Step onto the stage at the Global Games Show Abu Dhabi

A veteran technology entrepreneur/investor based in Hong Kong, Yat Siu is the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, a global leader in blockchain and gaming with the mission to deliver digital property rights to the world’s gamers and Internet users, thereby creating a new asset class, play-and-earn economies, and a more equitable digital framework contributing to the building of the open metaverse.

Yat began his career at Atari Germany in 1990. In 1995 he moved to Hong Kong to establish Hong Kong Cybercity/Freenation, the first free web page and email provider in Asia. In 1998 he set up Outblaze, an award-winning pioneer of multilingual white label web services. In 2009, he sold Outblaze’s messaging unit to IBM and pivoted Outblaze to become an incubator of projects and companies to develop digital entertainment services and products. One of those incubated companies is Animoca Brands, which was created in 2014.

In 2017 he set up the Dalton Learning Lab, an afterschool digital lab for skills not emphasized by most education systems, including divergent thinking and design thinking. He is the founder of ThinkBlaze, the research arm of Outblaze investigating socially meaningful issues in technology.

Since 2018, Yat has been an early advocate for the use of blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the gaming industry, which will allow gamers to enjoy true ownership of their own game assets, data, and, consequently, equity. With a clear vision of the potential of decentralized apps and assets, Yat quickly steered Animoca Brands to a leadership position in blockchain, gaming, NFTs, and the open metaverse. Animoca Brands operates a series of NFT-centric subsidiaries and products, and has invested in over 540 blockchain-related companies to build one of the largest blockchain portfolios in the world.

Yat has earned numerous accolades including Global Leader of Tomorrow at the World Economic Forum, Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the DHL/SCMP Awards, and recognition as one of the Cointelegraph top 100 notable people in blockchain.

A classically trained musician, Yat is a member of the advisory board of BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and a director of the Asian Youth Orchestra.

Dirk Lueth is a serial entrepreneur and an early adopter of blockchain and related technologies based in Silicon Valley. In addition to being the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Uplandme, Inc., Dirk co-founded and is chairman of the Open Metaverse Alliance for Web3 (OMA3).

Sébastien Borget is the Co-founder of The Sandbox, a virtual platform where players can create, play, own, govern and monetize their experiences using NFTs & SAND, the main utility token of the platform.

In addition to his role at The Sandbox, Sébastien serves as the President of the Blockchain Game Alliance in 2020, a non-profit organization comprising 600 key members within the industry. His contributions to the crypto and blockchain space have garnered significant recognition, including being ranked #4 on CoinTelegraph’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Crypto for 2022: https://cointelegraph.com/top-people-in-crypto-and-blockchain/sebastien-borget

The Sandbox extends beyond the gaming realm, earning recognition in TIME100’s prestigious list of Top 100 Most Influential Companies in 2022: https://time.com/collection/time100-companies-2022/6159401/the-sandbox/

Furthermore, Sébastien has been acknowledged by Forbes, where he was honored as one of the OC Top 100 Creators for 2024 in the Gaming category: https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/05/15/forbes-open-campus-animoca-brands-celebrate-success-of-oc100–web3-education/?sh=34f296a23b9b

Mohammed Yaseen is the visionary founder of the eSports & Gaming Association of Dubai (UAE)—a pioneering initiative focused on cultivating the region’s esports ecosystem through education, consulting, and industry development. Drawing on his experience as a Twitch-partnered streamer, Yaseen brings both authenticity and insight to the world of competitive gaming.

He has been instrumental in supporting foundational projects such as gaming-focused workshops, influencer training programs, and grassroots events—helping to establish the infrastructure and talent pipeline needed for a thriving gaming economy.

In powerful industry conversations—including at ABC Conclave Dubai—Yaseen has articulated a compelling vision of gaming’s future in the UAE and MENA, noting explosive growth in gamer numbers (from 67.4 million in 2023 to an expected 88 million by 2026) and highlighting the transformative potential of Web3 in gaming.

