Mike oversees Hydrogen’s corporate and strategy functions, along with the firm’s Hydro Blockchain platform. He was a Co-Founder of Hedgeable, an award-winning consumer investing app that was the first to offer bitcoin investing to retail clients. Before venturing into the startup space, he worked at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund.
Mike is an avid writer, international traveler, adventurer, sports fanatic, and cooking enthusiast. Mike holds a B.S. in Finance, with Distinction, from The Pennsylvania State University. He is originally from Philadelphia and resides in New York City.
Paul Horn has previously served as a Chief Information Security Officer for an Independent Broker Dealer as well as a major Defense Contractor. Paul experienced the first regulatory sweeps for Cybersecurity within the Broker-Dealer Industry as well as numerous follow up exams. In addition, Paul has a wealth of knowledge regarding the tax preparation space and regularly attended the IRS’s Strategic Threat Assessment & Response (STAR) workgroup to help protect taxpayers and the integrity of the tax ecosystem. Paul is knowledgeable on various other requirements such as the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Cybersecurity regulation as well as Colorado and Vermont’s and the Payment Card Industry, Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS).
Paul also honorably served in the United States Air Force as a Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; servers on a variety of Cybersecurity Advisory Boards and holds the following certifications; Certified Chief Information Security Officer (C|CISO), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified in Risk and Information Systems Controls (CRISC), and Certified Incident Handler (GCIH).
Jeremie Beaudry is a seasoned professional with a diverse skill set in AML & Fraud Prevention at Unit21 in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. With a background as a member of the Georgia Bar and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Jeremie brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Jeremie’s areas of expertise span a wide range of legal and compliance domains, including contract drafting, privacy matters, negotiations, contract review, risk management, and public speaking. With a keen eye for detail and a strong focus on compliance, Jeremie is well-versed in navigating complex legal issues and ensuring regulatory adherence. Moreover, Jeremie’s proficiency in blockchain analysis, Bitcoin, money transmission, state licensing, AML, BSA audits, and AML training underscores a deep understanding of financial regulations and anti-money laundering practices. Through meticulous attention to detail and a proactive approach to risk management, Jeremie helps organizations navigate the intricate landscape of regulatory requirements with confidence. In addition to Jeremie’s legal acumen, his strong communication skills make him an effective collaborator and presenter. Whether engaging in contract negotiations or delivering AML training, Jeremie’s ability to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner sets him apart as a trusted advisor and thought leader in his field. With a track record of success in AML and fraud prevention, Jeremie Beaudry is a dedicated professional committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and compliance. His passion for the intersection of law and technology, combined with his commitment to ongoing professional development, positions him as a valuable asset in any organization seeking a skilled and knowledgeable legal professional with a focus on AML and fraud prevention.
Peter is a highly accomplished high-tech and IT executive with a distinguished 20-year career growing revenue, profits, and market share for both established and early-
stage companies. Drawing upon a versatile skill set that spans both businesses and technology, Peter has revamped stagnant and underperforming businesses, launched companies, driven new products from conception through launch, created and executed outsourcing programs, and championed growth and profitability throughout his career.
Vincent guides the growth of Telepin, delivering an innovative software platform that enables digital transactions and payments for the telecom and financial services markets, with 20 years of experience in the mobile money space (and over 25 years in financial services and telecom software). He tackles global problems of digital transformation and financial inclusion through innovation in digital payments and the alignment of initiatives with organizations world-wide such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He also works with global executives and associations such as the GSMA, the World Bank, and the IFC, driving standardization, and adoption of digital financial services and emerging payments technologies.
Russell started his career at PKF in South Africa before moving over to PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York working exclusively within the emerging growth and fintech practice. Russell currently serves as the Director of Global Business Development at the VAT IT Group. Initially tasked with establishing VAT IT operations in the USA, Russell’s knowledge and expertise within the fintech and foreign tax space have been instrumental in helping grow to VAT IT into the leading foreign tax recovery company in the world. Russell is a qualified Chartered Accountant (SA) and holds a Masters in Accounting Science from the University of Witwatersrand.
