Digital innovations have caused payment habits to shift drastically over the last decade. With advancements in FinTech, the development of Blockchain and the popularity of cryptocurrencies, Central Banks have been closely monitoring the shifting trends in consumer habits, raising the question of the viability and significance of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Moreover, the existence of several private digital currencies has huge implications for the world’s monetary and financial dynamics through their capacity to strip Central Banks and Governments of their traditional role.

The decentralised nature of cryptocurrencies makes it essential for Central Banks to react to the disruptive nature of Blockchain technology by finding opportunities to meet the challenges of the digital age and maintain financial stability. As a result, 70% of Central Banks are now exploring CBDC. Furthermore, there are 1.6 billion people globally who do not have access to a bank account, therefore, CBDCs can be used to increase financial inclusion as the technology can be made accessible through mobile phones.

Source: PwC

What is CBDC?

Digital money that a country’s central bank can issue alongside cash. In the UK, it would be referred to as the digital pound.

Source: Bank of England

How Does CBDC Differ From Cryptocurrency?

Bitcoin, XRP and Ether are examples of cryptocurrencies, they differ from CBDC as they are privately issued digital assets, and their value tends to be volatile.

Source: McKinsey

What is the Purpose of CBDC?

As electronic payment systems increase in popularity and traditional notes and coins decline, the UK and several other countries are exploring the notion of CBDC to meet changing consumer expectations.

Source: World Economic Forum

Will CBDC Replace Physical Payment Systems?

As long as cash payments remain important to consumers, the Bank of England will continue to issue cash.

Source: GOV.UK

How Does the GENIUS Act Connect to CBDCs?

The GENIUS Act is a landmark 2025 US law that establishes the first federal regulatory framework for digital currencies - specifically regulating stablecoins by requiring they be fully backed by safe reserves. It encourages innovation in digital finance while strengthening consumer protections and confidence through clear rules. This new legislation is highly relevant to the evolving CBDC landscape, as it signals governments’ commitment to embracing digital currency in a secure, regulated manner, complementing central banks’ own efforts to develop national digital currencies. 

Source: CBS News, WilmerHale

Why Hire a CBDC speaker?

To understand the Blockchain technology underpinning digital currency and the implications of CBDC on the economy and financial stability, hire an expert CBDC speaker who can simplistically explain the intricacies of this disruptive phenomenon that will shape the future of currency. An expert CBDC speaker can help audiences understand the GENIUS Act’s implications, shedding light on how such laws are shaping the future of digital money and why that matters for businesses and investors.

The Top 15 CBDC Speakers to Hire for 2023 are listed below:

• Megan Greene
• Raghuram Rajan
• Sir John Gieve
• Dame DeAnne Julius
• Trevor Williams
• Rain Newton-Smith
• Joseph Stiglitz
• Dr Carmen Reinhart
• Elliott Harris
• Andrew Sentance
• Dr Mohamed El Erian
• Glen Goodman
• Oriol Caudevilla
• Chris Gledhill
• Richard Turrin

Megan Greene

Megan Greene is a renowned expert in global macroeconomics, financial trends and forecasting. Currently serving as Global Chief Economist at Kroll, she formerly held the role of Financial Markets Expert at the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. With such distinguished expertise, she regularly contributes thought leadership articles to the Financial Times, including ‘Central Banks Need to Go Slow on Digital Currencies.’

Developing her financial expertise at JP Morgan Chase, the Economist Intelligence Unit and Roubini Global Economics, she is now the Founder of the consultancy Maverick Intelligence, assisting prominent clients with economic analysis. Closely monitoring financial trends, Megan is highly knowledgeable about cryptocurrency and CBDC and frequently shares her expertise at speaking engagements.

Raghuram Rajan

Raghuram Rajan is a preeminent Indian Economist with distinguished international policy and financial expertise. The youngest person to ever be appointed Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund, he also served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, instrumentally lowering inflation and implementing banking reforms.

Appointed Vice Chairman of the Bank for International Settlements in 2015, Raghuram’s pioneering economic contributions have earned him global recognition. He was awarded the Deutsche Bank Prize in Financial Economics and the Fischer Black Prize. A leading authority on world economics, Raghuram now shares his insights on CBDC, delving into their applications and implications in his speaking presentations.

