Masaki Bessho is Head of FinTech Center, Bank of Japan. His previous assignments at the Bank include Deputy Chief Representative for Europe and Head of Financial Infrastructure Studies Division of its Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies. He leads diverse research projects focusing on implications of novel technologies on financial systems and central banking services. He also represents the Bank at a number of domestic and international forums on digital currency and FinTech. He received an LL.M. from the University of Virginia (1999) and an LL.B. from Kyoto University (1994). He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.