BIOGRAPHY

Nick Foster RDI is a designer and futurist based in California. He has worked at the intersection of technology and design within globally recognized organizations including Google, Sony, Nokia, and Dyson, and has established himself as a pioneering figure in the field of Futures Design. In 2021, he was awarded the title ‘Royal Designer for Industry' in recognition of his significant contributions to this field – the highest accolade for a British Designer.

Most recently he served as the Head of Design at Google X, where he led a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, strategists and designers in the development of world changing technology projects. Nick is known for his approachable, down-to-earth and occasionally irreverent vision work, which explores everyday moments from emergent futures. For over a decade he was a partner at The Near Future Laboratory, the seminal futures collective which developed the practice of Design Fiction, and published 'The Manual of Design Fiction' in 2022.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Nick also accepted an honorary role as Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Art in London, he has acted as advisor to the United Nations Development Program, and he frequently lectures and tutors students at colleges and universities across Europe, Asia and the USA.

Born in Derby, an engineering city renowned for its role in the Industrial Revolution and the development of the jet engine, Nick was twice named 'Young Engineer for Britain' by the British Engineering Council. In 2001, he received his Masters degree from the Royal College of Art, and in 2018, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Nick moved to California in 2012, where he resides with his wife, Jayne

BIOGRAPHY

After globe-trotting across four continents, Harsh is the Chief Creative Officer for MRM New York. While he has been an ad guy for over fifteen years, he fell in love with it when he was 5 years old. According to his folks, mealtime, playtime or just about any time came to a standstill when the commercial breaks came on. He was transfixed. And has been since. With a career that’s spanned across India, Australia, the United Kingdom, and North America, the best agencies, and building the most exciting brands, Harsh continues to be smitten to this day. Maybe that’s what drives him so hard to continue creating magic for major brands such as the United States Postal Service, Reckitt, Motorola, Google, Legoland, New Balance, Diageo, and Ford to name a few.

Harsh has earned several creative awards from major advertising shows across the globe, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Spikes Asia and many more while earning personal recognition from Former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama for his leadership and campaigns he has delivered. He has had the honor to judge shows such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, ADC, and New York Festival to name a few, and also serves on the D&AD Impact Council and has been named as the rising star of Madison Avenue revolutionizing advertising by Business Insider.

Harsh has been lucky enough to build and lead teams of some of the most passionate people to help build global brands. Moving around the world, Harsh goes by the philosophy that the mix of cultures and curiosity to learn more always leads to great ideas and believes in the application of technology to ideas and ideas to technology and that a big idea can make far more than a great ad or an experience.

BIOGRAPHY

I joined ITC in 2007 as Head of Consumer Insights and over the last 15 years I have been lucky to be a part of the organization which grew ten folds to 1.5 Billion Dollar Business. I was instrumental into our forays into multiple food and beverage categories like Snacks, Juices, Chocolates, Noodles and Coffee.

Understanding consumers and their needs has always excited me and the quest has hence been to innovate systems and processes to keep ITC ahead of the curve and create winning solutions for the business. As data and analytics became more important in the area of decision making, I got the opportunity to spread my sphere of contribution. Today we have been able to go beyond the traditional analytical process to adapting the new age practice of machine learning and using artificial intelligence to predict outcomes with higher degree of accuracy.

Having set the practice of analytics, we focused to develop capabilities in the field of Digital Marketing. As a CDMO, I get the opportunity to be at the cusp of strategy, creative thinking, build innovative offers and create capabilities in the organization to be future ready. I feel like being a student 20 years back and even now. Hope to continue in the quest of knowing the new and implementing the best.

BIOGRAPHY

Agile growth leader
Vivek brings rich B2C and B2B marketing, business development and P&L management experience across MNCs and the Singapore public sector.

Prior to joining WWF-Singapore, he was the founding Director of NTUC FairPrice Group’s FPG Media, and Director of Strategic Marketing for FairPrice’s 160 Convenience Retail stores. He developed a $60m P&L blueprint and launched the region’s most sophisticated Omnichannel Retail Media Network, attracting CPG brands, Disney & FoodPanda to FPG Media.

