FinTech Webinar| AI x DeFi: The New Operating System of Global Finance
the chair
We invite you to join us for the second edition of the FinTech Webinar Series. It is a pleasure to be hosting numerous distinguished speakers, esteemed scholars, and participants from around the world.
Today’s webinar focuses on a highly relevant and transformative theme—“AI x DeFi: The New Operating System of Global Finance”. Through this theme, we aim to explore how artificial intelligence and decentralized finance are reshaping the foundations of global financial systems and redefining how trust, efficiency, and innovation are achieved.
This event also marks the conclusion of the Special Issue “Financial Technology and Strategic AI Integration in FinTech: Transforming Banking, Payments, and Building a Sustainable Economy—Challenges and Opportunities”, which has inspired valuable academic dialogue and collaboration across the FinTech research community.
Looking ahead, a new Special Issue will be launched in January 2026, continuing our exploration of AI-driven financial ecosystems and resilient economic infrastructures.
Date: 12 December 2025
Time: 9:00 am CET | 7:00 pm AEDT | 4:00 pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 846 7624 6539
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Meet Our Speakers
Prof. Dr. Maria Palazzo
Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy;
Prof. Dr. Maria Palazzo is a Full Professor at Universitas Mercatorum, where she teaches courses in innovation economics and management, business strategy and marketing, enterprise economics, and digital economy. She holds a PhD in Marketing and Communication and has achieved recognition as both an AFHEA (Associate Fellow in Higher Education) and FHEA (Fellow in Higher Education).
Before joining Universitas Mercatorum in her current role, she served as Associate Professor there, worked as a Researcher in the Department of Political, Social and Communication Sciences at the University of Salerno, and taught at the Business School of the University of Bedfordshire in the UK. Her main research interests include corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability communication, branding, and marketing in digital and innovation contexts. She has authored numerous articles in international peer-reviewed journals and is an active participant in scientific committees and editorial boards.
Prof. Dr. Valentina Vasile
Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy, Romania;
Prof. Dr. Valentina Vasile is a Full Professor and Senior Researcher at the Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy, where she also serves as Director. She holds a PhD in Economics, as well as MSc and BSc degrees in Finance and Accounting from Bucharest, Romania. In addition, she teaches at Nicolae Titulescu University of Bucharest and serves as a PhD Coordinator at the Doctoral School of Economic Sciences within the Romanian Academy.
Her main research interests include labor economics, migration, human capital, digital economy, social policies, sustainable development, and the circular economy. She has authored over 300 scientific papers and contributed to more than 110 national and international research projects funded by programs such as Horizon 2020, CEDEFOP, and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Prof. Dr. Vasile has collaborated with prestigious universities, including Hitotsubashi University (Tokyo) and the University of the Aegean (Greece). From 2004 to 2020, she served as Romania’s correspondent for EurWORK (Eurofound) in the field of labor policy and working conditions. A Member of the National Register of Experts for Research and Development, she is also affiliated with several international academic and professional organizations. Her extensive publications have contributed significantly to research on economics, sustainability, and digital transformation.
Prof. Dr. Ovidiu Folcuț
International Business, Romanian-American University, Romania;
Prof. Dr. Ovidiu Folcuț holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and a PhD in Economics. He has been affiliated with the Romanian-American University since 1997, where he has served as Teaching Assistant, Lecturer, Associate Professor, and currently works as a Full Professor at the School of International Business. He also gained international teaching experience as a Teaching Assistant at James Madison University (USA) from 2001 to 2002. At present, he serves as Vice-President of the University Senate at the Romanian-American University.
Prof. Dr. Folcuț has published 11 books and over 80 scientific papers and articles covering topics such as international trade, tourism and sustainable development, competitiveness, innovation and digitalization, the international business environment, and business ethics and education. He has also acted as Director or Member of 14 research projects and serves on the Editorial and Scientific Boards of several academic journals. His work reflects a strong commitment to advancing research and education in the fields of economics, business, and sustainable global development.
Prof. Dr. Shigeyuki Hamori
Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University, Japan;
Prof. Dr. Shigeyuki Hamori is a Professor of Economics at Kobe University in Japan. He received his Ph.D. from Duke University. He is President of the International Research Institute for Economics and Management, Distinguished Fellow of the International Engineering and Technology Institute (DFIETI), and Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DFIDSAI). His main research interests are applied time series analysis, empirical finance, data science, and international finance. He is Co-editor of the Singapore Economic Review, Associate Editor of the International Review of Financial Analysis, and Associated Editor of Frontiers in Environmental Science. He has served as Editor of the Special Issues of various journals such as Frontiers in Environmental Science, Energies, Emerging Market Finance and Trade, and the Journal of Risk and Financial Management. He has published roughly 250 articles in international peer-reviewed journals and 20 books from Springer, Routledge, World Scientific, etc.
Dr. Panagiotis Kandylis: “The webinar provided an overview of recent advancements in probiotic and functional beverages, focusing on strategies to enhance stability, functionality, and sustainability. It highlighted innovative approaches to improve probiotic viability during storage and gastrointestinal transit, as well as the use of food industry by-products to support microbial growth and bio-fortification. Packaging solutions and technological developments were also discussed as key factors in product quality and shelf life. Contributions from Dr. Poonam Nigam, Dr. Evangelos Kokkinomagoulos, Mrs Eleni Sakadani, and Dr. Anastasios Nikolaou fostered scientific exchange and highlighted future directions in the field.”
The webinar was hosted via Zoom and required registration to attend. The full recording can be found below. In order to learn about future webinars, you can sign up to our newsletter by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of the page.
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025