Mr. Michael S. Piwowar is the Executive Vice President of Finance at the Milken Institute, a former Commissioner and Acting Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and a former Senior Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Appointed to the SEC by President Barack Obama and later designated Acting Chairman by President Donald Trump, Dr. Piwowar has helped shape U.S. financial policy across multiple administrations.
Before joining the SEC, he served as the Republican Chief Economist for the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, where he played a key role in developing the Dodd-Frank Act and the JOBS Act. He also worked in the private sector as a principal at the Securities Litigation and Consulting Group. Dr. Piwowar holds a PhD in Finance and a BA in Foreign Service and International Politics from Penn State University, and an MBA from Georgetown University.
At BRIDGE Summit, Dr. Piwowar will share insider perspectives on what upcoming U.S. and global policy changes mean for blockchain-based products, market structure, and investor access. He’ll outline practical steps for companies and investors to navigate new compliance standards, seize emerging fintech opportunities, and build resilient financial strategies in a fast-evolving regulatory landscape.
As markets react in real time to headlines, policy shifts, and digital sentiment, the lines between finance, media, and governance are blurring. This session explores how tokenization, digital identity, and decentralized technologies are reshaping not just capital flows, but sovereignty and social contracts. From CBDCs to self-sovereign IDs and tokenized infrastructure, the next wave of financial architecture raises a core question: can we design systems that offer recognition and economic dignity across borders, without sacrificing stability or trust? Drawing on real-world models, this session brings together media, policymakers, fintech pioneers, and investors to examine the future of money in a networked world.
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“One BRIDGE to unite them all. BRIDGE Summit looks to become the largest cross-sector media event in the world.”
“A gateway for knowledge exchange.”
“A summit to BRIDGE the gaps in the global media ecosystem.”
“We are proud to take part in the inaugural edition of BRIDGE Summit.”
“Un pont pour tous les réunir.”
