Best FSB Podcasts (2025)

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In Moscow's Shadows 220: Power Politics in the FSB and a new 'Most Dangerous Man in Russia'? 44:55

Play Pause

15d ago44:55

44:55

Time to look at the spooks again. It seems that the FSB's Military Counterintelligence Department (in other words, the anti-coup squad) may be getting a new head. What does this mean for the internal struggles to replace the ailing current director, Bortnikov? Is 'crown prince' Sergei Korolev finally going to take his place? And what might this mea…

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In Moscow's Shadows 221: Is the Sun Rising over Russo-Japanese Relations? 39:19

1d ago39:19

39:19

The new Japanese PM wants to conclude a long-delayed peace treaty with Russia - but that will mean selling a thorny territorial dispute. Will Moscow show the cunning and vision to try and undermine Japanese support for Ukraine -- indeed, can it, while keeping China and North Korea happy? The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, whi…

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Eric Piscini - CEO of Hashgraph 1:19:44

4d ago1:19:44

1:19:44

Eric Piscini is a global technology executive, an entrepreneur, an investor, and a trusted advisor with over 25 years of experience in leading strategic innovation and transformation across industries. Currently serving as the CEO of Hashgraph, he is responsible for steering the company’s growth and the acceleration of Hedera, a leading public netw…

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Melissa Aarskaug - Global Vice President - Bulletproof 48:30

14d ago48:30

48:30

Melissa Aarskaug is a Tech & Cyber Growth Strategist, Speaker, Host and Community builder with over 17 years of experience. Melissa is currently serving as the Global Vice President at Bulletproof, a GLI company, is a global IT and cybersecurity firm. The company is a member of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) and holds a Micro…

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In Moscow's Shadows 219: Decoding Putin in Valdai 49:35

24d ago49:35

49:35

Putin's 4-hour keynote and Q&A at Valdai gives us at least some insight into his thinking and his assumptions, but the interesting thing is that the key themes are strangely also reflected in the thinking of some of his fiercest critics, as everyone oversimplifies a complex world. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which prov…

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Sunjeh Raja - Director & CEO - International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA Dubai), Foodverse 55:27

26d ago55:27

55:27

Sunjeh Raja is the Director & CEO of the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA Dubai), an international award-winning and world-class culinary training centre established in 2005. ICCA Dubai with 12,000+ Students, 20+ Countries, Countless Inspiring Stories is renowned for its high standards in culinary education, offering globally recognised…

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In Moscow's Shadows 218: Putin, the Blunderer-in-Chief? 58:44

1M ago58:44

58:44

We spend a great deal of time thinking about Putin's intentions, his strategy. Yet it's hard to argue that this position, mired in Ukraine, sanctioned and facing recession, is where he wanted to be. Maybe, then, a better way of trying to analyse his regime and Late Putinism's prospects is through his blunders... The podcast's corporate partner and …

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Aanshul Bafnaa - Founder - The ModMonk Consultancy 1:36:51

1M ago1:36:51

1:36:51

Aanshul Bafnaa, also known as "ModMonk” or “Modern Monk” is the founder of ModMonk and CEO of the ModMonk Consultancy. With over 17 years of experience, she is a business psychologist, spiritual coach, professor, mystic, hypnotherapist, mindfulness coach, healer, and yoga expert, Aanshul provides corporate training in areas such as mythology, leade…

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In Moscow's Shadows 217: MiGs in Estonian skies, exercises on Poland's borders - a threat to Europe? 52:00

1M ago52:00

52:00

MiGs in Estonian airspace, military exercises in Belarus, talk of the next war against NATO being prepared. Are we under threat? Well, maybe that’s up to us. I look at recent events, and Carlo Masala's new book 'If Russia Wins' to wonder if the West risks encouraging Russian pressure and undermining its own position. The podcast's corporate partner…

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In Moscow's Shadows 216: What Security Guarantees for Ukraine Might Work? 47:49

