Alex Zerden is the founder and principal of Capitol Peak, a risk advisory firm based in Washington, DC. Capitol Peak works with leading financial institutions, companies and organizations to navigate emerging technologies, financial regulation, and economic crisis.
As a regulatory lawyer, economic policymaker, and financial diplomat, Alex brings a depth of public and private sector experience at the intersection of financial services, economics, and national security covering anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), economic sanctions, investment security, financial regulation, economic crisis response, anti-corruption, financial enforcement and oversight investigations, and public-private partnerships.
Previously, Alex worked across the U.S. government, including at the White House National Economic Council, the Treasury Department’s Office of International Affairs, Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and Congress. In 2018-2019, Alex deployed to Afghanistan to lead the Treasury Department office at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul as the Financial Attaché and senior-most representative.
Roundtable Room 1 (Level 2)
Manoeuvring Macro-geopolitical Dynamics
In keeping with Elevandi's commitment to developing innovation ecosystems, as considered at the Inclusive FinTech Forum and the recent report "Catalysing Disruptive Shifts for Innovation and Sustainability in Urban Environments".
More than 4 billion people can cast a vote in 2024. Two regional conflicts are jeopardising security and disrupting supply chains, with no resolution in sight. The East and the West are rising trade barriers. Against this background, how are multinationals to understand and adjust to the new normal, and where can technology help?
Operating under the theme of Manoeuvring Macro-geopolitical Dynamics, this roundtable will offer three constructs of the “new normal”:
1. The death of the Brussels Effect: Europe has a history of exporting policy thought internationally, with changes like GDPR or the Basel framework for banking. Amid geopolitical divides, will this trend carry on in the regulation of digital finance and critical technologies?
2. Crisis is the new BAU: Defence, trade, health, and ecological catastrophes are becoming so frequent that corporates need to adjust to expect crises as part of their business-as-usual. How is this changing the markets for credit or insurance? What is the role of technology in this change?
3. It’s the era of economic insecurity: The US raised trade barriers to the import and export of capital and goods, especially linked to critical technologies. China, the EU and the UK are following suit, albeit with deviations. What can we expect from the race on economic security and what does it mean for cross-border businesses?
Attendees who wish to familiarise themselves with the topic may refer to the reference materials below.
- Driving innovation for a more inclusive future