Step onto the stage at the Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2025

Jens Hilgers is a serial entrepreneur based in Berlin (Germany) widely known for his work and contributions in the Esports industry. Jens was the Founding CEO of ESL, is a Co-Founder and Chairman of world-renowned Esports team G2 Esports as well as Co-Founder and former CEO of esports data company BAYES Esports.

In 2016 Jens founded BITKRAFT Ventures, which he grew to become a globally leading Investment Platform focused on
Gaming and Interactive Entertainment with currently more than 900M US$ in assets under management.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Manel is a seasoned gaming executive with a 25-year career, developing over 60 critically acclaimed games across platforms. His company, GFAL, is transforming the gaming industry by exploring the intersection of gaming and luxury.

Vikas Goel is the founder & CEO of XO, an OS powering next-gen of gamers, creators, and communities across emerging markets. With 14+ years in startups as a founder, investor, and speaker, he’s building AI-led tools for gamers, developers, startups, and telcos. A strong voice for youth-first innovation, Vikas works at the intersection of esports, game-tech, and the digital economy.

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.

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