2M ago47:49

47:49

Zelensky said on Friday that "the basic document on security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for the whole of our Europe, is practically ready." I suspect this may be a stretch, but it is worth considering what might and might not work. Crucially, any guarantees must be credible, meaningful and sustainable, if they are to reassure Kyiv and de…

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In Moscow's Shadows 215: A Tale of Two Coups 48:41

2M ago48:41

48:41

The 1991 August Coup and the 1993 October Coup are oddities, at once still very current in Russia, yet also veiled in myth and self-deception. Why? I'll argue is that together, they inadvertently paved the way for Putin. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises i…

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James McLaughlin - Membership Advisor - Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) 1:10:56

2M ago1:10:56

1:10:56

James McLaughlin is a business advisor with over 35 years of experience. He is the Membership Advisor for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), where he facilitates connecting small businesses with services that will support their long-term success. James is also the UK Partner for BizVal, a professional business valuation service, expanding Bi…

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Lord Tim Clement-Jones CBE, The House of Lords Spokesperson for Science, Innovation & Technology 1:10:44

2M ago1:10:44

1:10:44

Lord Timothy Clement-Jones, CBE is a Liberal Democrat House of Lords spokesperson for Science, Innovation and Technology. He is the Former Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence which reported in 2018 with "AI in the UK Ready Willing and Able?" and its follow-up report in 2020 "AI in the UK: No Room for Complacency"…

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In Moscow's Shadows 214: Law and Lawlessness in Late Putinism (or, Late Brezhnevism redux) 45:25

2M ago45:25

45:25

The FSB is trumpeting its arrests of Ukrainian saboteurs and demanding more surveillance powers. Prosecutor General Krasnov is set to become the chair of the Supreme Court. Figures have been released showing that corruption cases rose 16% in the first half of the year. Put together, how do these highlight the hollowing out of Russia, the convergenc…

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In Moscow's Shadows 213: Foreign Agents in Russia, Foreigners in Ukraine... 50:28

2M ago50:28

50:28

After a brief comment on the frozen peace process, I look at the case of Sergei Markov, voluble Kremlin loyalist, who has just been declared a Foreign Agents. What's going on - he seems to have been caught by Russia's escalating feud with Azerbaijan - and what does this say about the decay of late Putinism? In the second half, I consider three rece…

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In Moscow's Shadows 212: War and Peace and Alaska 46:07

2M ago46:07

46:07

Alaska was owned by Russia - was the summit also? Where is the world after the Alaska summit? Putin won, but did Trump really lose (I'd suggest not really, because his interests are not that opposed)? And if - if - we are any closer to a peace, what might that look like? Tickets for the Waterstones book event I mentioned in London on 4 September ar…

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In Moscow's Shadows 211: Trump, Putin, Alaska... 46:08

3M ago46:08

46:08

So Trump and Putin are meeting in Alaska on Friday. Are we on the brink of peace in Ukraine or another mess? I wish I could be more optimistic. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. Yo…

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Christopher Perkins - Managing Partner and President - CoinFund 55:55

3M ago55:55

55:55

Christopher Perkins is on the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Global Markets Advisory Committee and its Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee, providing policy advice on digital assets and Web3 technology. Christopher Perkins is the Managing Partner and President of CoinFund, a digital asset investment firm focused on supporting the develo…

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Anthony Scaramucci - Founder & Managing Partner - SkyBridge 44:55

3M ago44:55

44:55

Anthony Scaramucci is an American financier, author, speaker and thought leader, and broadcaster who briefly served as the White House communications director. Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm offering multi-strategy hedge fund products and advisory services for individuals an…

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Penny Power - Founder of Business is Personal - BIP100 Club 1:35:10

3M ago1:35:10

1:35:10

Penny Power is an entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and community builder with over 25 years of experience. Penny Power is the founder of Business is Personal, a platform dedicated to helping business owners thrive through authentic networking, emotional intelligence, and peer-powered growth. She is a co-founder of BIP100 Club, a private commu…

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In Moscow's Shadows 210: Is Russia Being Sentenced To The Digital Gulag? 44:58

3M ago44:58

44:58

With calls for WhatsApp to be banned and searching for 'extremist' material punishable by fines, there is much talk of a 'North Koreanisation' of Russia, of a 'digital gulag.' After a first half looking at developments in Ukraine, the war and international perceptions of threat, I dive into this issue. There are some interesting parallels with Sovi…

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Erik Schwartz - Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer of Elysia.ai Labs - The Future of AI in Business 1:20:46

3M ago1:20:46

1:20:46

Erik Schwartz is a technologist and serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the tech sector, specialising in AI, information search and retrieval, and knowledge discovery. Erik is the Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer at Elysia.ai Labs. integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI into search technologies, offering autom…

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Prof. Ula Taylor - Department of African American Studies - University of California, Berkeley 1:14:06

3M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

Prof. Ula Y. Taylor is a professor in the Department of African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She specialises in African American history, black feminist theory, and intellectual traditions of African American women. Her research covers black nationalism, Pan-Africanism, and civil rights movements from 1890 to 1980. Sh…

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Stani Kulechov - Founder of Aave Labs - DeFi - Future of Money 57:47

3M ago57:47

57:47

Stani Kulechov is an entrepreneur and a pioneer in blockchain innovation, decentralised finance (DeFi) and the future of digital economies. He is the Founder of Aave, a decentralised lending platform on Ethereum that uses smart contracts and liquidity pools where depositors provide funds for borrowers. To read more about Stani Kulechov, please visi…

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In Moscow's Shadows 209: Eagle, Dragon, Bear - how the Ukraine war drives Moscow into Beijing's orbit 52:12

3M ago52:12

52:12

In the first half, I offer a (rather pessimistic) assessment of not just Trump's 50-day ultimatum but also recent EU and UK sanctions, before pivoting to explore how the US president has inadvertently made it clear that it is not him but China's Xi Jinping who has more influence with Putin. What is the nature of the Sino-Russian relationship, and w…

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Dr. Chris Trace - Chief Academic Officer - KEATH.ai 46:04

3M ago46:04

46:04

Dr. Chris Trace is the Chief Academic Officer at KEATH.ai, an AI EdTech start-up that originated from the University of Surrey. He has also represented KEATH.ai at significant platforms, including UNESCO in Paris and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in London. Prior to this, Dr. Chris was the Head of Digital Learning at the Universit…

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German Secret Police pt. 1 Prussia & The Police Union 1:30:42

4M ago1:30:42

1:30:42

What happens when a loose collective of states and political entities see a revolution in France and then invasion by Napoleon? Hint: it probably has to do with secret police. Following the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire, the Confederation of German State banned together by common language. The experience of being occupied by a foreign enemy and…

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In Moscow's Shadows 208: 5 Million Downloads and Counting! A Q&A Compilation 56:41

4M ago56:41

56:41

In Moscow's Shadows has crossed the 5 million downloads barrier! This happens to coincide with this being an episode in which I tackle Patrons' questions on everything from why Russians fight and Chinese legal and criminal influence in the Russian Far East through to who would play whom in the film 'Death of Putin', and my own impartiality. Enjoy! …

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John Nahas - Chief Business Officer - Ava Labs - Blockchain Defi Future 54:46

4M ago54:46

54:46

John Nahas is the Chief Business Officer at Ava Labs, the company behind the Avalanche blockchain. At Ava Labs, he drives strategic partnerships and international expansion in key markets including Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. With a strong fintech background—having raised $18M and secured 43 licences at Onsa—he blends regulatory insig…

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Revolutionising Digital Assets - BitGo - J. Baylor Myers 48:21

4M ago48:21

48:21

J. Baylor Myers is the Vice President for Corporate Development at BitGo, a premiere leading infrastructure provider of digital asset solutions, offering custody, wallets, trading, and financing for institutional clients globally. Baylor has led the closure of BitGo’s $100 million Series C funding round with a valuation of $1.75 billion. During his…

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In Moscow's Shadows 207: What Is Going On Between Baku and Moscow? 45:04

4M ago45:04

45:04

In one corner, Azerbaijan's Ilhan Aliev, in the other, Russia's Vladimir Putin, two autocrats locked in an increasingly acrimonious political conflict sparked by, of all things, the arrest of some gangsters in Ekaterinburg. But it's bigger than that, and I locate the conflict in the context of Russia's receding role as regional hegemon, the politic…

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Larry Yang - CPO of Phononic - Building FitBit + AI Data Center Cooling Systems 1:17:03

4M ago1:17:03

1:17:03

Larry Yang is a technology leader with over 30 years of experience in engineering and product management. He currently serves as the Chief Product Officer at Phononic, a company revolutionising solid-state cooling solutions for industries like data centres, pharmaceuticals, and HVAC. Larry has previously held senior leadership roles at global giant…

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In Moscow's Shadows 206: Corruption, Putinism's Achilles' Heel 56:59

4M ago56:59

56:59

After some thoughts about the recent NATO summit in The Hague, I focus on the perennial challenge of corruption. Even Russian officials are admitting it is again on the rise, and becoming more predatory, While there is a regular litany of middle-ranking officials charged and sentenced, there is no political will to tackle grand corruption at the to…

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Ben Goertzel - SingularityNET - AI AGI SingularityNET ASI Alliance Humanoids Robots + Desdemona 59:12

4M ago59:12

59:12

Ben Goertzel is a computer scientist, AI researcher, speaker, author, and entrepreneur who coined the term AGI in 2003 and has contributed significantly to the field. He is the founder and CEO of SingularityNET, a decentralised AI platform that leverages blockchain technology to provide open access to AI services, fostering collaboration across ind…

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In Moscow's Shadows 205: The Peace Crisis that faces Russia after the Ukraine War 59:08

4M ago59:08

59:08

There is a range of serious practical problems that an end to the war in Ukraine -- whenever that may be -- will pose for the Kremlin. However, if the Soviet war in Afghanistan is any comparison, arguably every bit as important will be the narratives, how people frame the war and use it to attack or defend Putin's regime. I feel this is a political…

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Alex Grimshaw - CTO Microsoft Azure UK - AI And Cloud Computing Transforming Governments Operations 47:30

4M ago47:30

47:30

Alex Grimshaw is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Microsoft Azure in the United Kingdom, where he supports customers and partners across sectors to drive digital transformation using Microsoft Azure Cloud. Prior to this, Alex served as Microsoft UK Public Sector CTO, working with the UK’s largest Public Administration organisations, HM Revenue…

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In Moscow's Shadows 204: The Opportunity and the Threat, Moscow and Iran, Moscow and the West 56:34

5M ago56:34

56:34

In the first half, I explore what the eruption of open conflict between Israel and Iran means for Russia. Will Putin be tempted to throw Iran under the bus? He certainly has much more scope and reason to do so than in 2022-24. In the second half, I climb onto my soapbox to consider -- criticise -- some recent rhetoric about the Russian threat and b…

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In Moscow's Shadows 203: Can Putin Afford To End The War? 57:05

5M ago57:05

57:05

A pervasive argument is that for reasons personal, political or economic, Putin simply cannot afford to end his war: that he needs the excuse for tyranny, or that his economy would stagnate. I dig into these and other claims, and - spoiler alert - conclude that Putin could certainly afford to end the war... but that there are enough challenges to p…

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Ariel Assaraf - Coralogix - AI + Data = Digital Gold 45:54

5M ago45:54

45:54

Ariel Assaraf is an entrepreneur and technology leader with over 15 years of experience helping companies unlock the power of their observability data. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Coralogix, a leading in-stream data platform for full observability for logs, metrics, tracing, RUM, and security data. Ariel served in Israel’s elite intelligence un…

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In Moscow's Shadows 202: What Is This Resilience Thing Anyway? 57:18