He emphasized, “No doubt, in five to 10 years, Web3 will become a much more mainstream area of gaming.”
Beyond his advocacy, Yaseen is also recognized for his influential role with Stream Shreek, where he partners in shaping brand collaborations across the region.

Layden is the former chairman of PlayStation Worldwide Studios for Sony Interactive Entertainment
(SIE), where he was responsible for driving first-party content to differentiate the PlayStation platform.
In 2019, he established PlayStation Productions to create film and television properties based on
PlayStation’s game IP.
Prior to serving as chairman, Layden was CEO of SIE America, and before that served as president of
SIE Japan. His 32-year career with Sony began with corporate roles in Tokyo, including five years as
personal assistant to Akio Morita, co-founder of Sony Corporation.
He currently advises several tech start-ups in game adjacent fields and is a founding board member
of the Girls Make Games Scholarship Fund.
Layden graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in American Studies.

Prior to joining Ninjas in Pyjamas and founding NIP Group, his experience ranges from the global financial industry to entrepreneurship. From May 2008 to June 2016, he was the director of Hedge Funds at Formue, the Nordics largest wealth management firm. In February 2010, Hicham founded and continues to serve as chairman of Diglife AS, a private equity firm with investment portfolios in lifestyle, gaming and other technology-related companies. Hicham graduated from BI Norwegian Business School with a bachelor’s degree in business and economics in 2013.

Cathy Hackl is the Co-CEO of Future Dynamics and a globally recognized tech and gaming executive, futurist, and speaker known as the “Godmother of the Metaverse.” She is one of LinkedIn’s top tech voices, named among Ad Age’s Leading Women of 2023, featured on the cover of Forbes Latam’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and included in Vogue Business’s 100 Innovators list.

Cathy has held leadership roles at Amazon Web Services, Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE, and has worked with Nike, Louis Vuitton, Walmart, Ralph Lauren, and Clinique on their emerging tech and gaming strategies. She has been featured by CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, The Economist, Time, and Good Morning America, and made history as the first person to ring the NASDAQ opening bell in both physical and avatar form.

George Zhuravskiy is the Founder and Director of Racecraft Limited, a leading motorsport simulation company based in Abu Dhabi. Drawing on his background as a racing driver, he established Racecraft to offer a professional and accessible entry point into motorsport through simulators and structured driver training.George’s own path reflects the potential of simracing. Starting in esports, he progressed to real world motorsport and entered his first car race in Formula 4 UAE. Within a year, he advanced to European Formula 3, gaining experience on international circuits and working with professional teams. This journey shapes his belief that simracing can significantly accelerate driver development when supported by the right coaching and infrastructure.Racecraft delivers realistic racing experiences for enthusiasts and newcomers while also supporting talent development for drivers who want to progress toward real track racing. Racecraft works with respected partners across the UAE, including major banks, shopping destinations, and motorsport organisations, and has become a preferred provider for corporate activations and live events.George’s leadership centers on the idea that simulation, gaming, and traditional sport are increasingly interconnected. His work focuses on how simracing can expand access to motorsport, create new competitive formats, and build pathways for emerging talent.

Johnson Yeh holds a PhD in Strategic Management from Peking University and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He has significant experience in the gaming and circular economy sectors, having held senior positions at Riot Games and the World Economic Forum. Currently, Johnson leads Ambrus Studio, a Web3 game production company, and ROEHL, a Lifestyle as a Service brand focused on sustainability.

Daniel Wang is the Co-Founder and CEO of Aethir, a leading DePIN and AI-focused GPU-as-a-Service provider, driving scalable infrastructure for the global AI economy. With over 15 years of experience across gaming, Web3, and blockchain, Daniel brings deep expertise in scaling technology platforms and building ecosystems. Under his leadership, Aethir has expanded beyond cloud gaming into powering cutting-edge AI applications, delivering decentralized GPU infrastructure to enterprises, developers, and innovators worldwide.Previously, Daniel served as Chief Investment Officer at W3GG, accelerating Web3 gaming adoption in Southeast Asia, and as COO of Riot Games China. He is also a Venture Partner at Infinity Ventures Crypto (IVC), advising AI and blockchain startups. Based in Singapore and a graduate in Economics from Princeton University, Daniel continues to shape the intersection of AI, cloud computing, and Web3 infrastructure.

