UNIC’s Industry Fellow and Instructor Jeff Bandman Appointed to the Post Trade Working Group of ESMA’s Markets Standing Committee

The University of Nicosia is pleased to announce that Jeff Bandman, a UNIC/IFF Industry Fellow and Instructor of law, policy, and regulation of blockchain and cryptoassets, has been appointed to the Post Trade Working Group of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) Markets Standing Committee (MSC).

In this role, Jeff will contribute to the development and oversight of post-trading market infrastructures and processes, enhancing the efficiency and integrity of financial markets across Europe. His expertise will be instrumental in addressing issues related to market integrity, transparency, post-trade infrastructures and regulatory cooperation.

The ESMA Markets Standing Committee is responsible for:

• The structure, transparency, and efficiency of secondary markets for financial instruments.
• Market integrity and surveillance, enforcement of securities laws, and cooperation among national authorities.
• Post-trading market infrastructures and processes.
• Monitoring regulatory and industry developments in commodity derivative markets.
• Cooperation between financial regulators/ESMA and other authorities.

Jeff’s appointment follows a highly competitive selection process and will last for three years. His involvement will contribute to enhancing the efficiency and integrity of financial markets across Europe.

About Jeff Bandman

Jeff Bandman is an Industry Fellow and Instructor at the University of Nicosia Institute for the Future. He was previously a senior official at the CFTC, where he led the CFTC Division of Clearing and Risk. He also was the Founding Director and Architect of LabCFTC, ran the Office of International Affairs, and served as an advisor to two Chairmen.

Jeff also leads Bandman Advisors, an advisory practice helping clients ranging from governments to global firms to start-ups meet strategic innovation and regulatory challenges.   He regularly advises clients on matters relating to FinTech, RegTech, derivatives, cryptoassets, blockchain, financial markets and the European, US and international regulatory frameworks.  He conducts advanced training seminars for regulators on digital assets and maintains a strong network of relationships with regulators in Europe, the U.S. and around the world.

Jeff previously served as a member of the ESMA Consultative Working Group of experts for ESMA’s Financial Innovation Standing Committee.  He also served on the Expert Panel of the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum established by the European Commission and funded by the European Parliament.

He advised the government of the Republic of Cyprus on new DLT legislation and performed a national risk assessment for the Cyprus AML Advisory Authority, an interdepartmental government body, under new international FATF requirements and methodologies with respect to money laundering risks for virtual assets and virtual asset service providers.  Bandman Advisors was commended by the Cyprus Advisory Authority for “their excellent collaboration, insight and meticulous work.”  He also advised the Cyprus Securities Commission on a new AML Directive for cryptoassets and on the application for registered virtual asset service providers.

Jeff led the CFTC’s Division of Clearing and Risk, which oversees many of the world’s largest clearinghouses. He also led the CFTC’s Office of International Affairs. He led the negotiations resulting in “Clearinghouse Equivalence” with the European Commission and also negotiated equivalence for U.S. futures exchanges to operate in Europe. He worked closely with regulators, supervisors and policymakers from around the world, including the European Union, UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

As the Founding Director of LabCFTC, Jeff has been a pioneer in regulatory innovation. He is widely recognized as a thought leader, speaker and educator on financial markets and regulation as well as blockchain and cryptoasset law, regulation and policy. He is Board Member of the Global Blockchain Business Council policy organization. He teaches law, policy and regulation of blockchain and cryptoassets at the University of Nicosia’s Institute for the Future (IFF).  As Lecturer in Global Affairs at Yale, he taught blockchain, cryptoassets and public policy in the Yale Jackson School for Global Affairs.

Jeff holds a law degree from Stanford Law School and graduated magna cum laude from Yale.  He is also a six-time Jeopardy! Champion.