russia), Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science and the Union of International Associations, and is a leading boomerang stunt man.
Head of Advocacy
European Blockchain Hub
Anja is a lawyer based in Ljubljana, Slovenia and is the Head of Advocacy at European
Blockchain Hub. Recently she co-founded Ljubljana Legal Hackers Chapter. She is co-
organizing the first Distributed Governance Council (DGov 2019) and is part of the Coalition
of Automated Legal Application (COALA). Apart from advocating for blockchain governance
and development towards Sustainable Development Goals, she is currently preparing draft
articles for Slovenian Law on Space Activities and EUBC HUB long-term strategy for space-
related blockchain projects.
Head of Project Management Department
National Agency of Public Registry of Ministry of Justice, Georgia
Holds the degree in Law (Tbilisi State University) and Master’s degree in International Cooperation Studies (Graduate School, Kobe University, Japan).
In 2010, she started working at NAPR as chief specialist of the registration office of entrepreneurial and non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities. Since 2017, she is the Head of project management department, supervising ongoing projects at NAPR with main focus on the project of developing Blockchain land registry platform and implementing smart contracts.
Apart from NAPR, her 10-year professional experience includes working in both public and private sectors: at the Ministry of Defense of Georgia, Parliament of Georgia, Public defender’s office, OSCE parliamentary mission, etc.
FinTech and Regulatory Consultant – Financial Services Commission Mauritius
FinTech advisor – Government of Bermuda
Blockchain Advisor OECD
Loretta is a highly dynamic, skilled banking, financial and consulting professional with over 25 years in financial markets and related sectors. She has a worked for major investment banks at Board, MD or senior management level throughout Asia and India including, RBS (India), Macquarie Group (India), Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and Elara Capital (India), Spanning a long career, Loretta has tremendous exposure to global financial markets, multiple asset classes and emerging market environments. Loretta has advised many international banks, global hedge and pension funds on managing portfolio and exposure to derivatives and related products. For the last decade, she has been paramount in successful transaction facilitation for Foreign Investors in India and other emerging markets. She has operated in many multi-cultural organisations. Lorettasits on the advisory board of UWS (Business School), Blume Ventures (India).An adjunct fellow at UWS (Australia).Chair of the advisory board of ADDCA (Australian Digital Currency and Commerce Association) and holds various advisory positions for multiple tech, biotech and Cybersecurity companies . Lorettachampions the cause for responsible blockchain adoption with global governments , regulators and industry players . She was the recipient of the Fintech Australia, “FinTech Leader of 2017”, “Female leader of 2016” and Sancta Sophia College (Within Sydney University) Alumni Award 2016 for Social impact.
Legislator/ Congressman,
President of Taiwan – Slovenia Parliamentary Association
Taiwan
Jason Hsu is technologist-turned-legislator. He is currently a legislator at-large from Taiwan overseeing technology developments and innovation. Among the crucial legislations he introduced and passed include Fintech Sandbox Act, Self-driving Vehicle Act, Angel Investment Law, Cybersecurity Management Act and Virtual Currency Guidelines. Jason is a proponent for cryptocurrency and blockchain. Known as Blockchain Congressman, Jason is credited for launching Asia Blockchain Alliance (ABA) as well as Taiwan Parliamentary Coalition for Blockchain(TPCB) and Self-Regulatory Organization(SRO). A regular keynote speaker on blockchain and cryptocurrency regulations. Jason is a founding member of Global Blockchain Policy Council (GBPC).
Jason has spoken at Global Blockchain Forum,Blockchain for Impact Summit at United Nations, Japan Blockchain Conference,Asia Blockchain Summit, Blockshow, Seamless Singapore, Asian Leadership Conference, Google, Berkeley Blockchain Club and Taiwan RegTech Conference.
Jason Hsu co-founded TEDxTaipei and served as TEDx senior ambassador to Asia. Hsu graduates from Singularity University with a focus on exponential technology. He is a Draper Hills Fellow at Stanford University’s Center for Democracy Development and Rule of Law(CDDRL). His research focus is: blockchain, democracy and public governance.