Noor Ul Ain is a passionate gaming professional with 8+ years of experience in driving the development and delivery of innovative, high-quality games. As Chief Gaming Officer at Bleeding Edge Studio, she leads diverse teams across AI, design, art, and engineering to bring immersive player experiences to life.
A passionate advocate for emerging technologies, Noor is also an AI enthusiast, exploring how intelligent systems can transform storytelling, gameplay, and player interaction in the next generation of games.

Brittany Kaiser is a serial entrepreneur, activist and globally recognized expert in data protection and digital asset technology. As a former whistleblower, she concentrates on the convergence of technology and ethics through education, legislative advocacy and technology advisory.
She has served on multiple U.S. Congressional subcommittees on Blockchain, Fintech and Digital Innovation for the State of Wyoming, and has co-authored both state and federal bills on data ownership, digital assets and AI ethics that are now foundational legal architecture for the digital economy.
She also serves as the Co-Founder and President of the Own Your Data Foundation. She has taken three of her companies public on Nasdaq including Gryphon Digital Mining, a bitcoin-focused company that became American Bitcoin (Nasdaq:ABTC). Her latest venture, AlphaTON Capital (Nasdaq:ATON) is focused on growing the largest decentralized and open-source ecosystem in the world, Telegram and the TON network.
Kaiser is the best-selling author of Targeted, published globally by Harper Collins, and she is the main subject of Netflix original documentary “The Great Hack”, nominated for an Emmy, BAFTA and shortlisted for an Oscar. As a renowned public speaker and thought leader represented by CAA, Kaiser is a regular keynote speaker, as well as corporate and government trainer.

Denise K. Záles is a Managing Partner at The London Fund, a strategic executive and global growth leader. She has a proven track record in scaling revenue, leading international market entry, and building high-impact partnerships across sectors including technology, fintech, entertainment, beauty, and manufacturing. Denise has advised governments and collaborated with leading organizations such as Facebook, LVMH, IBM, Qualcomm, Sephora, the NFL, AWS, and Warner Brothers – helping shape go-to-market strategies, develop revenue ecosystems, and accelerate global business growth by navigating innovation, commercialization, and cross-border expansion.

Tess Hau is an investor and advisor to high performing startups, deep tech companies and extraordinary founders across the world. speaker and moderator on numerous prominent VC and entrepreneurship panels.

Vikas Goel is the Founder & CEO of EsportsXO, a pioneering organization dedicated to advancing esports growth, community engagement, and competitive excellence. With deep expertise in strategic leadership and ecosystem development, Vikas has been instrumental in shaping innovative programs that connect players, brands, and stakeholders across the global esports landscape. His work focuses on driving sustainable growth and amplifying the impact of esports worldwide.

Rise of Fearless is a UAE-based mobile gaming platform founded by a Dutch-Ethiopian entrepreneur in Dubai. Rise of Fearless merges African storytelling with immersive battle royale gameplay. Since launching in April 2025, the platform has achieved significant milestones including raising $700K in funding, growing to over 5000+ registered players, and participating in Afro Geek Fest in South Africa.

Daniel Reis-Faria is a global technology entrepreneur, investor, and diplomat with over fifteen years of experience building and scaling companies across AI, blockchain, and cyber-security. He is the founder of Erebor Capital Inc., an investment firm with holdings spanning North America, Japan, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean, focused on Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Digital Assets. He was the founding CEO of OARO, Canada’s leading aviation cyber-security company, where he pioneered large-scale deployment of blockchain biometric identity systems for airlines. He originated and facilitated the investment deal between Janover and Defi Development Corporation (NASDAQ: DFDV) that led to the creation of the first Solana Treasury Vehicle in the United States. Today, he serves as CEO of FLGC ZeroStack (Nasdaq: FLGC), an international pharmaceutical distributor and digital asset treasury (DAT) company, where he is driving innovation at the intersection of public markets and decentralized finance. His work in designing regulated token contribution frameworks, on-chain treasury strategies, and hybrid equity/token structures positions him among the leaders bridging TradFi and Web3. He holds a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Coimbra and an Entrepreneurship Diploma from MIT, and is fluent in seven languages.

