Conan French is currently Director in the Digital Finance Department at the Institute of International Finance, a research and advocacy organization for the global financial services industry with 400 members from 60 countries. His work focuses on innovation and technology in financial services including topics such as digital assets—central bank digital currencies (CBDC), blockchain, tokenization, and ledger technologies—cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, payments innovation, and digital identity. He initially joined the IIF as Senior Technology Advisor in 2015 to expand the institute’s work on fintech innovations through research, events, and industry engagement.

Conan has focused on innovations in finance from both the private and public sector throughout his career. As a Partner at OpenRevolution and OnGo, he launched several mobile payment ventures using new technologies for mobile money, alternative credit, and loyalty. Previously, he headed an office of microfinance, regulatory reform and business development experts at USAID providing direction to a global program active in 82 countries. While there, he created public private partnerships with banks using structured facilities and credit guarantees for a 43x leverage of public funds into private sector lending to microfinance institutions. Conan’s earlier experience included work at the Department of State, US Treasury Department, and for the Governor of Massachusetts. While at USAID, he was the US Representative on the Council of Governors for the World Bank’s CGAP.

Conan earned his MBA from Georgetown University and his BA in history and economics from Dickinson College.