Sheila Warren has been Kitty-fied
This blockchain leader knows everyone should have access to life-changing tech, and she’s telling the world
Sheila Warren knows how important distributed ledger technology will be to the world’s future. After all, she’s the Head of Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology at the World Economic Forum (WEF).
And that’s why we’ve turned her into a CryptoKitty — because we’re highlighting leaders working in the blockchain space. We love working alongside people who are mapping the future and helping us get there. And for Warren, it’s all about making sure that when we arrive, we do it together.
Making space for everyone
Ethics and inclusion are two of the core principles of the WEF’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and grounds all the work the organization does. Ethical considerations and social inclusion need to be deliberately designed into policy to both mitigate potential negative consequences and accelerate positive social impact. For instance, focusing on dividing resources so that they contribute to the well-being of all instead of only helping those on the top.
A future unlocked by blockchain
Warren’s hope is that blockchain technology will unlock opportunities in everything from participatory democracy to stakeholder engagement in corporate decision-making to new equitable economic models that share more fairly across society. Doing so will involve uprooting some of our existing systems and reimagining a better world, where the winner does not simply claim the all the spoils, but one in which we redefine what it means to win in the first place.
Meet Sheila Purren
“Purrfect, you’re here! I’ve been waiting for you. I’m Sheila Purren, and I’m building a future based on fair treatment for all (yes, even dogs). But blockchain has enough evangelists: I’m a realist. I believe in short naps, long sunny days, and uprooting our existing systems to redefine what it means to ‘win’. Come help me?”
Cutting through the noise
One of the most unique aspects of blockchain, something Warren highlighted in a recent article, is its sheer number of evangelists — people who believe blockchain can solve everything from global financial inequality, to the provision of ID for refugees, to enabling people to sell their houses without an estate agent. This enthusiasm to (over) promote the technology can be tempting, but it’s also damaging its long-term prospects.
Truly innovative deployments of blockchain require a match between blockchain’s specific benefits and use cases that enable the realization of these benefits, followed by hard work to get it right and embed in organizations and industries. Luckily for all of us, Warren is putting that hard work in and keeping a hand ready to help others climb high.
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