Nitin Gaur

Co-Founder & CTO

2024 - Current

We're a pioneering startup with a world-class founding team and advisory board at the forefront of revolutionizing DeFi with cutting-edge innovation, proprietary infrastructure and next-gen solutions. Our mission is to enable the power of decentralized finance with the advanced high speed market interaction capabilities of TradeFi, and to foster the foundational innovation needed to onboard the next trillion dollars into DeFi. Focused on Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets, with LedgerLink is a Web2.5 technology Platform the enables an enterprise to adapt digital assets, by ensuring seamless integration to Digital Asset infrastructure, ledger coexistence and harmonized operations, all of this while reducing project costs and assuming reduced technology debt that comes with digital assets apparatus.

Head of Research and Technical Advisor, Co-founder Portal Asset Management

2018 - 2024

Technical Advisor to Portal Asset Management. -Digital Asset Investments

Global Head of Digital Asset & Technology Design

2022 - 2024

In this role, I am focused on digital assets and technology design. Our aim is to transition part of the company’s financial market infrastructure and its clients to the new digital economy. With State Street Digital’s aspiration to build the digital bank of tomorrow, I look forward to learning new things and sharing a perspective formed during my extensive journey with blockchain and digital assets. I will commit my time and acumen to : • Better understand the impact of digital assets on current and future market structures • Apprehend the transformative and disruptive powers of blockchain technology for broader capital markets • Gain a deeper understanding of clearing and settlement systems and the impact of digital fiat (e.g., stablecoins, Digital Fiat and Central Bank digital currencies, or CBDCs) on these systems • Dedicate energy to bridging traditional finance and emerging decentralized finance with concepts around enterprise-grade digital asset custody, risk model frameworks, tokenization of traditional assets, and fund structures, in an effort to transform and modernize the market infrastructure with a vast partner ecosystem • Work within the broader ecosystem to understand the risk models around crypto as an emerging fifth asset class and the disruptive powers of technology on the current market structure, all within the confines of current and emerging regulatory and compliance frameworks. I aspire to learn and play a pivotal role in reshaping the future of the financial services industry with intelligence, advanced technology, and superior design.

Director, IBM Financial Sciences and Digital Assets

2020 - 2022

IBM Research Nitin Gaur currently leads IBM Financial Sciences research practice, as a part of IBM Research. In this role, Nitin leads a team that aspires to play a pivotal role in reshaping the future of the financial services industry with faculty, advanced technology, and superior design in the field of financial sciences and financial technology. Transforming the financial services industry with technology into a new erawith Blockchain, AI, and ML, qualitative. and quantitative modeling. In his previous role, Nitin Gaur, served as Founder and Director of IBM Digital Asset Labs - serving to devise industry standards, use cases, and working towards making blockchain for the enterprise a reality. In parallel Nitin also served as CTO of IBM World Wire - a blockchain based cross border payment solution utilizing digital assets. Nitin also Founded IBM Blockchain Labs and led the effort in establishing blockchain practice for the enterprise.

Founding Director, IBM Digital Asset Labs

2018 - 2020

IBM Industry Platform Tapped to lead group as an off-shoot of Blockchain Labs to bring the notion of tokenized value in blockchain business networks. Collaborated with central banks and dedicated expertise and acumen to devise a business model around asset tokenization, required trust systems, and overall infrastructure to host a regulated blockchain environment. Pioneered the creation of a stable coin, digital fiat, and tokenized fiat technology infrastructure, business models, and regulatory posture. • Devised enterprise digital asset strategy and advised senior leadership on company involvement in heavily regulated space, while crafting go-to-market strategy, services delivery and product approach, and regulatory posturing. • Created practice around digital assets in the financial services industry while navigating complex technology infrastructure, business models of blockchain networks, and regulatory and compliance landscape around tokenized assets such as precious metals, commodities, private equity, and fiat or stable coins. • Served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) – IBM World Wire – Cross Border Payment Network and built world-class payment competencies across various geographies addressing a complex global regulatory and compliance landscape, industry standards as ISO20022, and open banking. Built payment network differentiation for stable coin and payment messages on the same network with sustainable business value.