Hussam Hammo is the CEO and Founder of Tamatem Games, a leading mobile games publisher in the MENA region. The company boasts over 200 million game downloads, with 3 million monthly active users and over 60 published games. Tamatem collaborates with international game developers worldwide to provide the best mobile games and entertainment to Arabic-speaking individuals.

Vishal Gondal – Entrepreneur, Innovator, and Pioneer of Preventive HealthcareVishal Gondal is a leading figure in healthcare, gaming, and entrepreneurship. As the founder of GOQii, he has transformed preventive healthcare by integrating technology and gamification. GOQii operates in the UK, Middle East, and India and is expanding globally, with a focus on bringing AI-driven preventive care to the mainstream.Known as the father of the Indian gaming industry, Vishal’s early success with Indiagames culminated in its acquisition by Walt Disney. He went on to launch nCore Games, the creator of FAU-G, a highly successful mobile action game that has captivated millions of players.Vishal is also a key figure in the AI and healthcare ecosystem. He organizes Mumbai Hacks, a prominent event aimed at driving innovation and collaboration in AI, with a focus on its application in healthcare. His work in this space is geared towards leveraging technology to improve health outcomes and promote proactive healthcare solutions.In addition to his ventures, Vishal serves on the General Council of the Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai (TEAM), the Academic Advisory Board at the Somaiya School of Design, and the board of LeverageEdu, where he contributes to shaping the future of education, technology, and innovation.A passionate advocate for health, Vishal is also an avid marathon runner, trekker, and skydiver, promoting the active lifestyle he champions through GOQii. His leadership in preventive healthcare and technology continues to influence the global landscape, making health more interactive, accessible, and data-driven.

Reine Abbas is a pioneering figure in the Arab and global gaming industry, with over 20 years of experience in digital media, cultural innovation, and creative technologies. She is the Founder & CEO of Spica Tech, co-founder of Wixel Studios (Lebanon’s first independent game development studio), and co-founder/Chief Creative Officer of G3 System, leading large-scale projects in gaming, AI, metaverse, and smart city innovation across Saudi Arabia and the region.
Reine’s career highlights include serving as a Studio Game Director with DigiPen/NINTENDO USA, where she shaped the next generation of gaming professionals and produced award-winning games that reached millions worldwide. She was recently appointed Head of AI for Jeddah State, KSA, advising on AI-driven transformation in smart cities, culture, and gamification.
Her work has been internationally recognized with awards such as the Cartier Women’s Initiative Award, the World Bank Innovation Grant, and listings by Forbes and Fortune among the most powerful women in gaming.At USEK, Reine spearheaded the Game Design and Animation Programs, the first of its kind in Lebanon, equipping students with hands-on expertise in game development, storytelling, and advanced interactive technologies.
Achievements & International Speaking Engagements
Reine Abbas has a distinguished record of global impact through her thought leadership, academic innovation, and industry contributions:Speaking Engagements:
Forbes Japan Summit – Leadership & Women in Gaming
TED Talk – Gaming as a cultural and educational tool
Game Developers Conference (GDC), San Francisco – Gamification & AI in game design
GamesGround Berlin & Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart (2025) – Gaming innovation, culture, and education
Princess Nourah University, Riyadh – Women in Gaming & AI Education
GITEX Global, Dubai (2025) – AI, gaming, and smart city innovation
Creative Women Forum, Saudi Arabia (2025) – Empowering women in techNotable Achievements:Recognized as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in the Middle East (Forbes).
Awarded by the Cartier Women’s Initiative for entrepreneurship and cultural innovation.
Founder of pioneering Arab gaming startups that placed Lebanon on the global gaming map.
Advisor to governments and cultural institutions on AI, gaming, and metaverse applications.
Leading Wings of Arabia – the first AAA game rooted in Saudi heritage and falconry culture, with global reach.

