Former Head of Emerging Technology at Royal Bank of Scotland, defining and leading their blockchain, AI and quantum strategy since November 2014. After leading teams to deliver maximum business benefits through tech solutions for the largest financial service institutions, Richard broke cover with a team of innovators to create LAB577.

Since late 90s, Farzad has served in multiple roles across major tier 1 investment banks, including the platform architect and hands-on technical lead for an FX options platform for NatWest and as a quant building exotic options pricing logic at Deutsche. He has been working with DLT since 2014 – including Ripple, Ethereum and Corda. He is a key contributor to the Corda open source project.

An experienced team lead and developer building and deploying bespoke software systems. Ben has worked with the largest grid-based pricing systems for front office risk, including a 40k node grid handling all of RBS’s rates derivatives trades. He has particular interest in decentralised governance, creating the Cordite Society Limited, the first digital mutual society, a UK co-operative running on a blockchain.

Mark has vast experience as a software engineer in the financial services industry across capital markets, retail and corporate. Mark has built systems for equity derivatives trading teams, leading the development of algorithmic trading platforms at ABN AMRO. Mark is an expert at building real-time data models for order books, trade feeds and instrument pricing.