Christine Loredo is a versatile and accomplished professional with a strong background in FinTech, consumer mobile technologies, and startup ventures. With over 20 years of experience in digital innovation, Christine has demonstrated a keen focus on operations and strategy, particularly in the financial technology and consumer mobile applications space. Throughout her career, Christine has excelled in building teams, launching new businesses, forging partnerships, and driving global revenue growth. Her expertise lies in developing effective go-to-market strategies, managing brands, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Christine’s leadership style is characterized by resourcefulness, motivation, and a collaborative approach, making her a valued team-oriented leader in various organizational settings. As a seasoned executive, Christine has successfully navigated the challenges of working in Fortune 500 companies, where she has honed her skills in problem-solving, stakeholder management, and cross-cultural adaptation. Her educational background includes an MBA/MIM from a top business school, which has equipped her with the ability to interface with executive management, build high-performing teams, and drive business objectives effectively. Currently, Christine serves as the Co-Founder of VeroTerra, a startup focused on leveraging intuitive hand gestures to collect customer satisfaction data in retail and service locations. Her role at VeroTerra allows her to apply her expertise in FinTech and operations to address critical issues such as improving NPS scores and enhancing customer experiences. Prior to her current role, Christine held key positions at NetworkFinancials Inc, TiFiPay, Tresha, and Envestnet | Yodlee, where she contributed significantly to startup ventures, venture capital initiatives, and innovation programs. Through her roles as President & COO and Vice President in various organizations, Christine has led initiatives to drive revenue growth, establish strategic partnerships, and foster innovation in the FinTech sector. Christine Loredo’s career journey exemplifies a commitment to excellence, innovation, and driving impactful change in the financial technology industry. Her blend of operational acumen, strategic vision, and team leadership capabilities positions her as a prominent figure in the realm of FinTech and startup ventures. Ask GPT-4o
About the Company:
NICE Actimize is the largest and broadest provider of financial crime, risk and compliance solutions for regional and global financial institutions, as well as government regulators. Consistently ranked as number one in the space, NICE Actimize experts apply innovative technology to protect institutions and safeguard consumer and investor assets by identifying financial crime, preventing fraud and providing regulatory compliance. The company provides real-time, cross-channel fraud prevention, anti-money laundering detection, and trading surveillance solutions that address such concerns as payment fraud, cybercrime, sanctions monitoring, market abuse, customer due diligence, and insider trading.
For two decades, Ravi Suria has enjoyed a stellar career in the financial services and investment management industries, with a strong emphasis on all salient aspects of public and private capital markets investing, portfolio management and risk with respect to a wide variety of securities, financial products and derivatives and the sponsorship and management of private investment funds.
Mr. Suria is presently the Managing Partner of Valmiki Capital Management LLC (which he founded in 2009), an NYC/New Orleans based firm with investments in public equities, real estate, and early-stage growth companies. He is also the Founder and Executive Chairman for BuildForward Capital LLC, an NYC based real estate financing company which provides financing for deeply energy-efficient real estate construction. In the last six years, Valmiki has invested in over 40 startups, of which it has seeded and incubated more than two dozen. Ravi is also Founder and CEO for Visible Wealth Management, a technologically driven next-generation wealth management firm launching in 2020 with the goal of disrupting the status quo in the current financial advisory market.
Mike Robertson is passionate about providing the resources to build meaningful teams, organizations, and products that “wow” customers. Mike thrives by working with others to solve complex problems — whether they are a market, social, or competitive problems. He is eager to work collaboratively toward challenging, new goals. Mike founded SageLink with the sole objective of partnering with founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs to grow their software and service businesses through purposeful investments. Most recently he provided investment to ATS SaaS leader, Top Echelon and is currently serving on its board. After working as the CEO of EfficientHire and steering investments with dozens of growing technology companies as an investor and adviser with Accel-KKR, Piper Jaffray, and Lehman Brothers, Mike knows what truly drives value creation, durability, and company legacy—and it’s not branded capital or spreadsheet financial engineering. It’s product-market fit and how well a company delivers and multiplies value for all its stakeholders– customers, partners, vendors, employees, and shareholders – with a particular emphasis on customers.
