Aspiring blockchain bank BABB appoints industry veteran Gaurav Rana as CTO

BABB has appointed Gaurav Rana as its new CTO. With its first mobile app due to be launched to beta testers in the autumn, Rana will be taking over development of the BABB app and blockchain platform.

With deep knowledge of the blockchain space, coupled with experience and understanding of the company’s financial inclusion mission, Gaurav is well placed to take the technological reigns at BABB.

Rana is a blockchain industry veteran, having immersed himself in the technology in 2010 after reading Satoshi’s seminal whitepaper. Gaurav has contributed to dozens of foundational projects including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Zcash and was a contributor to Mastering Bitcoin, Andreas Antonopoulos’ groundbreaking book.

His transition from genetics to blockchains saw him take the role of CTO within the founding team of Everledger, before moving to Atlas to oversee the provision of financial services to 15,000 customers in Ghana and Senegal. During this time he also created the Access Network (ACX), a democratic cryptocurrency network designed to promote financial inclusion.

Commenting on his appointment, Gaurav Rana said, “Having originated from a country in which online payments are impossible due to government restrictions, I was struck by the potential held by blockchain technologies to address the deep seated global issue of financial inclusion.

“Even though it’s been close to a decade since the inception of blockchain technology, one of the initial promises of providing financial services to the underbanked and unbanked has largely been unfulfilled. I believe BABB has the right team to make a concrete change on a global scale and I am excited to have joined the team.”

BABB founder and CEO, Rushd Averroes, commented: “Gaurav Rana joins the BABB team at a pivotal time as we prepare to launch our product. His expertise in building blockchains will complement the diverse skill set of our development team. Most importantly, he shares our belief that the rigorous application of new technology can help transform banking into a fair, inclusive and decentralised system driven by individuals.”

Rana takes over from Jorge Pereira who will continue to work with BABB as a technological advisor, allowing the project to continue to benefit from his extensive knowledge and experience.