Leading B2C Growth
In his 9 years at the NTUC HQ where he was an Assistant Director-General (ADG), Vivek and his team led annual growth of NTUC Membership at 3-times Singapore's workforce growth rate. Leading all aspects of sales, marketing, customer service, app development, etc, he grew the overall base from 470,000 unique members in 2010, to 970,000 in 2020.

Previously, he was credited with leading revenue growth in Southeast Asia and the Pacific at Shell Oil, including the award-winning launch of new brands such as Shell FuelSave, and the world’s most successful rollout of co-branded Shell-Citibank credit cards in Malaysia, Hong

BIOGRAPHY

As CEO Rebecca is the driving force behind R/GA EMEAs long-term business vision and strategic direction – leading the team in creating innovate brand, experience and communications work for its clients. Under her leadership the agency was awarded Campaign’s Digital Innovation Agency of the Year in 2022 and picked up a Cannes Lions Award for the agency’s work with Nike. During her 19 plus years’ industry experience, Rebecca has spent 10 years at R/GA helping global brands on their transformation journey including Google, Emirates NBD, National Bank of Kuwait, ADQ, Nike and Moncler. 

She has been named as Campaign Digital Agency leader of the Year in 2022, a Top 30 Under 30 leaders to watch in Australia, a ‘Woman to Watch’ by Campaign Asia and recently recognized in the BIMA 100 list. She has also appeared as a regular commentator in the media, contributing to the BBC, Sky News and Campaign Middle East, championing better equity, diversity and inclusion in the industry.

BIOGRAPHY

Michelle Lee is the Vice President of Brand and Communications at Dubai Airports. Michelle has more than 17 years of experience in marketing and joined Dubai Airports in December 2019. 

Prior to her current position, Michelle has held various global marketing and customer experience leadership roles in the aviation, tourism, insurance, automotive and consumer goods industries across local and global enterprises that include Qatar Airways, Aer Lingus, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand and Pepsico. Michelle’s most recent role was Chief Marketing Officer EMEA for MetLife based in Dubai, UAE.

Michelle holds double bachelor’s degrees in Commerce and Arts from the University of Auckland, with majors in Marketing and Psychology. She also attended the University of Virginia School of Business Leadership Program and achieved certifications on Strategy in the Age of Digital Disruption from INSEAD and Implementing Winning Strategies from Columbia Business School Executive Education. 

Active in various international marketing bodies, Michelle has been invited to participate in judging panels of multiple creative and advertising award events within the industry.

BIOGRAPHY

Sven Schulz is Head of Branding & Marketing Communications at Swiss Re, one of the world's leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer. He is responsible for marketing automation & channels as well as for campaign management across all Swiss Re Business Units. Sven also oversees brand positioning, brand architecture, corporate design, corporate campaigns and employer branding.

Sven joined Swiss Re in 2005 having worked in different marketing and communications related positions previously. He was Head of Communications for Reinsurance, for Corporate Solutions and for iptiQ – the InsurTech brand of Swiss Re – being responsible for both marketing and internal communications.

Before joining Swiss Re Sven was working for European Insurance companies where he was responsible for Product Management and Online Marketing. Sven started his career in 1997 after his studies in Business Administration. He is 52 years old, married and father of three children.

BIOGRAPHY

Lisa Chatterton is a driving force behind ground-breaking initiatives at the Fashion Innovation Agency (FIA) at London College of Fashion, using emerging technologies to accelerate the pace of change in the fashion industry. Lisa has spearheaded projects that meld virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence with the art of fashion. With an unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries, Lisa’s team at FIA are empowering fashion brands to create immersive experiences that captivate consumers in unprecedented ways. Lisa has worked with major brands including Microsoft, Disney, Unilever and Arcadia Group, alongside designers such as Preen and JW Anderson.  She has delivered a range of projects that include bringing Mixed Reality to London Fashion Week, launching a virtual art direction tool at the V&A, and a project that Forbes described as "the first example of truly beautiful wearable tech".

BIOGRAPHY

Asmaa Quorrich joined Saudi Tourism Authority as Chief Marketing Officer in April 2022, with a career spanning over 20 years, managing global brands and portfolios for renowned American Fortune 500 companies and independent brands of her own.