Nour Khrais is a Jordanian Appreneur and a pioneer in mobile gaming and value-added services. In 2003, he founded Maysalward, the Middle East’s first mobile game studio, catalyzing regional innovation and growth. Over 26 years, he has shaped Jordan’s mobile gaming landscape and earned top honors, including the Medal of Excellence from King Abdullah II (2017), the Jordan Centenary Medal (2022), Mobile Legend (2023), and MENA Market Legend (2024). Khrais holds a Doctorate in World Trade focused on culturalization and localization in Middle Eastern mobile games, a master’s in international business, a Diploma in Mobile Telecommunication, and a BSc in Agricultural Engineering

I build companies and protocols.
I started in investment banking, working on large-cap M&A deals. But I was drawn to creative product and storytelling — which led me to Ubisoft, where I requalified from scratch and eventually became a game director on Assassin’s Creed.
That path led to Darewise — a game development company that evolved into a broader vision for digital culture. After our acquisition by Animoca Brands, we began building BLIFE Protocol, Bitcoin’s native layer for belief, identity, and web3.
Along the way, I’ve raised over $30 million, scaled teams to 150+, navigated hard pivots, layoffs, and breakthroughs. I’ve learned what it takes to build from zero and scale.
Today, I lead both Darewise and BLIFE, driving the intersection of storytelling, technology, and protocol design.
I also advise a small number of startup founders — helping them sharpen go-to-market strategies, streamline their organizations, and level up leadership and fundraising narratives.
Alongside my current work, I advise a small group of founders — helping them build momentum with clearer GTM strategy, tighter operations, and stronger leadership decisions.

Tung Nguyen-Khac is a seasoned entrepreneur and game industry executive with 20 + years of leadership experience at the intersection of gaming, technology, and media. Tung has a C-Level history as CEO of ProSiebenSat1 Games, AeriaGames, Spilgames. He built and scaled multiple companies from early-stage to successful exits, including Bigpoint, WHOW Games, and Usercentrics. His track record spans 1 billion+ installs, partnerships with Sony, Fox, Warner and Luc Besson, and investor collaborations with (Hh Capital, EMH, EQT).
As founder of Vizta Digital, Tung focuses on AI-driven, social-first experiences that connect entertainment, lifestyle, and community. His current project, NextGoal, redefines the football-manager genre for the social and AI generation ahead of World Cup 2026.
Past advisory and investment roles include MTG, Kongregate, DECA Games, UserCentrics, and Oxolo AI.

Michail Katkoff builds things: blogs, podcasts, studios, and games, all with kickass teams. His blog and podcast, Deconstructor of Fun, offer insights into the business side of F2P games through in-depth breakdowns and discussions featuring industry pros.With a background in everything from product to design and management to production, he understands his world of games from all sides – and it shows. He pulls together games from across the gamut, bringing all the charts and graphs to questions and regularly deconstructing publishers’ strategy, portfolio, culture, and M&A efforts.

Osman Masud is the Founder & CEO of The Game Company, a Dubai-based AI-powered cloud gaming platform that makes console-grade, AAA titles playable on any device, without expensive hardware or downloads. A lifelong gamer and serial entrepreneur, he previously built and scaled ventures across telecom and AI-driven customer experience, including leadership roles at billion-dollar tech companies. Under his leadership, The Game Company has raised over $15 million, built a library of 1,300+ titles, and launched its low-latency cloud platform at Dubai AI Week, positioning UAE as a global hub for next- generation gaming. His career uniquely bridges consumer-tech innovation, venture capital-grade execution and the rapidly evolving convergence of entertainment, AI and global digital infrastructure.

Vlad is the Co-Founder of True Gamers, a global gaming club chain with more than 130 locations across the Gulf region and Europe. Since 2019, he has led the company’s expansion and the development of its gaming infrastructure, helping establish True Gamers as one of the fastest-growing esports ecosystems in the region. The company is recognized internationally for its esports tournaments, partnerships with brands such as Sony and LG, and pioneering impact-driven initiatives — including eQueens Villa, the region’s first women-only gaming space, and the World’s First eSports Island by True Gamers set to be realized in Abu Dhabi.

