Bénédicte Nolens is the head of the BIS Innovation Hub, Hong Kong Centre. Prior to this appointment, she was a managing director at SC Ventures, the innovation arm of Standard Chartered Bank that leads a series of new ventures across digital banking, banking as a service, SME finance and blockchain. From 2018-2019, she was the vice president of international government relations at Circle, involved in the evolution of blockchain and digital assets. From 2012-2018, she was the head of risk & strategy of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), and in that capacity also acting as the vice chair of the Committee on Emerging Risks and the fintech research lead for the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). From 2007-2012, she was a managing director at Credit Suisse and before that from 1997-2007 she was an associate and executive director at Goldman Sachs. Originally from Belgium, she holds LL.M. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Leuven. Benedicte is a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar.