Charley Cooper is a Senior Advisor to R3, where he led external affairs as Managing Director/Chief Communications Officer from 2015-2023, a top provider of blockchain and digital asset technologies for regulated markets and financial institutions. He oversaw all regulatory affairs and government policy, public relations and communications efforts for the firm globally. Charley also sat on R3’s Executive Committee, helping set all broader strategic vision and key priorities company-wide, and overseeing Board and investor relations. He also serves as a Senior Advisor at Ava Labs, a global crypto and blockchain firm behind the Avalanche Ecosystem. He worked as the Senior Managing Director/Chief Operating Officer of State Street Global Market’s division of Trading & Clearing (2011-15), where he managed day-to-day operations of the trading and settlement platform business. He served as the Director/Global Head of Legal Operations in the risk management division of Deutsche Bank AG (2008-2009), helping the company manage the aftershocks of the global financial crisis. Charley spent over two years (2005-7) as the Chief of Staff / Chief Operating Officer for the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Charley served as Special Assistant and Senior Advisor to Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz at the Pentagon (2004-5). He acted as the Deputy Secretary’s senior communications strategist, and also advised Wolfowitz on legal and policy matters related to the Administration’s efforts to combat global terrorism. In recognition of his service, Charley was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he volunteered as a speechwriter on the staff of Attorney General John Ashcroft at the U.S. Department of Justice. Charley worked as the Assistant Press Secretary for Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign, where his responsibilities included speechwriting, media relations, and managing the press corps while traveling full time with the candidate. Charley has served as a panelist and guest lecturer at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, Yale School of Management, Cardozo School of Law, Chatham House, the Brookings Institution, and National Defense University. He is a frequent commentator on crypto, tech, US politics and national security in the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, Sky News, and Reuters. He earned a B.A. in Government (1994) and a J.D. (2002) from Georgetown University.