Farzan Akhtar

London, UK - Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Writing

Work / Projects

Current Work - Cybersecurity Consultant at KPMG.

Current Project - DeFi yield focused on market making and liquidity providing.

Aspiration - Work in the blockchain/crypto space doing security/infosec, PO/PM, or strategy development for an exchange, product, or platform. (If you have a opportunity for me, do reach out!)

Newsletter

Find my array of thoughts on Faz's Paradox, my newsletter exploring life, technology, economics, and more.

My latest post: Your life proves that things get better

My favourite post: The loneliness epidemic isn't real - you just have a misaligned ego


Reading

I read whatever I happen to come across the piques my interest. Fantasy, history, philosophy, maths, I like to explore different perspectives. Always open to suggestions!

Currently reading: The Iliad by Homer

Recently read: Ethics: The Art of Character by Gregory Beabout and Mike Hannis



Work and Projects

Cybersecurity

KPMG - Mar 2025 to present - Cybersecurity Consultant focused on IAM protective controls, Incident Response Readiness, and Crisis Management. Industries include public sector, civil service, food & retail.

Avanade (Microsoft/Accenture) - Jul 2021 to Feb 2025 - Cybersecurity Consultant focused on JML processes, Privilieged Access Management, Active Directory Vulnerability Management. Industries include financial services, telecommunications, utilities, legal services.

Deutsche Bank - Apr 2019 - Cybersecurity Intern. Partook in workshops on the various trading and bookkeeping platforms. Shadowed functoins such as Enterprise Risk Technology, Identity & Access, and Regulatory Global Transactions.

Lloyds Banking Group - Jun 2018 - Data Security Intern. Supported a pilot for implementing new regulatoins for commercial banking. Developed GDPR documentation on ethical data gathering and use of data.

Deutsche Bank - Jun 2018 - Cybersecurity Intern. Learnt the process of caryring out digital forensics on potentially compromised systems. Attending seminars on threat intelligence and the role banks play with law enforcement to prosecute criminals.

Blockchain/Web3

DeFi Yield Portfolio - Jan 2025 to present - Deploying capital to USD-denominated delta-neutral yield strategies. Additoinally leveraging market making and liquidity provisioning opportunities through platform-hosted strategies.

No Impunity - Oct 2022 to Apr 2024 - Funding ESG-focused litigations as an investment class using blockchain payment rails. Supported product ownership, strategy, marketing, and UX development.

Blockchain and Beyond - Nov 2021 to Dec 2023 - Blockchain podcast featuring founders, thought leaders, and developers in the blockchain space. I did the outreach, scripting, hosting, post-editing, marketing, uploading.

Customisable Crypto Newsletter (Node.js) - Built a tool to scrape relevant sites for news articles which are delivered to users based on their preferences which are chosen upon registration and modifiable at any time. Emials are sent using SendGrid and code is orchestrated using Azure Functions.

Dollar Cost Average Tool (Python) - Developed automations to regularly invest in selected digital assets and executes withdrawals to cold storage. Deployed using Azure Functions to enable optimal uptime and minimise costs.