David Shrier, MIT Media Lab

David Shrier is a globally recognized authority on digital identity and financial innovation. He is the founder and CEO of Distilled Analytics, a machine learning company derived from MIT research that is the world’s leader in Predictive Identity.

He also leads the University of Oxford’s online programmes Oxford Fintech and Oxford Blockchain Strategy, as well as MIT’s Future Commerce (the first graduate fintech class in North America), all of which he created. He has published multiple books on fintech, blockchain and cybersecurity. 

In addition to his role with Distilled, he is Vice Chairman of Endor, a blockchain-enabled crowd intelligence platform, and Chairman of Riff Learning, an AI-driven collaboration technology platform provider. David is an Associate Fellow with the Said Business School, University of Oxford; Lecturer at the MIT Media Lab; and Fellow with the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines.

David counsels the Government of Dubai on blockchain and digital identity; Millennium Advisors, a middle market credit liquidity provider, on technology trends; the OECD, on blockchain policy and standards; and Ripple, a blockchain cross-border payments company, on strategy. He previously advised the European Commission on commercializing innovation with a focus on digital technology.

David is on the advisory board of WorldQuant University, a program offering a totally-free, accredited, online Master’s degree in financial engineering. He is presently a member of the FinTech Industry Committee for FINRA, the U.S. securities industry’s self-regulatory body; and the Fintech Trade & Investment Steering Board for the UK Government’s Department of International Trade. David also informally consults with the European Parliament, European Commission, and OECD on digital identity, AML/KYC, blockchain, and AI.

He specializes in helping established organizations to build new revenue, having developed $8.5 billion of growth opportunities with C-suite executives for Dun & Bradstreet, Wolters Kluwer, Ernst & Young, GE, The Walt Disney Company, AOL Verizon, and Starwood, as well as private equity and VC funds. He has led a number of private equity and venture capital-backed companies as CEO, CFO or COO.

David and MIT Professor Alex “Sandy” Pentland have published books including Frontiers of Financial Technology, New Solutions for Cybersecurity, and Trust::Data. He also co-edits, together with Professor Pentland, the Connection Science imprint of MIT Press. David Shrier was granted an Sc.B. from Brown University in Biology and Theatre, and worked professionally as a dramaturg and director after college.