TRM Talks: TradFi to DeFi — How Standard Chartered is Building the Bridge to the Future of Finance

In this episode Ari Redbord, TRM's Global Head of Policy, is joined by René Michau, Global Head of Digital Assets at Standard Chartered Bank and Esme Hodson, Chief Compliance Office at, SC Ventures. They discuss how the bank is building the bridge from TradFi to DeFi through partnerships, innovation in blockchain technology, compliance, and investment in cryptocurrency infrastructure. As the traditional financial system becomes more decentralized, Standard Chartered is working to shape the future of finance.

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About René Michau

René Michau is Global Head of Digital Assets for the Standard Chartered banking group working across the bank to lead innovation and delivery to provide clients with safe access to digital asset solutions. René previously led the establishment of the Fintech Banking business at SC and has worked across Financial Markets, Transaction Banking, Risk and Technology for several banks including HSBC, ANZ and NAB. His early career was spent as an Officer in the Australian Defence Force.

René co-chairs the Global Digital Finance (GDF) FI Crypto Working Group and the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Digital Assets Forum. René is also a member of the Digital Asset Markets sub-committee of the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)’s Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC)

René is an active member of the Fintech and Crypto community and is passionate about the empowerment of the amazing women in crypto and fintech.

About Esme Hodson

Esme Hodson is a global compliance expert experienced in leading teams of compliance and risk professionals across US, APAC and EMEA. She is the Chief Compliance Officer for SC Ventures, Standard Chartered Bank’s innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, with a focus on robust and fit for purpose compliance frameworks across SC Ventures’ portfolio.

She previously worked with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, heading international financial services compliance division and spent three years in supervision at the United Kingdom’s Financial Services Authority.

More recently Esme worked for a global blockchain company, which built and launched a large institutional digital assets exchange. She is the digital assets Compliance SME for Standard Chartered Bank and is the co-Chair of the Wolfsberg VASP Working Group.

She holds a Joint Honours degree from Durham University, and post graduate qualifications in Financial Planning, Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing.