Cryptocurrencies & Blockchain technologies in the new political economy

A Seminar Series hosted by Manchester Metropolitan University and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs

In this informal seminar on Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain technologies, Gavin Brown of Manchester Metropolitan University will introduce the founding principles of these disruptive innovations and the role they play, and will go on to play, in the new political economy.

Recognising Bitcoin as the tip of the iceberg Gavin will go on to explain the risks and rewards for investors, policy makers, regulators and businesses. An evaluation of the fundamental value for the birth of this new asset class will be established through historical innovation comparisons, behavioural biases and bubble dynamics along with the forecasting of the likely future winners and losers.

The key digital assets, coins and tokens will be introduced along with their likely commercial applications and impact to society and taxation. Topics of discussion will include, but not be limited to: national voting; supply chain accountability and shortening; the creation of a new micro-transaction economy; and the ability to bring financial services to over two-billion people globally who are currently excluded from the financial system.

This seminar, including time for subsequent questions, will take place in the London offices of HMRC on Tuesday 23rd January at 2:30 and will be repeated at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School on

Tuesday 30th January at 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Lecture Theatre G34

This event is to register for the Manchester session.

The schedule of 30th January is as follows:

5:00 p.m. Arrival and registration

5:30 p.m. Gavin Brown will speak on “The role of Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain technologies in the new political economy".

6:30 p.m. Q&A

Gavin Brown is a Senior Lecturer in Financial Economics at Manchester Metropolitan University; and holds both a Bachelors and MSc degree in Business Management as well as an MBA from the University of Oxford (Said Business School) where he was a Dean’s List member. He qualified as an ACA (ICAEW) chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers (Manchester) in 2006 and went on to work at Merrill Lynch (London) before setting up a hedge fund in 2008.

He also holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) and PG Cert (Education) qualifications and is currently a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level III June 2018 candidate. Gavin is also a Fellow of the HEA and he is reading towards a PhD (with Keele University) in Financial Economics focusing on dual listed arbitrage and price distortion caused by financial instruments.

He joined MMU as a Senior Lecturer in 2012 where his teaching interests include corporate finance and financial economics at both UG & PG levels. Gavin was appointed Fellow (FCA) of the ICAEW effective from 1 November 2016 - this is the highest status of membership. In addition to his academic work Gavin teaches IB clients, such as Goldman Sachs New York; and is also a Director and shareholder of a start-up cryptocurrency hedge fund.

In conjunction with Manchester Metropolitan University Future Economies Research Centre