Kishan Deepak Palija is the visionary Chief Executive Officer of Geekay Group, one of the leading gaming and lifestyle companies in the Middle East. Taking charge at just 18 years old, Kishan has transformed Geekay from a single-business operation into a diversified powerhouse operating across six GCC countries. Under his leadership, the group has expanded into multiple verticals including retail, distribution, esports, e-commerce, and licensing, establishing a formidable regional presence.
Since assuming leadership in 2002, Kishan has spearheaded the growth of Geekay Retail, now operating over 40 stores across the GCC and employing more than 400 people. Through Geekay Distribution, the group represents and distributes several top-tier global gaming brands exclusively across the MENA region.
Kishan also played a pivotal role in the establishment of Geekay Esports, one of the region’s most competitive esports organizations, dedicated to developing and showcasing top regional talent on the global stage. Additionally, he founded K2S Media, a licensing and marketing agency representing world-renowned brands across the Middle East, Turkey, and India.
His entrepreneurial drive and strategic vision have earned him recognition as one of the UAE’s most influential business leaders. Kishan has been featured in NRI Media’s “UAE’s Most Iconic Indians”, listed in Gray Matters Super 100, and was a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year at the Gulf Capital MEED SME Awards as well as SME of the Year by Gulf Business. Under his leadership, Geekay Group received the Dubai Economic Department’s Best Service Performance Outlet Award in the electronics category in both 2021 and 2023. Kishan is also a recipient of the prestigious UAE Golden Visa.
With a relentless commitment to innovation, community-building, and regional growth, Kishan continues to lead Geekay Group to new heights, cementing its position as a dominant force in the gaming and esports industry across the Middle East.

Saad Hameed is the CEO & Co-Founder of Game District, one of the fastest-growing mobile gaming companies emerging from the MENAPT region. Under his leadership, Game District has expanded from a small studio in Pakistan to a global multi-studio organization with more than 2 billion downloads, 22 million daily active users

Mustafa is the COO and Head of Studio for Chickmania Games, a Games developer studio located in Jordan with +10M downloads across their games. Chickmania Games are the developers of beloved IPs like Jackaroo, Carrom, Gomat and many others.
Before taking the helm at Chickmania Games, Swiedan built his expertise within the Jordanian tech and gaming sectors, including experience at Tamatem Games and Babil Games

Omar is the founder of Arena Two a web3 sport project .
Arena Two is the world’s first Web3 live sports ecosystem, where real- world tournaments meet crypto. Fans don’t just watch – they vote on real match decisions, back athlete-led teams, and earn rewards through memberships, NFTs, and the $ATWO token.
Featuring global stars like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Patrice Evra and Michael “Venom” Page, Arena Two merges real-world competition with gamified fan control – bringing audiences directly into the action. He was also used to head up Binance’s MENA team – having spent 10 years in web3.

I am an esports and gaming industry leader with over 20 years of commercial and strategic leadership experience, currently serving as Chief Business Officer for NODWIN Gaming in the MENA region. My mandate is clear: build the most commercially successful and strategically aligned gaming and esports ecosystem across Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the wider Middle East—working directly with government entities, vision-driven sovereign organizations, and global publishers to launch esports IPs, content ecosystems, and multi-million-dollar media rights models.Over the past decade, I have led the regional transformation of the esports economy in partnership with government entities in MENA and Europe. My leadership has focused on monetization innovation, scalable production models, cross-border investment, and the integration of esports into national economic diversification agendas.What I’m BuildingMulti-IP esports ecosystem anchored with government and sovereign fund backing
Cross-border monetization models in media rights, production, content licensing, and data
Partnerships with strategic operators, publishers, and infrastructure developers to scale regional esports exports globally
High-performance leadership teams aligned with long-term national strategies and investor objectives

