Alla Whitston

Emma Pecenicic is Head of Digital Assets Distribution at Fidelity International, based in Hong Kong, a role in which she has led global distribution for digital assets since 2023, including the commercialisation of the firm's Bitcoin spot strategy and its tokenised fund capabilities. Pecenicic joined Fidelity International in 2021 as Head of Digital Propositions and Partnerships Asia ex Japan. She previously spent more than a decade at BNP Paribas Asset Management, which she joined in 2011 as an Investment Specialist in European Equities in Paris before moving to Hong Kong in 2012 to cover China RMB capabilities and Indonesian equities. From 2017 she designed and led BNP Paribas Asset Management's Augmented Investments Programme, focused on AI and blockchain adoption, and later led its global digital strategy. Pecenicic holds an MSc in Financial Management and a Diplôme des Grandes Écoles in Financial Analysis from EDHEC Business School, and sits on the board of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong.

Etienne Bernard is Deputy Global Head of International Trade & Transaction Banking at Crédit Agricole CIB, the title under which he announced the bank's partnership with Ant International in November 2025. He joined Crédit Agricole CIB on 8 June 2015 as Global Head of Transaction Banking. He previously held management positions at RBS, most recently heading Global Transaction Banking in EMEA, led Commercial Coverage at ABN AMRO, and worked for Citibank, Deutsche Bank and Société Générale, over a career of more than 25 years in transaction banking at the time of his arrival. He holds an engineering diploma from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale in Switzerland.

Ethan Teas is Executive General Manager Payments at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, a role already held in September 2022, at the launch of the bank's PayTo capabilities, and under which Teas is still quoted in September 2026 on agentic commerce. The remit covers the bank's payments strategy, including real-time payments and fraud prevention. Teas previously worked in consulting as a Principal in the Chicago office of Novantas, specialising in banking strategy for banking, brokerage, payments and insurance clients across the U.S., Europe and Latin America.