Her early career began with Procter & Gamble in the FMCG Space, where she spent three years honing her marketing skills, before assuming full responsibility of the PepsiCo portfolio in Morocco and Algeria, growing it two-fold in less than 2 years. She then moved to Dubai where she completed a decade with PepsiCo, assuming several marketing and commercial leadership roles covering Asia, Africa and Middle East markets.

Asmaa’s passion for brand building and modern marketing, secured her appointment with KFC as Chief Marketing Officer for MENA and Pakistan, where her strategic direction and bias towards data driven performance marketing culminated in the repositioning of KFC’s $1Bn brand in the region, adoption of a new pricing strategy, development of advanced consumer centric innovation processes, a new e-commerce platform and the introduction of Media Econometrics.

BIOGRAPHY

Annie spent most of her 17 years career honing her brand building skills at Procter and Gamble. She spent over a decade specializing in Insights and Analytics before she moved to Brand Management where she led the Pantene business in the MENA region. Annie joined TikTok at the beginning of 2021. She established the Platform Strategy team, responsible for building the TikTok for Business Brand across METAP and then moved on to leading the Business Marketing organization. When she isn't working, Annie spends time with her daughters, Ella and Carlie, who finally think she is cool since she joined TikTok. She is an avid reader but often finds herself quoting the books she reads, which her colleagues politely tolerate

BIOGRAPHY

Dennis Yu is co-author of the #1 best selling book on Amazon in social media, The Definitive Guide to TikTok Ads. He has spent a billion dollars on Facebook ads across his agencies and agencies he advises. Mr. Yu is the "million jobs" guy-- on a mission to create one million jobs via hands-on social media training, partnering with universities and professional organizations. You can find him quoted in major publications and on television such as CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NPR, and LA Times.

Clients have included Nike, Red Bull, the Golden State Warriors, Ashley Furniture, Quiznos-- down to local service businesses like real estate agents and dentists. He's spoken at over 750 conferences in 20 countries, having own over 6 million miles in the last 30 years to train up young adults and business owners.

Dennis has been featured in TechCrunch, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, LA Times, National Public Radio, CNN, Fox News, and CBS Evening News. He held leadership positions at Yahoo! and American Airlines. He ran collegiate cross country at SMU and has competed in over 20 marathons, including a 70-mile ultramarathon.

Claim to fame: Growth marketing guru, author of 'Facebook Nation' - taught in over 700 colleges and universities and the “million jobs” guy, on a mission to create one million jobs via hands-on SEO & social media training

BIOGRAPHY

Mayank is a Director of Product at Reddit Inc in San Francisco leading new product initiatives. He specializes in building zero to one products in growth companies and taking them to new international markets. This includes setting the foundation team, defining the strategy for a new product/business and creating a path to scaling. Previously, he was the head of Facebook/Instagram shops international expansion and head of facebook marketplace new categories (Real Estate and Autos). He was also the first 5 Product Managers at Uber and worked at Ebay and Handy (Marketplace for home services). Along with this, he advises and invests in startups and writes a monthly newsletter on Product Leadership and Strategy

BIOGRAPHY

Josephine Miller is the Creative Director and Co-founder of Oraar Studio, transforming customer experiences by designing innovative solutions for brands. With a speciality in XR and AR, she is a pioneer in discovering new workflows to fuse technology and creativity in unprecedented ways. Josephine has delivered projects for Meta and Snapchat.

BIOGRAPHY

Steve Keller is the Sonic Strategy Director for Studio Resonate, SXM Media’s in-house audio-first creative agency, offering support to brands that advertise on the Pandora, SiriusXM, and Soundcloud platforms. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on sonic strategy and identity, blending art and science into award winning creative content and sonic systems for a variety of global agencies and brands. His research explores the ways music, sound, and voice influence perception and behavior and can be found in the Journal of Advertising Research, Frontiers in Psychology, WARC, Music and Medicine, Journal of Multisensory Research, Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, and Journal of Food Quality and Preference.

BIOGRAPHY

“Artist, globe trotting speaker and market seeker, Shingy is a storyteller who identifies emerging trends, and inspires clients to think differently.” - Forbes

David Shing (known as “Shingy”) is an Australian futurist, speaker, creative director, strategic digital consultant, and entrepreneur. Known as the Digital Prophet, Shingy is a multidimensional creative who excels in guiding clients to their highest creative expression and brand value optimization through inventive, effective, and sustainable engagement of the emerging technological landscape. He is passionate about educating big brands about the unique opportunities afforded by emerging digital, social, and mobile technologies.

