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Hosted by
Karin Keller-Sutter
Federal Councillor & Head of the Federal Department of Finance, Switzerland
Hon. Natia Turnava
Governor
National Bank of Georgia
Natia Turnava has been the Chair of the Board and the Governor of the National Bank of Georgia since February 2025. She has been a member of the NBG Board since June 2022. She served as the First Vice-Governor and Acting Governor of the National Bank of Georgia from June 2023 to February 2025. Prior to joining the NBG Board, in 2019-2022 Natia Turnava held the position of Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, having been a Deputy Minister in 2018-2019. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Executive Director of the Partnership Fund for five years. In 2006-2013, Natia Turnava was a member of the Board of Directors of Georgian Industrial Group (GIG), Ltd; General Director and a Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Georgian International Energy Corporation Ltd. Earlier, in 2000-2005, she served as the First Deputy Minister of Economy of Georgia. An economist by profession, she holds a Ph.D. in economics. She also earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cumbria, Great Britain, in 2014. Throughout her career, she has served as a lecturer at several higher education institutions.
Speaking at
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10:00–10:30amWed 24 JunForum StageKongresssaal, Level 1Open
Blueprint for Digital Assets
A Blueprint for High Growth and Open Economies: From GEL₮ to Programmable Banking
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Marco Dal LagoChief Expansion OfficerTether
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Hon. Natia TurnavaGovernorNational Bank of Georgia
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Salim DhananiChief Executive OfficerPave Bank
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Pat PatelChief Executive Officer, MEA, USA, LATAM & ForumsGlobal Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)Moderator
About this session
Necessity is the mother of invention! Last month, Georgia announced that it will put its national currency on blockchain rails in partnership with one of the world's largest stablecoin issuers — and the world is watching closely. This session extracts the blueprint: what decisions were made, what was left unresolved, and how programmable banking turns a bold issuance moment into lasting financial infrastructure.
Hear from the central bank Governor that took the leap, the private issuer leader that made it possible, and the founder of a programmable bank that shows what comes next. Three perspectives, three urgent questions: how to manage risks, what are the trade-offs and what happens next?
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