Sir John Gieve

Sir John Gieve is best known as the former Permanent Secretary at the Home Office. He later became Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England, playing an integral role in reforming financial processes. John began his career at HM Treasury, serving in various roles over three decades and building valuable financial expertise.

Outside of the civil service, John has advised leading private sector institutions, including Morgan Stanley International and has served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for NESTA. With a wealth of financial knowledge and experience in public sector organisations, John is the perfect speaker to hire on CBDC.

Dame DeAnne Julius

Dame DeAnne Julius is an internationally recognised economist who was a founding member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. An authority on banking, finance and economics, she held the role of Economic Analyst for the CIA and worked for notable organisations, including Shell, British Airways and the World Bank.

As a thought leader in economics, DeAnne was appointed Non-Executive Director at several prestigious firms, such as Deloitte, BP and Roche Holdings. With a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Davis, DeAnne has a strong academic underpinning, which, combined with her vast industry expertise, makes her a highly sought-after CBDC speaker.

Trevor Williams

Trevor Williams is Chairman of the Institute of Economic Affairs Shadow Monetary Policy Committee. Admired for his knowledge of the intricate aspects of finance and economics, he served for over two decades as the Chief Economist of Lloyds Bank. He also co-founded FXGuard Limited, a leading mergers and acquisitions consultancy.

Disseminating his industry experience into academia, Trevor is a Visiting Professor at the University of Derby and formerly a Lecturer at CASS Business School and Cardiff University. He also sat on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Corporate Treasury Management and is the co-author of Trading Economics. Now exploring digital currencies and CBDC in his speaking engagements, Trevor captivates audiences with his knowledge.

Rain Newton-Smith

Rain Newton-Smith is an outstanding economist, named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. A thought leader in ESG, emerging markets, macroeconomics and global governance, she is the Chief Economist at the Confederation of British Industry and previously served as the Head of Emerging Markets at Oxford Economics.

She has also worked for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee on the international forecast and developed the UK financial system’s framework for risk assessment. Rain is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Monetary and Fiscal Policy. With such distinguished expertise, she is the perfect speaker to hire for CBDC.

Joseph Stiglitz

Joseph Stiglitz is the former Chief Economist of the World Bank and winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. A professor at the Columbian University Graduate School of Business, he has made several distinguished contributions to economics and is one of the world’s foremost authorities. A renowned New Keynesian Economist, he held tenure at Yale, Stanford and Oxford.

As a thought leader, he founded the Initiative for Policy Dialogue and was Chair of the Committee on Global Thought. Joseph was also appointed Chairman of the UN Commission on Reforms of the International Monetary and Financial Systems before becoming Chair of the International Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress. Named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time Magazine, Joseph is a leading expert on CBDC.

Dr Carmen Reinhart

Dr Carmen Reinhart is the bestselling author of This Time is Different and Bloomberg Markets Most Influential 50 in Finance. Having held roles such as Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at the World Bank and Minos A. Zombanakis Professor of International Financial Systems at the Harvard Kennedy School, Carmen is a highly influential figure in economics.

An expert on global finance, central banking, macroeconomics and financial crises, she has served as a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Chief Economist at Bear Sterns and Director of the Centre for International Economics at the University of Maryland. A highly engaging speaker, she simplistically explains complex economic topics, such as CBDC, making her suitable for diverse audiences.

Elliott Harris

Elliott Harris has led an illustrious career as the United Nations Chief Economist. Appointed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, he is an authority on environmental, social and geopolitical affairs. Building his knowledge at prominent organisations, Elliott has worked as a Macroeconomist at the International Monetary Fund.

Also serving as the IMF’s Special Representative on Aid effectiveness, he was Director of the New York Office and Secretary to the Environment Management at the UNEP. Sharing his expertise on CBDC and global economics, Elliott is now available to hire as a speaker.

Andrew Sentance

Andrew Sentance is a senior economist appointed to CBE for services to the economy in 2012. Formerly a Member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, his valuable contributions to the iconic institution saw him become one of the longest-serving external members. A pivotal figure during global recessions and financial crises, Andrew provided valuable guidance on managing interest rates during volatile economic episodes.

Joining PwC as a Senior Economic Adviser, Andrew provided strategic economic advice for prestigious clients. He also served as Director of Economic Affairs for the CBI and founded the Treasury’s Panel of Independent Forecasts. A Senior Advisor to Cambridge Econometrics, Andrew is also a highly sought-after speaker with a wealth of knowledge on cryptocurrencies and CBDC.