Shing has spent most of his adult life in the digital world working for both large and small creative companies globally, while also co-authoring several technology related patents. He previously served as Verizon Media's digital prophet, and prior to that, AOL’s European head of media and marketing responsible for 11 countries.

BIOGRAPHY

James Basnett is an expert in using AI to build immersive commerce and retail metaverse platforms. James is the CEO and Co-founder of Shape Immersive, an award-winning 3D studio focused on virtual commerce, digital twins and developing metaverse platforms for brands including Sephora, Red Bull and the Olympics. Prior to Shape, James was the Chief Strategy Officer at Momentus, an innovation lab focused on the future of eCommerce and media for companies including Lululemon, Verizon, Reddit, and Shell. Momentus was acquired by Cognizant, where James advised C-suite executives on web3 technologies. James speaks regularly on generative AI and metaverse technologies at conferences including SXSW, Retail Innovation Lounge, AWE, the VRAR Global Summit and the All Things Metaverse conference.

BIOGRAPHY

A classically trained musician, electronics engineer and wellness coach, Jay is GM’s Principal Sound Design Architect. Jay emigrated from Mumbai to New York City in 2008 to pursue a master’s degree in music technology at NYU, which led him to working stints in the studio for sound design and recording arts.  At GM, Jay creates advanced sound design and works with a team of engineers to bring them from concept to production electric vehicles. His work also expands to working on advanced technology, creating patents and coming up with the aural sound strategy for GM brands. Music and wellness are among Jay’s greatest passions. Outside of work, Jay practices sound healing therapy and is a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra board of trustees. Jay recently got appointed on the Board of Trustee for Save the Music Foundation.

BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Amina Taher has over 15 years’ experience in Brand and Marketing, both internationally and in the UAE. With a genuine passion for business, branding, communications and culture, Amina is highly revered in the Middle East.

As Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Sponsorships, Amina leads the overall brand and Marketing strategy for Etihad Aviation Group and manages cross-industry strategic partnerships. Amina is also responsible for shaping and advancing Etihad’s brand message; developing a clear and consistent narrative across all physical and digital touchpoints – from etihad.com to social media channels – to drive awareness, excitement and advocacy.

Before joining Etihad, Amina held Marketing and Communication roles at two of the UAE’s leading investment firms - as Executive Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Zabeel Investments, and later Head of Social Development and Sponsorship at Mubadala Investments Company.

With Master's degree from Harvard University and London Business School, Amina is the only female on Etihad Aviation Group’s Executive Leadership team and is an elected member on a number of cross-industry boards. Providing strategic counsel to help drive greater awareness of their vision and deliver on their mandate, she is a Strategy Board member of the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA), and an Independent Director of DXB Entertainments PJSC – leaders in curating unique and innovative entertainment experiences in the Middle East.

Most recently, Amina joined the UAE board of The Marketing Society as the Abu Dhabi hub lead. The Marketing Society is an influential membership network of more than 2,000 senior marketers across seven international hubs, dedicated to empowering brave marketing leadership. Until 2014, Amina was also a Board member of the UAE Tennis Federation.

A recipient of numerous accolades, Amina was voted Forbes Power Businesswoman in The Middle East in 2020, and also featured in Forbes 50 impactful Marketing and Communications Professionals in the Middle East.

An active supporter of the Tarahum Charity Foundation, she is also well known for her Philanthropic work, providing humanitarian support for those in need and developing a mentoring programme for young women in the Middle East.

Some of Amina’s career highlights include mentoring UAE national entrepreneurs, supporting the Year of Giving and Dubai Cares charity initiatives, and speaking at women and leadership conferences across the globe. Amina also founded an organic food company for schools, which aims to transform eating habits in the UAE.

BIOGRAPHY

Charli Cohen is the founder of RSTLSS and has been dressing the multiverse since 2013, taking physical fashion into digital and in-game experiences, working with everyone from Ubisoft, to Pokémon, to Reebok. Pioneering the Technical Fashion category and listing Forbes 30 Under 30, Charli has built a reputation as an expert at the intersection of fashion and tech.

