Laurent Féral-Pierssens – Syria
Managing Partner,
BlockZero Advisors
Laurent Féral-Pierssens, who has a rich immigration background of French and Syrian roots that have deeply influenced his professional journey, shares his story for Immigrants Lead Canadian Blockchain.
Early exposure to the digital world through his father’s academic endeavors ignited a fascination with technology.
This initial interest paved the way for a career in the early internet industry and later, the exploration of blockchain technology.
In 2016, while leading emerging tech at a notable advisory firm, his investigation into blockchain revealed its significant transformative potential.
This realization steered his focus entirely towards blockchain, driven by a belief in its ability to innovate beyond borders and foster inclusivity.
The story is a testament to how diverse cultural and professional experiences can shape one’s understanding and contribution to technological advancements, particularly in the realm of blockchain.
He argues that the convergence of blockchain and AI is not only necessary but inevitable, offering a framework of trust that enhances AI’s capabilities.
The borderless nature of blockchain, mirroring his own life experiences, underscores its significance in building a more inclusive and interconnected future.
Laurent is a business leader specializing in the emerging financial and payment infrastructure. He founded an artificial intelligence company in 2008 and more recently has been focusing on blockchain innovation, digital assets and the crypto-economy since 2016. Laurent helps organizations, institutions and governments design and build products and services based on digital assets transformation, financial technologies and decentralized infrastructure.
Laurent is Founder and Managing Partner of Canadian management consulting firm BlockZero Advisors and Founding Partner of Singapore-based True Global Ventures, a $110m blockchain focused global fund of entrepreneurs. Amongst other roles Laurent was previously Global CBDC leader at Deloitte, where he built the team’s delivery capabilities, market activation and partnerships and Leader of the Emerging Technologies practice at KPMG Canada.
With a unique combination of business, scientific and technical skills, and over 25 years of experience leading technology companies in Canada, the United States and Europe as a founder and CEO, Laurent has anchored himself as an early investor and advisor.
Laurent holds a joint major in Computer Sciences and Mathematics from McGill University. He is a member of the Information Technology Program Committee of McGill School of Continuing Education and was until recently a member of the Quebec Regulator’s Technology & Innovation Advisory Committee.
Today, Laurent is an international thought leader on emerging technology. He is a regular speaker on the subject of fintech, transformation of the financial infrastructure, blockchain innovation, cryptoassets and artificial intelligence.