Dr. Bhaskar Dasgupta is a Senior Board Member & Business Executive with proven regulatory engagement, strategic business development, fund raising & business transformation experience deploying advanced analytical and pragmatic delivery skills in various regulated and unregulated sectors - banking, markets, crypto, asset management, technology. He is currently the Head of Strategic Development MENA at Apex Group assisting in the development of the region for Apex, a global financial services provider with more than $2.5T AUA – to asset managers, capital markets, private clients and family offices. Apex includes including fund services, digital onboarding and bank accounts, depositary, custody and super ManCo services, business services including HR and Payroll and a pioneering ESG Ratings and Advisory service for private companies. He is also on the board / strategic advisor of other funds, regulated entities, family offices. He is also an angel investor and on the advisory boards of several HealthTech/Biotech, EdTech, AgTech and FinTech startups.

Dr. Dasgupta’s previous full-time role was leading the development of Abu Dhabi’s Award Winning International Financial Centre (Abu Dhabi Global Market) and Financial Regulator for sectors including Exchanges, Crypto, Digital Banking, Broker / Dealers, VC/PE, FinTech, Sustainable Finance & Commodities. He was also responsible for Emerging Markets and Europe as a region. He helped quadruple AUM, making ADGM the largest regulated crypto jurisdiction in the world, quadrupled the number of broker dealers, helped launch ICE Futures Abu Dhabi (trading a million contracts within 6 months), making ADGM the biggest hub for venture capital in the region, etc.

Prior to joining ADGM, Dr. Dasgupta was the Chief Operating Officer of UK Export Finance (GBP90B Capital Export Finance Bank) at the Department of International Trade, UK Government.  His 25-year career included senior level leadership, business development and transformation roles in investment banking, transaction banking, technology, and consulting in firms such as HSBC, ABN AMRO, Citigroup, and PwC.

Dr. Dasgupta holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Bhopal, an MBA in Finance from Indore University, a PhD in Financial Modelling & AI from the University of Manchester, and a PhD in Politics from Kings College London.  He is currently completing his third PhD in Food History from Brunel University, UK.