CFA Capital Market Awards 2022 step into the blockchain era

Keynote Speaker - Global Digital Asset & Cryptocurrency Association CEO Gabriella Kusz

Moderator - CFA Society Sri Lanka Director Travis Gomez

The CFA Society Sri Lanka is scheduled to host the ninth annual CFA Capital Market Awards on 29 June at the Oak Room of Cinnamon Grand Colombo, under the theme ‘Blockchain Revolution in Sri Lanka’s Capital Market’. The Capital Market Awards is a signature event in the CFA Society Sri Lanka calendar, and among the most sought-after accolades recognising and rewarding excellence in the local capital markets.

This year’s event theme pertaining to blockchain regulations and in particular, the use of cryptocurrencies, serves to highlight the importance of adopting new technologies for the growth and evolution of the market, as well as supporting the recovery of the local economy.

While the global cryptocurrency market capitalisation surpassed $ 5 trillion this year, unlike the traditional banking industry, certain jurisdictions are further along in defining approaches to regulation of the digital asset industry. As the digital asset industry evolves, so necessarily must the legal and regulatory landscape.

Against this backdrop, in October 2021, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the establishment of a committee to study the feasibility of blockchain-related initiatives. Subsequently in December 2021, local media reported that the Colombo Port City would allow cryptocurrency trading, subject to conditions. 

It was also reported in June 2022 that a local DocuSign integrator would be launching Sri Lanka’s first regulated crypto exchange within the Colombo Port City over a three-month period, having communicated with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to formulate a regulatory framework.

With Sri Lanka recently branching out into crypto payments, NFT auctions and crypto investments, CFA Society Sri Lanka is of the view that there needs to be a conversation around how to regulate markets and how industry players can work with regulators.

As such, this year’s CFA Capital Market Awards is set to feature Global Digital Asset & Cryptocurrency Association (DCA) CEO and Government Blockchain Association (GBA) Regulator Working Group Deputy Chair Gabriella Kusz - as the keynote speaker.

Prior to her current role, Kusz served as the Principal for Strategic Initiatives at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), where she also supported the profession’s leadership and innovation in the digital era.

Her portfolio of professional experience spans 50 countries and five continents. She is a licensed US CPA (State of Virginia) and CGMA and holds AICPA Certificates in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Blockchain Fundamentals, as well as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Certificate in Sustainability Reporting Standards.

Kusz is a Fellow of the Digital Euro Association, while also being a Distinguished Global Expert for the Global SME Policy Network (GSPN) at Prince Sultan University (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) and an Advisor to the Banque Saudi Fransi/Global Islamic Finance, Tax & Zakat (GIFTZ) Centre. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy (International Policy and Development) from Georgetown University (Washington DC, USA) and a Master’s in Business Administration and Bachelor of Accounting from the University of Dayton (Ohio, USA).

Her keynote address at the CFA Capital Market Awards, followed by an interactive discussion, would focus on the adoption of cryptocurrency as an investment asset class; regulatory impediments and implications of adopting cryptocurrency, and how to overcome them; and the role of regulators and industry participants towards meaningful promotion of the industry in Sri Lanka.

The discussion will be moderated by Travis Gomez, who is an Associate Director of Uzabase Inc. where he works at the Sri Lanka office as a member of the content team of SPEEDA EDGE, which is an emerging industry intelligence platform. Gomez previously managed the new curation and sector research team at Frontier Research (Pvt) Ltd. 

Additionally, Gomez is a Director of the CFA Society Sri Lanka and leads the CFA Society candidate outreach initiatives. He also became the first Sri Lankan CFA Charterholder to win CFA Institute’s Outstanding Young Leader award, in 2022.

Since its inception in 2001, CFA Sri Lanka has launched many initiatives to further industry regulations, and believes that it can continue to moot their viability and adoption for the benefit of capital markets participants in the years to come.

CFA Institute is a global association of investment professionals offering the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Its Sri Lankan membership of over 240 members consists of CEOs, CFOs, portfolio managers, equity analysts, banking professionals, investment advisors and other senior-ranking financial practitioners.