Shervin Farigam is a seasoned telecommunications and tech sales & marketing executive with over 25 years of experience driving enterprise solutions and product launched in global markets. Currently serving as CEO of Coin Factory AG based in Switzerland, he leads worldwide initiatives in creating decentralized utility crypto tokens – many of them with applications in online gaming and play2earn. Previously he was Senior Director of Member Services at ITRG based in Canada, he lead projects to enhance client engagement and operational efficiency for technology research and advisory services. Before that, as Global Manager of Enterprise Sales at China Telecom Americas in Herndon, Virginia, Shervin spearheaded sales strategies for high-stakes telecom infrastructure projects, contributing to multimillion-dollar revenue growth across North American and Asian markets. Fun fact: placed among top-4 at World Cyber Games (2000) in Unreal Tournament!

Joseph van Heeswijk is an entrepreneur and one of the founders of the 2Game ecosystem, a rapidly expanding gaming and esports group that operates globally and forms part of GCL, a NASDAQ-listed company. Joseph serves as the CEO of the LATAM division, overseeing growth across Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and the wider Latin American region.
With more than 20 years of experience in the global games industry, Joseph has worked across Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America in roles spanning distribution, development, publishing partnerships, and large-scale marketing.
In esports, he helped build 2Game Esports into one of the region’s fastest-growing organisations earning a place in the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) through competitive qualification in its first year. VCT is Riot Games’ official global league system and one of the most prestigious circuits in esports. Joseph also discovered standout talent such as Blaz from Chile, who went on to achieve major international success. With multiple expansions underway, 2026 is set to be a landmark year for the group.
Joseph focuses on building the infrastructure and opportunities needed to accelerate Latin American expansion in gaming, esports, and digital entertainment.

Motasem is a tech executive shaping the future at the convergence of artificial intelligence and interactive entertainment. In his dual roles as CEO of Innoverse Group and CTO of 3Verse Studio, he leverages deep technology to decode user engagement and construct next-generation digital worlds. This positions him perfectly to moderate a critical discussion on how gaming will redefine our cultural landscape by the end of the decade.

Julia Upiterskaya is a Dubai-based communications entrepreneur and creative visionary shaping brand innovation in fintech and wellness. As founder of JULS comms, she has spearheaded PR and marketing strategies for 100+ Web3, fintech, and AI companies across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, while building the personal brands of 10+ founders. Her strategic campaigns also include: leading TOKEN2049 marketing initiatives in Singapore, driving participation at Dubai FinTech Summit, activating high-profile partnerships around Formula 1, Mayweather fights, and elite sailing races. Julia’s agency serves as a media partner for premier events like Cardano Summit, Global AI Show, and Forbes Middle East forums. A sought-after speaker, she regularly shares insights at global conferences and podcasts across Web3 and AI ecosystems.With 10+ years in media, communications, and high-stakes event strategy, Julia excels at: negotiating transformative partnerships, securing strategic investments. Hosting her industry-disrupting podcast “REVELATIONS”, spotlighting digital innovators. A true culture architect, she now creates exclusive Web3 experiences with industry leaders and immersive art performances that bridge crypto and contemporary culture.

Dariia Vasylieva is the Founder & CEO of RaiseTalks, an AI-driven fundraising automation workspace that helps scale-up startups streamline their funding journey through a personalised AI Advisor, investor-grade data rooms, funding-readiness scoring, and dynamic investor matching.A seasoned investment banking executive and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Vasylieva brings 17+ years of capital markets expertise with over $3B in closed deals across traditional finance and emerging technologies.She is also the founder of GETVISION multi-family office, the Founders to Founders global tech community, and FD CAPITAL, a VCaaS firm shaping the blockchain investment landscape in the UAE.Holding a PhD in Corporate Finance and an MBA in Financial Management, she is a dynamic speaker known for her insights at the intersection of finance, technology, and innovation.

Nagham is an Arabic crypto content creator, known as “BINTCOIN,” dedicated to spreading knowledge through educational videos and articles. Over the past year, she has been featured in numerous publications and has participated as a guest speaker, panelist, and host at prominent blockchain events. Her mission is to empower others with the knowledge needed to navigate the evolving crypto landscape.

