Panel: Series of Innovative Lightning Talks
Sopnendu Mohanty, Co-Founder and Group CEO, Global finance & Technology Network
Sopnendu Mohanty is the Co-Founder and Group CEO of the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), a global advisory and investment firm. At GFTN, he leads innovative strategies that drive development and transformation in the financial sector through four operating arms: Forums, Advisory, Platform, and Capital.
He served the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as its first Chief Fintech Officer for nearly a decade, establishing Singapore on the global map as a leading center for innovation in the financial sector and a dynamic hub for fintech development. He continues to advise MAS on technology and innovation.
He currently serves on several boards, including the board of A*STAR, Singapore’s leading public sector agency dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and technological innovation. Before his leadership role in the public sector, he spent nearly two decades at Citigroup. He is credited with developing many public goods, including the notable PayNow, Singapore’s digital public infrastructure for payments. He conceptualized the globally well-known Singapore Fintech Festival and its global network of forums; today, the GFTN forum is the world’s largest convenor of tech, policymakers, and the financial sector community. Mr. Mohanty has co-authored several patented works in digital finance and received numerous industry accolades. He advises governments and various institutions on policies and implementation strategies for innovation, infrastructure, and ecosystem development in the financial sector.
Salve Ibañez, President and CEO, Empower and Transform
Salve Ibañez is a financial journalist, TV host, and advocate for financial literacy. She currently hosts Panalong Diskarte on DZMM Teleradyo and anchors Business Outlook on ANC. Recognized by the SEC as an Investor Champion, she also leads Empower and Transform, making financial education accessible to Filipinos everywhere.
Shuhkrat Atabaev, Chairman of the Board, Xalq Bank Uzbekistan
Mr Shukhrat Atabaev has been the Chairman of the Management Board of Xalq Bank since 2021.
He has over 22 years of experience in the banking system, of which he has over 15 years as a manager.
Received a master's degree from The Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan and a bachelor's degree from the Tashkent Financial Institute
He started his banking activity with the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, worked from an economist up to the Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank.
Also, from 2018 to 2021, he worked as the Chairman of the Management Board of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank “Ipoteka Bank”.
Before moving to his current position, he worked as Deputy Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on issues of development of economic spheres, implementation of investment and foreign trade policy.
Jost Wagner, Managing Director, The Change Initiative
Jost Wagner is the Managing Director of The Change Initiative, a facilitation company located in Bangkok and the Chief Navigator of the Asia-Pacific Futures Network In the last 20 years he has advised and facilitated more than 600 workshops and conferences worldwide for organizations such as the United Nations, Asian Development Bank, The German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the World Bank, USAID, but also various governments, NGOs and the private sector onsite and remotely. He is a Certified Professional Facilitator - Master by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and a full member of the Association of Professional Futurists.
He is also the Chief Navigator, aka Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Futures Network – Asia’s largest informal network of futurists in the region.
Prior to working as a facilitator and futurist, he worked for the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) in New Delhi and the German Embassy in Bangkok.