Dr Alex Zarifis

Dr Alex Zarifis is an academic speaker specialising in leadership, trust and emerging technologies, with a global reputation for helping organisations navigate complex technological change. Alex is best known for publishing the world’s first peer reviewed research on trust in digital currencies, a landmark contribution that reshaped academic and policy thinking around blockchain and cryptocurrencies. As a speaker, Alex brings clarity to difficult subjects, translating deep research into practical insight for leaders working at the intersection of technology, strategy and human behaviour.

Alex’s early career was shaped by a rigorous academic pathway and hands on teaching experience. He completed a BSc in Management with Information Systems at the University of Leeds, followed by an MSc in Business Information Technology and a PhD at Alliance Manchester Business School, where his research focused on management information systems, innovation and trust. While completing his doctorate, Alex worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Manchester, contributing to research on online collaboration and multichannel retail while delivering core modules in information systems. These formative years established his long term research focus on how trust develops when technology mediates decision making, collaboration and value creation.

Over the past decade, Alex has built an international academic career across leading institutions. He has held research and teaching roles at the University of Mannheim, Loughborough University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and the University of Nicosia, where he helped design and deliver the first government recognised university degree in blockchain technologies. Alex is currently a Lecturer at the University of Southampton and a Research Affiliate at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, University of Cambridge, contributing to influential research on cryptoassets, fintech and regulation. He has authored over thirty peer reviewed academic publications, worked on major EU and UK funded research projects, and his work has been featured by prominent global media outlets.

Dr Alex Zarifis is in high demand as a keynote speaker because he connects cutting edge research with the real challenges faced by leaders today. His talks explore leadership in AI enabled organisations, building trust with customers and employees, and adapting business models for artificial intelligence, fintech and blockchain. One area he is particularly known for is how leadership must evolve as teams increasingly include autonomous AI agents alongside humans, a theme explored in his recent book, ‘Leadership with AI and Trust’. Alex equips audiences with clear frameworks, grounded examples and strategic insight, enabling leaders to make better decisions, manage risk responsibly and lead with confidence in technology driven environments.