Former State Department Official joins Ripple Labs

“I am excited to welcome Anja to the Ripple Labs team,” said Ripple Labs CEO and co-founder Chris Larsen. “Her advice will be key as we grow our international presence and Ripple’s adoption by financial institutions and payment networks across the world.”

A Global Payment Network

The news comes fresh off the heels of the relaunch of the International Ripple Business Association (IRBA), an industry group for Ripple Gateways, late last month. The association audits each gateway and supplies industry best practices to follow.

Ripple Gateways, businesses that enable users to use Ripple to send dollars and other fiat currencies internationally, are vital to the digital currency’s goal of tackling the large global remittance industry.

“What really matters is that IRBA helps gateways become more transparent and do a better job of disclosing what is important to users,” said IRBA president John Whelan.

On March 4, Ripple Labs officially joined the International Payment Framework Association (IPFA). With 26 members spanning nearly 6 continents, the association’s mission is to create a global standard for payment services among financial institutions. IPFA members include US Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, ACH Colombia and the Standard Bank of South Africa.

“IPFA rules—when they are appropriately modified for Ripple—helps us create a complete, real-time, cross border payment system,” said Nilesh Dusane, director of business development at Ripple Labs. “We’re very excited to join this network,” he added.

Asia Focused

After graduating from Stanford with a bachelors and masters in international policy studies, Manuel sent on to play important roles in the US government’s diplomacy in central and Southeast Asia.

During her time as a special assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, she was “extensively involved” in the US’s policy in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.  She also played a large role in the historic Indo-US Nuclear Deal, which enabled the sale of nuclear materials to India by the United States.

In 2009, she co-founded the law firm, RiceHadleyGates LLC, with Condoleezza Rice, Robert Gates and Stephen Hadley. The firm specializes in helping large US businesses and CEOs become compliant with business regulations in the Middle East and Asia. RiceHadleyGates LLC has also represented various businesses in Silicon Valley.

“Ripple is one of the most innovative technologies I have seen,” Manuel said. “It has the potential to expand the global economy through increased trade, and enables better, more transparent regulatory oversight of payments. I am excited to help build on Ripple’s impressive momentum and help it to gain traction internationally.”