Dr Mohamed El-Erian

Dr Mohamed El-Erian is the President of Queens College Cambridge and Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz. Chair of Obama’s Global Development Council and Ranked 23rd Top 100 Economists in the World by Richtopia, Mohamed is a world-leading authority on international markets, inflation, investment and the global economy. Highly educated, Mohamed gained a scholarship to Queens’ College, Cambridge, earning a BA in Economics before attending St Antony’s College, Oxford, completing a master’s and doctorate in Economics.

A highly influential figure in economics, he held notable positions, including Deputy Director of the International Monetary Fund, European Head of Emerging Markets for Salomon Smith Barney and Chair of the Investment Advisory Committee for Microsoft. Named on Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers for four consecutive years, Mohamed is an eminent economist and a distinguished speaker.

Glen Goodman

Glen Goodman is known for his former role as Business Correspondent for the BBC. Now a foremost Cryptocurrency Expert at The London School of Economics, Glen rose to prominence when he turned £3000 into £100,000 in a short, emulating Brad Pitt in The Big Short. Seeing potential in cryptocurrency during its infancy stage, he held numerous investments in cryptocurrencies, which turned into a large profit.

Sharing his astute investment techniques in The Crypto Trader, Glen is an Amazon bestselling author. He is also regularly featured on LBC, AL Jazeera and the BBC, and his articles frequently appear in The Guardian, Reuters and The Telegraph. Possessing industry-leading expertise in digital currencies, Glen is the perfect speaker to hire for CBDC.

Oriol Caudevilla

Oriol Caudevilla is an industry leader in FinTech, heavily influencing the disruptive market with his expertise in Blockchain, cryptocurrency, the future of banking and Central Banking currencies. Currently working as a Research Contributor for the Blockchain Research Institute, he is also the host of the popular podcast Digital Tomorrow.

Alongside his other roles, Oriol is a Lecturer at the Centre for Finance Technology and Entrepreneurship and a Member of the Board of Advisors at Block Chain Europe. He is also a Start-up Mentor at Cyberport Hong Kong and was named Asian FinTech Speaker of the Year. The number one speaker on Blockchain, fintech, CBDC and the future of banking, Oriol captivates audiences with his profound knowledge.

Chris Gledhill

Chris Gledhill is the CEO of UK Challenger Bank SECCO and former Head of Innovation at Lloyds Banking Group. The Number One Top Global FinTech Influencer, he is an internationally renowned specialist in digital banking, finance, Blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

On a mission to establish a digital banking system in line with modern trends and consumer habits, using the latest disruptive emerging technologies, Chris is redefining the finance industry. Co-author of The FinTech Group, he eloquently speaks on CBDC, Blockchain and cryptocurrency when hired for speaking engagements.

Richard Turrin

An image of the Top 15 CBDC Speakers to Hire via Champions Speakers

Richard Turrin, acclaimed as the No. 4 global fintech influencer and a former IBM Fintech Executive, is a distinguished keynote speaker renowned for his expertise in fintech, AI and digital banking. His career, spanning over two decades in investment banking and fintech, has given him unique insights into the global financial landscape, especially through his experiences in China's digital currency evolution. Author of bestsellers like "Cashless: China's Digital Currency Revolution", Richard's deep understanding of digital finance and AI is evident. His extensive background in risk management, credit and finance, coupled with his work at IBM in leveraging technology for financial innovation, demonstrates his exceptional grasp of fintech's challenges and opportunities. Richard's role in shaping the fintech industry and his ability to democratise financial markets make him an invaluable speaker on fintech, finance, innovation and AI.

Hire An Expert CBDC Keynote Speaker Today!

If you are looking to explore the future of CBDC, look no further and hire one of our expert CBDC keynote speakers for your next event! Bringing the latest industry insights and their thought leadership, they eloquently explain complex concepts, making them perfect for a diverse audience. Book a CBDC speaker today! Complete our online contact form or call us on 0207 1010 553.

This exclusive article on the Top 15 CBDC Speakers to Hire was authored by Mark Matthews, utilising vetted data from PwC, the Bank of England, McKinsey, the World Economic Forum and GOV.UK.

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