Advisor Q&A: “Decrypting” Crypto: A Framework for Professional Investors – IronChain Capital – 6.12.18

Summary:

Now On Demand.

Cryptocurrencies are a new and rapidly growing asset class, characterized by unprecedented opportunity as well as complexity. Digital asset investing requires knowledge and understanding of blockchain technology, the “mining” networks, new exchanges, evolving infrastructure, and regulatory developments. Our team of experts aims to answer your most popular questions. Please join us for this unique Advisor Q&A Forum as we dive into topics such as:

• The investment opportunity: understanding the “reality” behind the “hype”.
• The crypto landscape today: where are we in the cycle, and where are we going.
• How to invest while understanding key risks and uncertainties.
• Mining, cryptocurrency “use cases”, blockchain technology, and other FAQs.

Speakers:

Jonathan Benassaya is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IronChain Capital. Prior to founding the company in February 2017, Mr. Benassaya was an Entrepreneur in Residence at the venture capital firm Matrix Partners. Throughout his career, Mr. Benassaya has founded or co-founded multiple companies. In 2005, he founded MagicParty in Paris, the first in-game advertising network in China, which he sold in 2006 to NGI, a Beijing-based marketing company. In 2007, Mr. Benassaya founded Deezer, the first legal music streaming platform, where he held the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 2010. Deezer was the first startup company to sign licensing deals with the major music labels and publishing companies to offer free and ad-supported music streaming. During his tenure, Mr. Benassaya grew the company to 10 million unique visitors, launched multiple offerings, and signed strategic distribution deals with mobile carriers while raising multiple rounds of financing. In 2011, Mr. Benassaya launched Plizy, a video discovery iPad application featured multiple times by Apple. In 2013, Plizy became StreamNation, the first multimedia cloud storage company for individuals. In 2015, StreamNation acquired Picturelife, a pioneer in artificial intelligence applied to photo storage, before it was itself acquired in 2016 by SmugMug. Mr. Benassaya received a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the E.N.S.A.M. Paris and a M.B.A. in Corporate Finance from ESSEC Business School Paris.

Steven Baum is a Co-Founder and the Chief Operating Officer of IronChain Capital. Prior to joining the firm in January 2018, Mr. Baum served as President and Chief Operating Officer of JMB Capital Partners (and related entities) from 2013 to 2017. Mr. Baum was a Partner and the Chief Operating Officer at Ivory Investment Management from 2006 to 2012, and a co-founder of Pierce Street Capital Management in 2002, where he served as Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer until 2006. Mr. Baum served as Vice President in the investment banking group at Montgomery Securities from 1997 to 1999 and subsequently as Principal at Thomas Weisel Partners from 1999 to 2001. From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Baum was the Executive Director of Broadband Strategy and Planning at Pacific Telesis Group (now part of AT&T). Mr. Baum joined Pacific Telesis Group from Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he served as the Director of Strategic Planning and Analysis from 1991 to 1993. Mr. Baum started his career at Morgan Stanley in 1989, working as a financial analyst on mergers and acquisitions in the firm’s media and communications group until 1991. Mr. Baum received a B.A. in Economics, with honors, from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989.

Anton Muehlemann is a Co-Founder and Head of Research of IronChain Capital. Prior to joining the firm in February 2018, Dr. Muehlemann was a postdoctoral researcher in applied mathematics and civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, Dr. Muehlemann also served as a mentor and consultant for “Blockchain at Berkeley”, one of the most influential and active blockchain associations worldwide. Dr. Muehlemann has over 10 years of experience in stock and derivatives trading and has managed three successful ETFs based on proprietary trading algorithms. Dr. Muehlemann has authored and co-authored various publications in internationally renowned journals. Dr. Muehlemann received a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Oxford, UK in 2016 and a combined M.S./B.S. in Mathematics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany in 2012.

Erlend Bø is the Director of Sales and Marketing for IronChain Capital. Mr. Bø has over 25 years of experience in the asset management industry. He has extensive experience working with foundations, endowments, nonprofits, pension plans, private family offices, financial advisors and ultra-high net worth clients. He is formerly Head of Distribution and Managing Director at Angel Oak Capital Advisors (2014-2017), an Atlanta and New York based fixed income specialist focused on securitized and corporate credit. Prior to Angel Oak, he worked at Trust Company of the West (TCW), a global asset management firm based in Los Angeles. He joined TCW in 1998 as a regional sales representative and was promoted to National Sales Manager and Managing Director in 2001, and served in that role until 2014. Prior to TCW, he worked at Smith Barney and Prudential Securities as a regional marketing representative. Mr. Bø earned a Bachelor of Engineering (honors) in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Surrey in Guilford, England and an M.B.A in Finance from San Francisco State University. He also attended the Wharton Business School’s Executive Education Program. Mr. Bø is a native of Norway and served as Palace Guard in the Norwegian Military. He is currently on the advisory board of Idlewood Partners and Main Management.