Tom Bicknell is the Head of Financial Services for Pinsent Masons in the Middle East. 

Tom advises payment services providers, blockchain networks, product issuers, financial institutions and government authorities on all aspects of their business throughout the region. 

Tom regularly advises on the structuring of complex fintech platforms including working with the UAE’s financial regulators to obtain the necessary approvals. Tom has been described as a ‘global expert on the regulation of virtual assets’.

Shameer Thaha is a serial entrepreneur turned business leader. He is the CEO (EMEA) and Global Chief Strategy officer of Accubits Inc. He is a published author and a speaker at global conferences. Shameer is an advisor at the Global Skill Development Council.

He completed his MBA from S P Jain School of Global Management and a bachelors in Computer Engineering from Kerala University. He has worked with corporations such as Infosys, Microsoft and has transformed businesses from concept to multimillion enterprises.

M.Hamza, Co-Founder Masary Capital, Global CEO - VMeta3, and MetaTube.Game

Veteran with over 17 years of experience driving impact across prestigious government entities, with extensive experience in e-Commerce, Technology and Sustainable Blockchain Solutions. Expert in MetaVerse, Web3, GameFi, DeFi and NFT’s. Hamza is passionate about providing sustainable and innovative solutions that aim to harness the power of blockchain and web3 technology.

Sandi Bitenc is an accomplished serial entrepreneur and the CEO of 3air, working on bringing blockchain and DeFi to the next billion. His professional career in tech began when he was part of a hosting and domain registrar startup in his teens that went on to become the biggest in the Adriatic area. With leadership experience in the gaming, health, and crypto industry, Sandi is regularly invited to speak at prominent events in the blockchain, crypto, and African Tech space. Fun fact: he holds a world record in 24-hour apnea diving!

Valerie Hawley is the Director of Corporate Partnerships at the Sorbonne Centre for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), in Abu Dhabi. Her expertise lies in advising companies on their disruptive innovation strategy by developing use cases and competencies in AI related technologies.
Valerie brings over 12 years of experience in disruptive innovation: first as an entrepreneur; second, in her leadership role in setting up the digital innovation and entrepreneurship program at HEC Paris; and third, in her previous role as the head of innovation at Daman. Currently, she is a General Partner in True Global Ventures VC fund.