Masaki Bessho has been Head of FinTech Center, Bank of Japan, since September 2021. Previously, he has served as Associate Director-General of Payment and Settlement Systems Department, Deputy Chief Representative for Europe, and Head of Financial Infrastructure Studies Division at the Bank’s Institute for Monetary and Economic Studiers. He has led diverse research projects focusing on implications of novel technologies on financial systems and central banking services. He also represents the Bank in a number of forums on digital currency and FinTech, including the CBDC Coalition. He received an LL.M. from the University of Virginia (1999) and an LL.B. from Kyoto University (1994). He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.