We’re excited to spotlight some of our BTC2019 teachers this year, and today, we’d like to introduce you to Rodney MacInnes. Rodney will be teaching “AML & Fraud for Crypto.” Check out our chat with Rodney to learn more:
How did you get involved in your subject area & why are you passionate about teaching it?
In 2008, while working at a large money services business (MSB), I was approached by our General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. He asked how I felt about joining the compliance team. I asked, “Does that get me off the phone doing cold calling?” I quickly developed a passion for compliance and process engineering, and well, the rest is history.
I fell down the Bitcoin rabbit hole in 2013. But after being dragged to dozens of meetups in Toronto, I was lost, confused and frustrated. It was at that point, when complaining to my business partner about not knowing what anyone is ever talking about, that she gave me a simple challenge. Her words were, “So do something about it!” So I started to learn, continued to learn and never looked back. Since then I have been somewhat obsessed with how Bitcoin and other technologies are impacting not only the financial and regulatory landscape, but the world in general. We all have to start somewhere. I am passionate about providing a gateway to those willing to make the effort to learn.
Why do you think certifications and standards are important in the blockchain industry today?
I work in anti-money laundering (AML) day-to-day and in our industry there is one standard for certification. It is the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, or CAMS, certification. It is a prerequisite for almost any job, regardless of your knowledge, position or experience. It says, this person has spent the time to learn and knows their subject matter. AML, being a fairly new industry (less than 20 years), is similar to the Bitcoin space. Due to the lack of understanding generally, a certification is an easy and reliable way to support your claims of expertise or verify someone else’s.
Why have you decided to teach a session at #BTC2019?
One of the core beliefs where I work at Outlier is that information should be free. For a long time, big consulting firms would keep information close to their chest and charge clients for the privilege to get it. We have a funny rule at Outlier. We call it the “Beetlejuice Rule.” If we hear the same question or request 3 times, a blog post appears (Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice… get it?). Information is meant to be free. It benefits anyone who needs it. Being granted the opportunity to share information with a larger crowd of like-minded individuals directly aligns with part of our mission.
We’re looking forward to attending Rodney’s master class at BTC2019! Make sure to join us by getting your tickets here.