GW Center for Law, Economics and Finance presents Fintech Forum Silicon Valley Balancing Innovation & Consumer Protection September 21, 2016 Plug and Play Tech Center, 440 N. Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94085
Overview FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY, or FinTech, refers to a spectrum of technology innovations and startups that demonstrate disruptive potential in applications, processes, products, or business models in the financial industry. As FinTech continues to develop and evolve, providing solutions to more facets of the financial industry, it faces a more traditional problem: balancing consumer protection with innovation. Unlike other areas of technology, FinTech requires a certain degree of fiduciary duty to their users - bringing questions of regulation, security, and compliance to the forefront. The George Washington University's Center for Law, Economics, and Finance is holding the FinTech Forum Silicon Valley at Plug and Play in Sunnyvale, California on Wednesday, September 21st, 2016 to bring together industry leaders, academic experts, government regulators, and legal scholars in the heartland of innovation to discuss the issues that arise in the search for such a balance. The Forum is cohosted by Plug and Play and co-sponsored by Morrison & Foerster and White & Case. Event Sponsors
Agenda 8am: Registration and Continental Breakfast 9am: Welcoming Remarks Speaker: Neil Ruiz, Executive Director, GW Center for Law, Economics, and Finance) 9.15am: Plug and Play Overview Speaker: Scott Robinson, Vice President, Plug and Play Fintech) 9.25am: The Current Regulatory Framework Speakers: Obrea Pointdexter, Partner & Co-Chair of Financial Services Practice Group, Morrison & Foerster Kevin Petrasic, Head of Global Financial Institutions Advisory Practice, White & Case) 10am: Keynote Address: Fintech Innovation and The Regulatory Landscape (Speaker: TBD) 10.45am: Panel 1: The Challengers of Reconciling Innovation and Regulation (See next pages for speakers and details) 1.45pm: Panel 2: Legal and Practical Problems of Security in a Fast Moving Fintech World (See next pages for speakers and details) 3pm: Panel 3: Who is the True Lender? (See next pages for speakers and details) 4.15pm: Panel 4: Who should regulate? State or Fed? (See next pages for speakers and details) 5.30pm: Closing Remarks Speaker: Neil Ruiz, GW Center for Law, Economics and Finance 5.35pm: Networking Reception
10.45am: Panel One The Challengers of Reconciling Innovation and Regulation Patrick Pinschmidt, Former U.S. Dept. of Treasury Official & Executive Director of Financial Stability Oversight Council John Beccia, Chief Compliance Officer & General Counsel, Circle Alex Acree, Managing Director & General Counsel, Fenway Summer Ventures John Muller, VP, Global Payments Policy, PayPal Bruce Wallace, Chief Digital Officer, Silicon Valley Bank Regulators and policymakers face a difficult balancing act. They want to protect both consumers and the greater financial system while allowing innovation to take its natural course. And contrary to expectations, sometimes innovators also seek out regulation to better understand the true conditions of their operating environment. Does regulation lend legitimacy to new technologies? What are some lessons learned by regulators that are being imposed on the Fintech forefront? How should the roles be assigned in developing standards and increasing interoperability? Should regulators take a proactive or a reactive role? What are some lessons and warnings to be taken from the international front? plugandplaytechcenter.com/fintech
1.45pm: Panel Two Legal and Practical Problems of Security in a Fast Moving Fintech World John Biggs, East Coast Editor, TechCrunch Michael McGowan, Managing Director, Stroz Friedberg Patrick Murck, Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Kathryn Haun, Asst. US Attorney & Digital Currency Coordinator, U.S. Dept. Of Justice Nathan Taylor, Partner, Morrison & Foerster Kevin Petrasic, White & Case With each new development in Fintech, data becomes increasingly accessible. This accessibility comes at the cost - each new point of access creates another potential point of breach. How can Fintech companies find the balance between security and accessibility? What legal hurdles lie ahead? What is the role of regulators in finding such a balance? Who coordinates the international aspects of cybersecurity? plugandplaytechcenter.com/fintech
3pm: Panel Three Who is the True Lender? Sean Ruff, FinTech Practice Co-Chair, Morrison & Foerster Conor French, General Counsel, Funding Circle Tom Dresslar, Deputy Commissioner of Policy & Planning, CA Departmetn of Business Oversight Oliver Ireland, Partner, Morrison & Foerster Fintech companies are quickly becoming serious players in the lending market. Whether lending through P2P platforms or other innovative methods, a partnership between Fintech companies and traditional banks are becoming common place. But to many, including the Supreme Court in Madden v. Midland Funding, this brings forth many questions: Which regulators oversee these new products? What state laws must these loans abide by? Where must the Fintech company be licensed? A major question must be answered in this relationship - who is the true lender? plugandplaytechcenter.com/fintech
4.15pm: Panel Four Who should regulate? State or Fed? Heather Somerville, Technology Reporter, Thomson Reuters Margaret Liu, SVP & Deputy General Counsel, Conference of State Bank Supervisors Dana V. Syracuse, Counsel, Buckley Sandler Joe Colangelo, Executive Director, Consumers' Research Michael Abramowicz, Professor of Law, GW Law School Fintech is expanding into new areas faster than regulation can provide guidance. New areas of Fintech - such as insurance, wealth management, online lending, payment systems, and blockchain security - raise questions of who the regulator should be, and whether it should be regulated on a state of federal level. Even more established classifications are subject to uncertainty. Recent developments, both domestic and international, may reclassify Bitcoin from its current status as a commodity. Amidst all this confusion, who should regulate? plugandplaytechcenter.com/fintech
Panelists and Speakers Include: Alex Acree Managing Director & General Counsel, Fenway Summer Ventures John Muller VP, Global Payments Policy, PayPal Bruce Wallace Chief Digital Officer, Silicon Valley Bank Patrick Murck Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Sean Ruff FinTech Practice Co-Chair, Morrison & Foerster Kathryn Haun Assistant US Attorney & Digital Currency Coordinator, US Dept. of Justice Dana V. Syracuse Counsel, Buckley Sandler Conor French General Counsel, Funding Circle Joe Colangelo Executive Director, Consumers' Research John Biggs East Coast Editor, TechCrunch John Beccia Chief Compliance Officer & General Counsel, Circle Kevin Petrastic Head of Global Financial Institutions Advisory Practice, White & Case Margaret Liu SVP & Deputy General Counsel, Conference of State Bank Supervisors Michael McGowan Managing Director, Stroz Friedberg Patrick Pinschmidt Former U.S. Dept. of Treasury Official & Executive Director of Financial Stability Oversight Council Scott Robinson VP and Founder, Plug and Play Fintech
The Center for Law, Economics and Finance The Center for Law, Economics, and Finance (C-LEAF) at GW Law School is a think tank in Washington, DC that serves as a focal point for the study of issues in economic policy, financial law, and entrepreneurship. The Center provides independent and practical policy solutions by considering diverse perspectives from academia, Wall Street, Main Street and Washington. C-LEAF seeks to work directly with public and private sector leaders in government to develop innovative ideas on the American legal and economic system. For more information, please contact: Neil Ruiz neilruiz@law.gwu.edu Pending participants