THE BRIDGE TO DIGITAL ASSETS

Zoe Cruz is the Founder and CEO of Menai Financial Group, and a highly accomplished executive who spent decades at the forefront of the financial services industry, working in trading and capital markets. Zoe had a 25-year tenure at Morgan Stanley, where she was Co-President from 2005 to 2007; in this role, she ran major revenue-generating businesses, including the company’s securities, risk management and information technology organizations. Prior to that, Zoe was the Global Head of Fixed Income, Commodities and Foreign Exchange from 2001 until 2005. She joined Morgan Stanley in 1982 and was the third founding member of the company’s foreign exchange trading group. Zoe is also a former Senior Advisor at Promontory Financial Group, LLC, and the founder of an investment management firm, Voras Capital Management. In addition to her leadership position at Menai, Zoe serves as Founder and CEO of EOZ Global, a single-family office. She also sits on the boards of the Harvard Kennedy School Center for Business and Government Advisory Council. Zoe previously sat on the boards of Ripple, Old Mutual PLC, Morgan Stanley, Harvard Dean’s Council, MAN Group and Bowdoin College Investment Committee.

Shubin Jha is the Chief Investment Officer for Menai Financial Group. Shubin has been focused on cryptocurrency research for three years and leads a team of analysts examining the core value proposition and economic structures of various cryptocurrency projects and tokens across a variety of use cases. Prior to this, Shubin spent 17 years researching and investing across various markets, industries and securities at three hedge funds. Most recently, he spent seven years at Southpaw Asset Management as Managing Director of Research. He has significant experience in studying macro variables, product and market analyses, as well as valuations driven by both fundamental and technical factors. Prior to Southpaw, Shubin worked with Zoe Cruz at Voras Capital Management, where he conducted macroeconomic and fixed income investment research. Shubin began his career in International Finance in India. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics from Delhi University, Master of Business Administration degree from New York University and earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Karen Jamesely is Chief Operating Officer for Menai Financial Group with 30 years of experience in Financial Services.  She has deep expertise in the areas of Strategic Planning, Talent Development/Executive Recruitment, Executive Compensation, M&A Integration and Succession Planning. Karen spent the majority of her career at Morgan Stanley in the Human Resources Division where she ultimately became the Firm’s Global CHRO. She was the HR Lead on transformational events such as the Dean Witter merger, Discover Card spin off and Smith Barney acquisition. After leaving Morgan Stanley, Karen joined Korn Ferry as a Senior Client Partner in the Financial Service Practice focusing on identifying and delivering consultancy services across the entire talent spectrum.  Key initiatives included digital transformation, early leader development and succession planning. Karen holds a B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in Marketing from Pace University.

Laya Khadjavi is the Head of Strategic Partnerships & Client Relations for Menai Financial Group. Laya is a seasoned finance executive with more than 30 years of sell side and buy side experience, with a focus on solution-driven and innovative capital markets and investment products. Before joining Menai, Laya was an independent consultant, providing advisory services to institutions including FinTech companies. Prior to that, Laya was the COO, Head of Strategy and Business Development at ICE Canyon, a global investment management firm specializing in Emerging Markets. Before ICE Canyon, Laya was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley where, during her 23-year tenure, she held a succession of senior management positions, including the Global Head of Markets in Global Wealth Management and the Global Head of various structured products platforms within the Fixed Income Division in Institutional Securities. Laya began her career as a Financial Analyst at Salomon Brothers. Laya is a non-executive board member of GoldenTree ABS Management LLC. She also serves on a number of non-profit boards, councils and visiting committees, including the Institute of International Education, Brown University and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Laya holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics-Economics from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University.

Steven La Sala, CPA, MBA, has over 35 years of significant experience in all aspects of Accounting, Business Planning, Taxation, Forensic Accounting and Auditing.  He is the founder and president of a highly successful full-service AICPA Peer Reviewed accounting firm and consulting firm, La Sala CPA, P.C. that prides itself on providing all clients with extremely professional and personal advice, counsel and assistance, derived from years of advanced training, technical experience and financial acumen. The firm has a wide range of experience across numerous industries, institutions and organizations. Prior to forming La Sala CPA, P.C., Steven’s experience included auditing at a top ten accounting firm, Laventhol & Horwath, taxation at Margolin Winer & Evens and forensic accounting and business valuations at the Rand Consulting Group. Steven holds a BS Degree from St. John’s University, College of Business Administration in Accounting and Economics and a MBA Degree from St. John’s University, Graduate School of Business with a specialization in taxation. Memberships include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), the NYSSCPA’s Business Valuation and Litigation Services Committee and the NYSSCPA’s Taxation of Mergers, Acquisitions, Dispositions and Other Business Transaction Committee. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a QuickBooks Certified Professional Advisor, a former President and Treasurer of the Old Field Club and a current board member of the Frank Melville Memorial Foundation.

Andrew is Head of Operations for Menai Financial Group with 12+ years of Operations experience in Financial Services. Prior to joining Menai, Andrew spent 10+years at Goldman Sachs, most recently as VP of Brokerage Negotiations within GS’ Securities Division. Additionally, Andrew has had various roles within GS’ Global Markets Division as well as Operations roles within Clearing, and Derivatives Middle Office. With a proven track record of optimizing businesses, Andrew is skilled in client negotiations, FP&A, expense and project management. Andrew also brings digital asset expertise in blockchain transfers, wallets, exchanges and custody solutions. Andrew has a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from Hofstra University where he graduated summa cum laude.

Octave Oppetit is a Research Analyst at Menai Financial Group. He has a broad and first-rate background at the intersection of technology and finance.   He was formerly the cofounder of Fractal Logistics, a data science-powered, VC-backed commodity trading firm. His career started in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs.   Octave holds an M.Eng in Engineering and Computer Science from Oxford University (First Class), and an MBA from Harvard Business School (Distinction).

Martin Gaspar is a Research Associate at Menai and has a background in conducting fundamental research and cryptocurrency analysis. Martin was previously a research analyst at cryptocurrency exchange CrossTower and a fixed income research analyst at Wells Fargo Securities. He has a passion for crypto and has followed the space extensively since 2012. Martin holds a B.A. in Economics from Colorado College.