ICMA FinTech Advisory Committee (FinAC)
In light of the pace of technological change, the ICMA Board decided in 2019 to expand the remit of the Board Sub-Group on Technology, tap into the expertise of ICMA’s broad membership, and provide guidance on ICMA’s work through the creation of the FinTech Advisory Committee (FinAC).
In line with ICMA’s mission statement to promote well-functioning cross-border capital markets, which are essential to fund sustainable economic growth, the purpose of the ICMA FinTech Advisory Committee is to:
- Oversee and provide guidance on ICMA’s priorities and engagement relating to FinTech and Digitalisation topics in the international debt capital markets.
- Support market stability and consistency through the safe and secure adoption of innovative and transformational technologies as well as through the promotion and implementation of standards and best practice where relevant, across the full spectrum of market stakeholders.
- Promote market efficiency on an end-to-end basis across primary, secondary, repo and collateral markets.
- Provide advice on ICMA’s engagement with regulators, legislative bodies as well as peer trade associations as relates to the remit of FinAC, including identifying opportunities for formal or informal collaboration, whether directly or in coordination with ICMA members.
- Promote awareness and understanding of innovative and transformative technologies, their specific potential application to capital markets, and related risks, through industry dialogue, education, and thought leadership.
The ICMA FinTech Advisory Committee is currently co-chaired by Emma Lovett, Executive Director for the Markets DLT team at J.P. Morgan, with areas of expertise in the lifecycle and operational components of new issuances including Technology, Regulation, Legal and Compliance, internal procedures and settlement of bonds on both the Issuer and Investor side, and Justin Chan, who leads legal and regulatory strategy for BlackRock’s fintech initiatives, including AI, blockchain, digital cash and trading and data partnerships. Gabriel Callsen (ICMA) is Secretary of the Committee.
In early 2025, the committee’s composition has been reviewed and new members invited to join to ensure that FinAC reflects ICMA’s strategic priorities whilst striving for better gender diversity in the group. Current members include:
| Company | Name |
| Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP | Shruti Ajitsaria, Partner, Head of Fuse (Alternate: Eleanor Ley, Senior Capital Markets Lawyer) |
| Ashurst | Etay Katz, Head of Digital Assets and Finance Innovation |
| AXA IM | Stéphane Janin, Head of Global Regulatory Developments and Public Affairs (Alternate: Yannig Loyer, Global Head of Trading) |
| BlackRock | Justin Chan, Managing Director, Head Legal for Digital Enterprise (Co-Chair) (Alternate: Jennie White, Vice President Global Capital Markets) |
| China Central Depository & Clearing Co., Ltd. (CCDC) | Yingli Zheng, Chief Business Officer, General Manager of Information & Technology (Alternate: Tao Zhang, Senior Expert, Information & Technology) |
| Clifford Chance | Vacant |
| Commerzbank | Andreas Biewald, Managing Director, Senior Advisor Cash and Collateral, Treasury Department |
| DBS | Keith de Souza, Managing Director and Group Head of Treasury Liquidity Management at Treasury & Markets |
| Deutsche Börse / Clearstream | Jens Hachmeister, Managing Director, Issuer Services & New Digital Markets |
| Euroclear | Jorgen Ouaknine, Global Head of Innovation and Digital Assets |
| European Stability Mechanism (ESM) | Denver Chaplin, Funding & Investor Relations Officer (Alternate: Ivan Semerdjiev, Principal Portfolio Manager |
| HSBC Bank plc | Sofia Zanon di Valgiurata, Head of AI Enablement, Corporate and Institutional Banking |
| JP Morgan | Emma Lovett, Executive Director, Markets DLT – Credit Lead (Co-Chair) |
| King & Wood Mallesons | Dr Scott Farrell, Strategic Counsel, Adjunct Professor at the UNSW Sydney Law School |
| MarketAxess | Geoffroy Vander Linden, Managing Directory, Country Head, MarketAxess and Trax Netherlands |
| MUFG Securities | Fabianna del Canto, Managing Director, Co-Head of EMEA Capital Markets; ICMA Board sponsor |
| National University of Singapore (NUS) / Asian Institute of Digital Finance (AIDF) | Prof Edward Tay, Head of CET & Executive Education |
| PGGM | Santiago Braje, Senior Portfolio Manager |
| Siemens | Tom Wagner, Senior Manager Capital Markets |
| SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) | Michele Curtoni, Head of Strategy |
| UBS | Gareth Allen, Global Head of Treasury Assets, Group Treasury; ICMA Board sponsor |
| Union Investment | Christoph Hock, Head of Tokenisation and Digital Assets; ICMA Board member |
| World Bank | Patrick Cheng, Lead Financial Officer, Treasury Financial Technology |
