John Medel is a public policy and financial services professional with experience spanning consulting, investment banking, digital asset regulation, and blockchain policy. He serves as Head of Public Policy at Injective and previously held policy and strategy roles at Coinbase and Goldman Sachs. ^[6]

Education

Medel studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he completed a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Political Economy. He later attended Georgetown University, earning a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Security Studies. ^[1]

Career

Medel began his career as a senior consultant at AMR International, where he conducted commercial due diligence, market intelligence research, and acquisition analysis for corporate and financial clients, with a focus on technology, media, telecommunications, and engineering sectors. He later joined Fried Frank as a corporate research analyst, researching trends in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, governance, deal structures, and advisory practices to support legal and corporate clients.

In 2006, Medel joined Goldman Sachs, where he spent nearly 15 years and advanced to vice president. During his tenure, he worked on strategy, industry engagement, and policy-related initiatives within the financial services sector. He subsequently moved to Coinbase in 2021 as Senior Public Policy Manager, focusing on regulatory and public policy matters related to digital assets and the cryptocurrency industry. Since September 2025, he has served as Head of Public Policy at Injective, leading policy and regulatory engagement efforts for the blockchain ecosystem. ^{[1] [2]}

Panels

Digital Assets

In March 2026, Medel participated in a panel discussion on Nasdaq TradeTalks alongside Andy Baehr of GSR, Chris Brodersen of EisnerAmper, and Avinash Chidambaram of Cybrid, moderated by Jill Malandrino. The panel examined developments in the digital asset industry during a period of market uncertainty, discussing the effects of recent market volatility, institutional adoption trends, and the evolving role of digital assets within the broader financial system. The discussion focused on the importance of regulatory clarity, governance frameworks, and industry education in supporting the continued development of digital asset markets. Panelists explored legislative and regulatory initiatives in the United States, the growth of infrastructure supporting tokenized assets and stablecoins, and the need for compliance standards that support both institutional and retail participation. The conversation also addressed the expansion of settlement and liquidity infrastructure, the convergence of international regulatory approaches, and the role of technological and market infrastructure in facilitating broader adoption of blockchain-based financial products. ^[4]

Institutional Investing

At a panel discussion during Davos 2026, Medel joined Jan Sell of Qivalis, Philipp Zentner of Li.Fi, and Christoph Hoch of Union Investment, with moderation by Clara Tao of the Filecoin Foundation. The discussion focused on the development of digital asset markets, institutional adoption of blockchain technology, and the growing role of tokenization in financial services. Panelists examined the transition of tokenized real-world assets from pilot programs and proof-of-concept initiatives toward live implementation, highlighting advances in interoperability, institutional infrastructure, and blockchain integration. The conversation addressed the challenges of balancing transparency and privacy, the coexistence of permissioned and public blockchain networks, and the influence of regulatory developments in Europe and the United States. Participants also discussed the long-term integration of tokenized assets into traditional financial systems, emphasizing the importance of infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and cross-chain connectivity in supporting broader institutional participation. ^[5]