ASHESH C. SHAH is Founder & CEO of The London Fund and Chief Commercial Officer of VERO Labs. A serial entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience, he has founded 15+ companies (4 IPOs), manages $1B+ portfolios, and holds seven patents. With 100M+ annual LinkedIn impressions, he is a leading voice on venture capital evolution, entrepreneurship, and authentic leadership. Adjunct Professor at Williams College; NYC Crypto Counsel member; Harvard Medical Board member. Known for an unfiltered perspective on failure and resilience.

As an Innovative Investor & Pioneering Businesswoman, my journey spans across multiple industries, including crypto, real estate, and application development. I am deeply involved in the development of game applications and have ongoing projects under construction in both the Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
My passion lies in exploring and investing in emerging crypto projects and the transformative potential of Web3. I believe in the future of decentralized technologies and am committed to driving innovation in these fields.
Whether it’s backing cutting-edge startups, developing breakthrough applications, or building landmark real estate projects, I am always on the lookout for opportunities to shape the future.
Let’s connect and explore the limitless possibilities together!

Baz Nijjar is the Vice President of Education Technology and Digital Innovation at GEMS Education, one of the world’s largest private K–12 education providers. He leads AI, entrepreneurship, and edtech initiatives across 47 schools and 150,000 students. Baz pioneered the UAE’s first school-based industry internship programmes and integrated emerging technologies such as XR, AI, and esports into K–12 education, as well as leading the partnerships, digital and innovation strategy for GEMS School of Research and Innovation. He co-created investment-backed student incubators and is now driving the GEMS Global Education AI Hub—designed to empower the next generation of innovators, researchers, and unicorn founders. His work embeds real-world relevance, industry partnerships, and future-ready tools into every layer of learning.

Dylan is an emerging technology researcher and strategist currently serving as the Head of Research at Beam Ventures, where he drives the firm’s strategy across frontier technologies through the lens of Web3.Previously, he spearheaded research and GTM strategy at WWVentures, a venture firm backed by some of the world’s largest athletes and influencers, including MrBeast and Michael Bisping. There, he advised over 30 Web3 projects spanning decentralized finance, AI, and gaming on their path to market.

As Outreach Section Head at AD Gaming, Sultan Al Riyami is tasked with transforming Abu Dhabi into a global powerhouse in the gaming and esports sector. His successes so far including the launch of the AD Gaming initiative and the onboarding of over 100 gaming and esports companies to base themselves in Abu Dhabi – including Unity Technologies, Ubisoft, MY.GAMES, NEXON, and division 1 eSports teams NIGMA Galaxy, and Ninjas in Pyjamas to name a few.
Sultan is driving further growth in Abu Dhabi’s creative industries and is playing a key role in maximizing the emirate’s AED 30+ billion investment into the CCI industries.

Jasper Hu is the Principal Solutions Architect at PingCAP, the team behind TiDB. Launched in 2015, TiDB is a leading open-source NewSQL database that has accumulated over 39,400 GitHub stars, establishing itself as a top-tier global project. With deep expertise in distributed systems, Jasper helps global leading gaming studios build scalable, low-latency, and highly reliable infrastructures for real-time gameplay, player analytics, and live-ops.

Hi! I’m Sara, a sports-presenter, voice over, and live event host, based in the Middle East.
I absolutely love sport! Watching, playing and, of course presenting and interviewing… in particular Motorsport, Padel, Golf and Netball.
I am the most recent host of the Girls on Track UK webinar series in partnership with Motorsport UK where I really enjoyed speaking with some of the team from TF Sport.
Back in 2021, I grew one of the largest audiences on the audio-only platform Clubhouse through interviewing incredible guests in live panel discussions. This led me to host events for the likes of Volvo, Adidas and Farfetch, to name a few.
I have been a voice-over artist for 4 years and really enjoy voicing anything from radio commercials to TVCs, IVRs, social media content, online videos and audiobooks.
There is nothing I love more than delving into the stories of my guests and engaging the audience to come on the journey with me.