BANKEX 1st Quarter Update
What we accomplished at BANKEX in Q1 2019
Dear colleagues,
We at BANKEX are busy managing the transition from a pure R&D startup into a late-stage products and services company. To facilitate this process we have paused development of non-core products while emphasizing further development of security token issuance platform, as well as our custody and structured products.
As our industry matures, its gravity center is swinging towards Asian financial capitals. Recognizing this trend, BANKEX started the process of moving its headquarters from New York. Currently, we shortlisted several potential new locations in Singapore and Hong Kong. We expect to make a decision after extensive consultations with local partners and regulators. By the same token, recognizing the fact that North American demand for our products and services is likely to focus on hedge and structured finance industry, we are moving our U.S. headquarters from its current location in World Trade Center, in New York City’s financial district, to Norwalk, Connecticut, to facilitate faster and closer interactions with our existing and prospective clients.
To foster this move we have re-invigorated our North American team with Scott Gram Christensen, who joins BANKEX as international finance and business development director, and Max Smetannikov, who joins as head of sales, both out of Norwalk, Connecticut, office. Mr. Christensen, who started his career on Wall Street in 1980, and has extensive international project development experience, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to BANKEX’s U.S. arm. Mr. Smetannikov, who started his project financing and restructuring executive career in 2003, will support BANKEX with hands-on project execution know-how.
BANKEX also welcomes Mr. Kazunori Seki on board as head of business development and partnerships at BANKEX Japan. Mr. Seki, who started his career with IBM Japan in 1982, held a number of management and executive roles across the ASEAN region over the years. Mr. Seki will support BANKEX initiatives in Japan out of BANKEX Tokyo office.
Renewed focus and leaner structure freed up BANKEX’ founders and brain trust to turn their attention to rapid deal-making and rounding out company’s ecosystem, necessary to handle securitization and to facilitate sales of securities. These new deals include:
- Launching BANKEX-branded STO Launchpad to facilitate the securitization of tokenized assets from BANKEX ecosystem, via a multi-party partnership
- Security token brokerage and listings via and on GBX (GSX) (glx.gi)
- A stable coin partnership for supporting stable coin solutions for BANKEX clients and eventually launching BANKEX stable coin with Zug-based currency basket operator Globcoin.io (globcoin.io)
- BANKEX customers now have access to insured registered custody in Singapore via a partnership with Davos Custody, a Singapore trusted agent and BANKEX partner.
And last but not least! BANKEX won Fin Pitch 2019 in “overseas” category while attending Financial Business Innovation Conference 2019 in Tokyo. The winning pitch was to develop a pan-Asian security token exchange via BANKEX STO Framework. The FinoLab award was presented by Mitsubishi Estate, FIBC primary sponsor. The award ceremony, held March 7 Marunouchi Building Hall & Conference, Tokyo, and hosted by Dentsu, was part of several appearances by Igor Khmel while on a publicity tour in Hong Kong and Japan in February-March. BANKEX presentation at FBIC provoked strong interest from potential Asian real estate, media, and banking clients, all in attendance.
As a FinoLab award winner, BANKEX Japan now has a new home — an office at FinoLab Tokyo. Please come visit us at:
Otemachi Bldg 4F Otemachi 1–6–1, Chiyoda, Tokyo, 100–0004 Japan
Or online: https://finolab.tokyo/
Sincerely,
Igor Khmel,
CEO, BANKEX
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