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Our Team

Matthew Arnett

CEO

Matthew is a Bahamian serial entrepreneur and co-founder of PO8 — The Bahamas’s first cryptocurrency project. Prior to PO8 Matthew was the co-founder of sendmetickets.com, the first English language online ticketing platform in China, acquired by a private equity group in 2012. Subsequently, he turned his interest to cryptocurrencies and became an early adopter by investing in Bitcoin mining. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Matthew has served in various China market-entry advisory roles for the likes of Uber and Wework, as well as advising trade missions from The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Panama and Chile in his role as Council General for Sino-Latam in Beijing. Matthew is an avid public speaker and has lectured on China business culture at leading universities in China and the U.S. He is a graduate of the Tsinghua-MIT Global MBA program.

Anh Nguyen

CTO

Anh Nguyen is a softtware engineer with a solid track record in launching startups companies in Vietnam. Prior to joining PO8, Anh served as CEO for Tesse, an AI-based knowledge platform connecting the world’s knowledge into one system and making it accessible to all by searching, connecting and interacting with human beings and artificial intelligence. Anh also serves as Chairman of the Know Foundation, which is developing a two-layered blockchain platform that powers decentralized applications and real world transactions through smart contracts and additional on-chain information.

Raul Vasquez

CMO

Raul is a seasoned marketer and entrepreneur with over 20 years work experience in the U.S. and China across various industries including advertising, technology, journalism and start-ups. Most recently Raul oversaw marketing efforts for PO8, a Bahamas based marine archaeology blockchain project. Prior to PO8, Raul worked for leading brands such as DDB, ?Petsmart.com, Knight Ridder Tribune (now McClatchy) and has successfully launched the China division of Weddings Beautiful Worldwide, making it the most trusted learning institution for wedding industry professionals in the country and the most profitable division worldwide. Raul is graduate of Boston College and an avid cryptocurrency investor.

Advisors

Garry Martin

Garry is a digital veteran and is passionate about providing strategic blockchain solutions that enable businesses to move into global markets with minimal risk. Garry is a prominent figure in blockchain, tokenization and securities, former Executive director of UBS, holds advisory board positions with several companies and is a principal DLT strategist of SCTAG and CAPCO.

Ishmail Malik

‘Ish’ has over 20 years experience in Technology related startups and entrepreneurship covering Asset Management, Cryptocurrencies, Mobile Payments in the City of London and Emerging Markets working with leading firms such as Vodafone, Cellnet and News International. Ish was the founder of the world’s first Blockchain Lab and first ‘DLT’ company within Level 39 in Canary Wharf (world’s largest Fintech accelerator).

Joel Johnson

Co-founder of BitKiosk (one of Europe’s leading OTC cryptocurrency P2P liquidity providers). Joel is also a Partner at Blockchain Initiative and is an early-adopter of crypto – first Bitcoin purchased in 2013). 8+ years in investment banking & venture capital – previously with Deutsche Bank, ESB Novus Modus Fund & Nexus Group. Holds several Board Advisor positions with UK Tech companies active within Robotics, Blockchain and EdTech.

Board Member

Dr. Steen Ehlern (Ferguson Family Office)

Dr. Steen is Managing Partner/CEO of Ferguson Partners, a private family office looking after the financial and non-financial needs of its principals (families) and other investors, i.e. individuals, families and foundations and SWFs from Europe and the Middle East.

Dr. Ehlern works with investors, advising families, U-HNWIs, family businesses and specialist advisors on the set-up of family office solutions, selection of various providers and direct investment opportunities and strategic family matters(family/business governance). Furthermore, he advises in strategic and operational succession-planning and Mergers & Acquisitions of smaller Private Banks and Asset Managers as well as strategic investments and de-investments.

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