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Glimmer of light at the end of a vortex tunnel of digital data

Perspectives on blockchain from thought leaders in technology, governance, and business

Learn about collaborative possibilities between multiple disciplines in blockchain and how thought leaders across industries are thinking about blockchain for the profession.

Distributed ledgers and blockchain are powerful and challenging technologies for business and accounting. They are powerful because of their potential to create new social and economic models much like the new business models enabled by Internet technology; they are challenging because of their complexity and our lack of understanding.

To reduce the mystery and to highlight the power of these technologies, we are pleased to present this publication on distributed ledger technology and blockchain in collaboration with an important academic stakeholder, the Master of Management and Professional Accounting (MMPA) Program at the Institute for Management and Innovation, University of Toronto.

The thought papers gathered within this publication complement our existing guidance publications on cryptocurrency and blockchain. These thought papers introduce the possibilities, limitations, and disruption the technologies present and open readers' eyes to new ways of becoming involved.

In this publication, thought leaders:

  • in technology start us with primers on blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and distributed ledgers and take us to real-life-use cases of blockchains and "smart contracts" in action
  • in governance show us tension and co-operation between innovators, regulators, and tax authorities
  • in social innovation introduce us to another dimension — the use of blockchain in sustainability reporting, an area in which accountants have played a key role.

As influential leaders in their respective disciplines, these thought leaders bring a unique and valuable perspective on blockchain.

  • Dr. Garrick Hileman, Head of Research at Blockchain.com and Researcher at the London School of Economics
  • Andreas Veneris, PhD., Professor, Computer Engineering Electronics, University of Toronto
  • Peter J. Patterson, IBM Blockchain — Canada Market Leader
  • Pat Chaukos, Deputy Director, Ontario Securities Commission
  • Carol Paradine, CEO, Canadian Public Accountability Board
  • Laura Gheorghiu, Partner, Gowling WLG
  • Marc Lijour, Co-founder of ColliderX and founder of the Metamesh Group
  • Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer, Associate General Counsel, BMO Financial Group

If this is an area of interest to you or your organization, please contact our Research department.