Dr. Gene Leon opens the DASD Forum with a visionary address exploring how Real World Natural Assets (RWNA) can unlock a nature-based economic future powered by digital infrastructure and policy innovation. As Executive Director of the Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity (DBRP), Dr. Leon will articulate a new financial architecture rooted in asset-backed development—where natural capital, data, and digital ecosystems are recognized as strategic pillars for national growth.

Grounded in the DBRP’s mission to redefine sovereign wealth and climate finance, this keynote will emphasize the need to move decisively “Beyond GDP” as the dominant metric of progress. Dr. Leon will introduce frameworks that enable countries to tokenize natural assets, monetize conservation, and build resilient, inclusive economies. Bridging multilateral policy, technological innovation, and local implementation, the address will set the tone for the Forum—positioning digital assets as core enablers of sustainable development, especially for vulnerable and nature-rich nations.