SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/28/13 -- The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) today announced that cyber-terrorism czar Richard Clarke will keynote its annual E-commerce Payments and Risk Conference March 27 at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The annual global event unites online and multi-channel retailers, card networks, card issuers, law enforcement agencies and solution providers to make the Internet a preferred place to shop and do business.

"We are excited to have Mr. Clarke at this year's conference discussing cyber war and the implications on E-commerce," said Tom Donlea, MRC's managing director for the Americas. "His expert opinion and timely and thought provoking comments will be invaluable for our merchant members who manage risk reduction strategies at many leading global companies."

The keynote address is sponsored by Digital River, providers of a comprehensive payment and risk management solution, called Digital River World Payments, which helps online businesses around the world build and manage profitable payment programs. "The global E-commerce industry is experiencing rapid development, and merchants must stay updated about the latest trends and strategies," said Souheil Badran, senior vice president and general manager of Digital River World Payments. "It is important that we help create an open forum where the merchant community can gather with industry experts to learn about secure global online payments and risk management techniques."

Most widely known as a leading advocate for stronger cyber security, Richard Clarke served the last three Presidents as a senior White House Advisor. In his latest book, "Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It," Clarke highlights the need for greater collaboration between the private sector and government in order to adequately secure our core infrastructure and US commerce.

ABOUT THE MRC: The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) is a merchant-led trade association focused on electronic commerce risk and payments globally. The MRC leads industry networking, education, benchmarking and advocacy programs to make electronic commerce more efficient, safe and profitable.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the MRC has a European office in Madrid, Spain. Learn more at www.merchantriskcouncil.org.

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