Masaki Bessho is Head of FinTech Center, Payment and Settlement Systems Department, Bank of Japan. He leads research projects on innovations in payments and settlements and engagements with business leaders, tech experts and academics, representing the Bank at various forums in and abroad. He is also engaged with the Bank’s CBDC works. He joined the Bank in 1994 and served as Deputy Chief Representative for Europe (2017-19, London), Head of Financial Infrastructure Studies Division (2015-17). He received an LL.M. from the University of Virginia (1999) and an LL.B. from Kyoto University (1994). He has been admitted to practice law in the State of New York.