H.E. Gabriel Abed

Ambassador of Barbados to the United Arab Emirates

H. E. Gabriel Abed is the Barbados Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. He is a Barbadian-Syrian entrepreneur, and is widely recognised as a leading authority on Central Bank Digital Currencies, math-based protocols, technology diplomacy, and blockchain technology. He was the first entrepreneur to establish a blockchain company in Latin America, in November 2010. Gabriel is internationally-acknowledged as a pioneer in the digital currency evolution, having conceptualized and initiated the first global movement to encourage the use of Central Bank Digital Currencies globally. Gabriel currently serves as the Co-lead of the Regulatory Framework Body of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Cryptocurrencies where he has prepared a report to assist financial regulators to understand how best to approach digital asset regulatory frameworks.

As Barbados' first Ambassador to the UAE, Gabriel is focused on launching technology diplomacy; the future of diplomacy as he sees it, to create technological bridges between nations, bringing Barbados and the UAE hand-in-hand now and into the future. He believes that the UAE is a technology pioneer and digital world leader and serves as an excellent foundation of digital greatness. Gabriel has given his time pro bono to government leaders, ministers and department heads around the world as they commenced their journeys to understand the impact of digital assets on their future economies. As an example, in 2018 he served as the Special Technology Advisor to the Honorable David Burt, Premier of Bermuda, where he has advised the Premier and his government on establishing best practices and policies related to blockchain and cryptocurrencies, and assisted in the creation of a vision for Bermuda's future growth and economic prosperity.

Gabriel continues to work with regional and international governments, regulators and companies to facilitate education and technological inclusion of all stakeholders. Gabriel has founded and spearheaded many successful businesses. In 2013, he founded Bitt in Barbados; its current flagship project is the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank national digital currency. In 2016, during his tenure as CEO, Bitt raised US$16 million from a US public company. Bitt is also internationally recognized for its application of ‘’mMoney’’, which has been championed by Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and has seen widespread adoption across tens of thousands of customers and merchants. In 2018, Gabriel co- founded Digital Asset Currency Management (DACM) along with a former Executive of JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. DACM is geared towards constructing and actively managing funds, high-growth digital assets that offer sophisticated and institutional investors what is believed to be the most optimal exposure to the rapidly growing technology. In 2019 and 2020, DACM received awards for managing the best performing digital asset funds globally. Through his numerous activities, Gabriel continues to pursue his passion for a One Caribbean, which emphasises regional connectivity and collaboration with strong innovation-focused nations in the Caribbean, the MENA region and beyond.