Bio

Ernest Lima is a Partner at XReg Consulting, a group of former regulators with practical experience in formulating public policy and developing regulation for Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and virtual assets. As XReg’s Legal and Regulatory Policy Lead, Ernest is highly experienced in the design, development and implementation of legislative frameworks. With his analytical mindset and formidable attention to detail, Ernest leverages his exposure to financial services regulatory policy to understand how it can translate into the virtual asset space at a global as well as local level. During his time at the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC), Ernest led and managed the Legislative Reform Program (LRP), a flagship project consisting of the single largest reform of Gibraltar’s financial services legislation. The outcome of the work was a consolidated Act together with a more coherent and harmonised set of supporting regulations. Drafting policy proposals and consultation papers has given Ernest a deep appreciation for the identification and consideration of regulatory policy issues, particularly in connection with legal frameworks and their application to business and innovation. He began his career in litigation but soon moved on to act as a financial services regulatory lawyer advising banks, investment firms and other financial institutions.