Currency News is published by Currency Publications Ltd, a joint venture between Reconnaissance International and Currency Research Ltd.

Reconnaissance is a leading provider of business intelligence for the document protection and brand authentication sectors and publisher of the specialised industry newsletters Holography News,  Authentication News and Tax Stamp News. It also organizes authentication and anticounterfeiting conferences for specific market sectors and publishes reference books, industry reports and studies on authentication markets and technologies.

Currency Research Ltd is an independent banknote consultancy and organiser of the Currency Conference and ICCOS (International Commercial Cash Operations Seminar).

Editorial Team

Currency News is compiled by a team comprising some of the most authoritative and influential voices in the business. These include the Board of Advisors, who advise on the direction and development of Currency News, and a network of researchers and writers from key sectors of the currency industry around the world. Together, this team is uniquely placed to provide information and in-depth analysis of currency on a global scale.

Editor

Astrid Mitchell: has spent 25 years in marketing and strategic development for De La Rue, Applied Optical Technologies and Bundesdruckerei. As well as editing Currency News, she is Director of Marketing and Research for Reconnaissance International.

Board of Advisors:

Tom Ferguson: with the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing from 1974-2005, from 1998 until his recent retirement as its Director. Tom was responsible for the production of all US currency and is one of the best known figures in the banknote industry.

Jacques van Droogenbroeck: formerly the head of the Printing Department at the National Bank of Belgium and Chairman of the Advisory Committee of SICPA SA.

Karel Schell: worked for 10 years as development manager for Philips before joining the Dutch security printer Joh Enschede in 1977. He left as technical director in 1993 and started his own consultancy. Since then more than 50 clients in 15 countries have made use of his expertise in currency technology.

Charles Cardiff: with almost 40 years' experience of the banknote and security printing and paper industries, Charles has been involved in all areas of banknotes from sketch to shredder , first with Thomas de la Rue, then Portals and finally De La Rue again. He was Managing Director of Portals and Managing Director, International for De La Rue and now has his own consultancy business with clients both within and without the currency industry.

Keith Richbell: a financial services executive with over 20 years' experience in retail banking, e-commerce and payment systems. Keith is currently with the payments organisation Vocalink.

Bill Melbourn: spent 20 years with the Bank of Canada in design, production, security, production and distribution. Prior to retiring he was Deputy Chief of the Department of Banknote Operations and is now a consultant, with several central banks amongst his clients.

Raul Sierra: recently retired from Banco de Mexico where he spent 31 years, the last 16 of which were in Direccion de Emision, first as head of industrial engineering and of origination, pre-press and inks and latterly as Principal Cashier responsible for guaranteeing the supply of banknotes and coins required by the country's economy.

Brian Lang: former head of currency at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, from which he retired in 2007, Brian is now engaged in consultancy on behalf of mints and substrate suppliers.

Francis Ravez: the current general secretary of the European Security Transport Association (ESTA), Francis has many years experience in the CIT industry and is a board member of the International Association of Currency Affairs (IACA).

Eugenie Foster: formerly Cash Manager for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, where she advised on matters relating to counterfeit deterrent, design, distribution and oversaw the Federal Reserve's currency and coin operations. Prior to joining the Fed, Genie spent 12 years at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where she served in a number of positions, including as Project Director for the 1996 design series and as Assistant Director, in which position she led the BEP's planning, design and construction of its Western Currency Facility.

Dietmar Spranz: recently retired as head of the Austrian Mint after a career of more than 50 years. He joined the Austrian National Bank and, from 1992-1997, was a member of the Executive Board in charge of refinancing and supervising commercial banks and financial markets.  He was a member of the Mint's Supervisory Board until 1997, and from then until his retirement its Chairman.