5M ago57:18

57:18

An IMS on a Thursday? Although I'm still not quite yet over the cold that stopped me recording on Sunday, as I can't record next Sunday, needs must... In the first part, I look at recent development around Ukraine. Then, in the second, I look at the recent 'electoral wargame' held by Conducttr and spin off that more broadly to consider the challeng…

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In Moscow's Shadows 201: Peacetalkers and Warfighters 50:21

5M ago50:21

50:21

Negotiations (of a sort) in Istanbul: a real engagement or just a piece of theatre? The answer, of course, is a bit of both. And what can one read into the elevation of Colonel General Mordvichev as the new commander of Russian Ground Forces? The link to the Conducttr wargame I mention is here. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conduct…

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In Moscow's Shadows 200: Victory Day (whose?) 44:06

6M ago44:06

44:06

The 200th episode! Hard to believe. After briefly assessing Putin's late-night offer of talks with Kyiv, I dig into the Victory Day parade and what it means, especially from an international angle, and how it was part of a love letter to Xi Jinping. The events I mentioned next week in Prague are at CEVRO University, the Institute of International R…

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Trump’s Historic Unpopularity: Majority See Him as a Dangerous Dictator 44:21

6M ago44:21

44:21

In this eye-opening episode, Jim Wallis and Robert P. Jones dive deep into the latest poll data revealing President Trump’s unprecedented negative approval ratings within his first 100 days back in office. Discover how Trump ranks as the most unpopular president since World War II at this stage, with a majority of Americans-including 55% of indepen…

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In Moscow's Shadows 199: the General in GenPop 49:33

6M ago49:33

49:33

General Ivan Popov, once hailed as one of the heroes and rising stars of the Russian army, has just been sentenced to 5 years in a general regime penal colony on what seem questionable charges. What brought down this 'fighting general' -- and what does it tell us about late Putinism and the potential nationalist critique of the regime? The sign-up …

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Prof. (Dr.) Milind Pande - MIT WPU, Pune, India - Empowering The Future Of Education 1:23:16

6M ago1:23:16

1:23:16

To read about Dr. Milind Pande, please visit- https://businessabc.net/wiki/mit-world-peace-university-mit-wpu-pune About MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), Pune https://businessabc.net/wiki/mit-world-peace-university-mit-wpu-pune Useful Links and Resources https://worldpeacedome.in/ / drmilindpande https://mitwpu.edu.in/ About citiesabc.com http…

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In Moscow's Shadows 198: War (in Russia's underworld) and Peace (in Ukraine)? 53:18

6M ago53:18

53:18

In the first half, I consider the latest twists in the saga of the US-pushed 'ceasefire' plan. Has Trump has an epiphany in the Vatican, or will Kyiv still face a choice of evils? In the second, I draw a line between the gunning down of a mobster in Tbilisi with the twilight of Putinism, through leaking roofs and the likelihood of mob wars. The pod…

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In Moscow's Shadows 197: Russia's future fascist turn? 50:12

6M ago50:12

50:12

An intemperate recent interview from Foreign Minister Lavrov, at which he warned that 'fifth columnists' within the elite wanted to hand Russia to the West on a platter, is typical of a new tome of populist nationalism that got me wondering. Putin's Russia is often called 'fascist' but this is a label of dubious accuracy. Are there hints that Russi…

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In Moscow's Shadows 196: Space, the Failing Frontier 48:10

7M ago48:10

48:10

In the first half, I look at developments regarding Ukraine (I'm getting more sceptical about Putin's interest in a deal) and profile former FSB general Sergei Beseda, 'the Baron.' In the second half, for Cosmonautics Day, I look at the ailing Russian space programme. The FPRI report by Pavel Luzin I mention is here. The podcast's corporate partner…

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Andrew Kiguel - Realbotix Corp - Humanoid Robotics For Companionship 59:38

7M ago59:38

59:38

Andrew Kiguel is a Canadian entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in investment banking, blockchain, AI, and robotics. He is the Chairman and CEO of Realbotix Corp., a company that creates AI-based human-like robots for companionship and social interaction. Realbotix is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and OTCQB…