Founding Director - IBM Blockchain Labs

2015 - 2018

IBM Industry Platform Hand-picked to build a team from scratch to institute a body of knowledge and organizational understanding around blockchain technology and industry-specific applications. Grew global team to serve the mission of building a “blockchain for enterprise” practice with client-facing accountability and tasked with launching a new business built around industry disruption and disintermediation. Ensured global labs had the tools, direction, and skills to succeed. • Pioneered enterprise blockchain strategy and advised IBM decision-makers, business partners, and clients on industry disruption, emerging application, and services landscape around blockchain technology. Devised business engagement models around blockchain technology stack, services, and regulation. • Leveraged knowledge of payment technology landscape by connecting with peers and past payment-industry contacts to devise use cases and business models around payments/remittances that employed blockchain technology. • Designed blockchain for the enterprise solutions for large customers in regulated industries by working with various entities such as IBM research, large financial services industry clients, regulators, and startup community to address fragmented blockchain landscape with an existing application and transaction infrastructure.

Founding CTO, IBM Mobile Payments & IBM Cloud

2013 - 2015

Selected to explore opportunities, risks, and potential long-range value within mobile payments space. Defined research agenda and executed rigorous analyses to understand the market, evaluate the changing technology environment, and develop a strategy to benefit all stakeholders—IBM, retailers, banks, point-of-sale (POS) system developers, Visa, MasterCard, and AmEx—while navigating evolving technology standards and complying with industry regulations. • Developed mobile payment strategy and advised IBM decision-makers, business partners, and clients on data-driven and validated insights to position the company as an influential player in the rapidly changing market. • Leveraged in-depth knowledge of global business and technology landscape by reaching out to peers in the Silicon Valley and overseas to describe IBM's competitive edge and differentiating factors in mobile payments, and by using statistical analysis to anticipate the impact of new technology releases on a worldwide scale. • Led design and development of IBM Mobile Payment solutions based on real-world business knowledge and collective intelligence to scale ideas for global execution and fast-paced growth.

Technology Executive and Strategist - IBM MobileFirst & Cloud

2011 - 2013

Promoted to serve as technology innovator and lead member of the Technical Leadership Council responsible for creating customer-focused solutions for Fortune 500 corporations in all industries. Devised technology strategies (with proof-of-concept, technical workshops, and specialized engagements) that enabled international clients to understand and adapt to changes in business and technology—while penetrating new markets, expanding revenue streams, and driving profit growth. ► Provided vision and direction in developing IBM's middleware product strategy and worked with cross-functional, matrix teams in defining the competitive landscape for IBM's MobileFirst and middleware solutions. ► Married new/emerging technologies with incumbent systems of engagement and systems of record to allow customers to keep up with the pace of technology, take advantage of current trends, meet business demands, and achieve optimal return on investment (ROI). ► Defined digital strategy and digital maturity models for global clients; provided thought leadership and served as a trusted conduit between clients, product owners, and development teams (450+ resources on four continents). ► Accelerated sales execution, improved customer engagement, and streamlined information sharing by creating a system of communication for global subject matter experts (SMEs).

Senior Technology Strategist - IBM Middleware Infrastructure

2005 - 2011

Influenced OEM clients by driving innovation, shaping technology strategy, and overseeing architecture, functionality, and performance enhancements of WebSphere Application Infrastructure capabilities and product offerings. Traveled worldwide to establish rapport, deliver presentations, and facilitate client value engagements. Implemented industry best practices. Aligned IT processes and architectures with business goals and priorities. ► Propelled businesses to new levels of performance by advising on customized cloud strategies. ► Catapulted revenue and market share for WebSphere Virtual Enterprise, eXtreme Scale, Cloudburst, Compute Grid, and other products by taking an entrepreneurial approach to technology strategy and execution. ► Partnered with R&D in designing and developing new technologies in application virtualization, grid computing, batch processing, and data-intensive processing.

Staff Software Engineer - IBM WebSphere OEM Team

2003 - 2005

Established the foundation for success in early-career roles with IBM Software Group, which led to consistent recognition and promotions for standout performance and contributions.

Software Engineer - IBM Global Services

1999 - 2003

Established the foundation for success in early-career roles with IBM Software Group, which led to consistent recognition and promotions for standout performance and contributions.

Advisory Board Member

2020 - 2022

Founder IBM WW Digital Asset Labs

2018 - 2022

Founded Client Facing entity for Digital asset engagement - Stable Coin, CBDC and tokenized assets

Member Advisory Board

2017 - 2019

As an advisor my focus and Interest in on scalability and economic viability of blockchain networks. I also assist with business models and structure.

Founder IBM Blockchain Labs

2014 - 2018

Founded IBM Blockchain Labs - Client Facing entity to IBM Blockchain Mission.