BIOGRAPHY

Moti Levy is the CEO of DeviantArt, the world’s largest art community with over 76 million registered users and hosting over 500 million pieces of art.

After the Wix acquisition of DeviantArt in 2017, Moti joined as a Wix executive, initially as COO of DeviantArt, and later  assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to joining DeviantArt, as a tech entrepreneur, Moti co-founded Mobilibuy, a venture that aimed to revolutionize the retail world with a virtual storefront based on image recognition technologies. He also held various leadership roles in fortune 100 companies managing retail and eCommerce divisions.

Moti holds an MBA in strategic management from the Wharton School and a Bsc. in engineering from the Technion — Israel's institute of technology.

BIOGRAPHY

Khaled has over 17 years of service in Tetra Pak and more than 27 years’ experience, which started in advertising and then continued in international sales, marketing and branding in FMCG (B2C) and Food Packaging Industries (B2B), including Tetra Pak and The Coca-Cola Company. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Concordia University - Canada. He also completed several executive programmes in leadership and management at Ashridge - UK, IMD - Switzerland and Harvard Business School - USA.

Khaled is a serial investor in several start-ups, the Chairman and Board Member of the Marketing Society Middle East, a published author and a regular speaker at International events and conferences around the world.

BIOGRAPHY

Internationally bestselling author and founder and CEO of the worlds most ‘free’ advertising agency, Freedm

BIOGRAPHY

Sophie is an experienced business leader, entrepreneur, marketer and bestselling author who has worked in and with multinational companies, successful start-ups and agencies. An ‘acceleration addict’ she is constantly curious about how to speed up success.

Her book on leadership ‘Superfast: Lead at Speed’ was published by John Murray Press and was shortlisted for Business Book of the Year as well as getting to a no.1 spot on Amazon.

Sophie is an acclaimed keynote speaker, talking to organisations and at events regularly. Her highly creative and commercial approach comes from a career which began with classic management training at Procter & Gamble and then Coca-Cola. She later moved agency-side with Leo Burnett in the Middle East and Interbrand in London.

She has personal experience of being a successful entrepreneur, setting up her own award-winning e-commerce business in the middle of the recession which she sold before running a luxury gifts business. Her most recent role has been as CEO of The Caffeine Partnership, a unique business consultancy which helps leaders to work with purpose and pace, where she has worked with impatient business leaders across the world.

In July 2020 Sophie became the new CEO of The Marketing Society, a global community of senior marketers whose purpose is to empower brave leaders.

BIOGRAPHY

Lara Acosta is a personal brand strategist and entrepreneur born in Mexico and currently based in the United Kingdom. Her clear, simple and empowering approach has taken the world of LinkedIn by storm - helping personal brands unleash their true potential online. In her 12 months of being a LinkedIn content creator and entrepreneur, she's been featured on Forbes for her expertise. She was ranked #1 woman (2023) for personal branding and marketing worldwide by Favikon, and has been recognized as one of the top 10 LinkedIn influencers to follow in 2023 by Girls In Marketing + various social media posts. Alongside content creation, her agency LA Digital focuses on helping personal brands to go from boring to attractive through the use of copywriting and storytelling. Working with Fortune 500 companies as well as over 100+ Founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs from various industries and niches LA Digital is growing and aims to become a disruptive marketing agency in the future. A powerful podcast and keynote speaker, Lara has become the go-to source for marketing, personal branding and lifestyle advice in her community, sharing everything she wishes she knew a year ago to help her followers level up and reach their full potential.

BIOGRAPHY

Wajeeha Al-Husseini currently oversees branding, advertising, and corporate communication of one of Jordan’s leading telecom operators. Under Wajeeha’s leadership, Umniah was able to execute and deliver many successful marketing and communication campaigns, the latest of which is the launch of Umniah’s sustainability program.

A dynamic and driven leader with over 25 years of extensive knowledge in branding, advertising and corporate communication marketing coupled with a creative mindset for developing branding campaigns and product launches. Wajeeha also has a solid history of campaign successes, with a proven track record in directing corporate branding development and safeguarding corporate reputations, enhancing brand health as well as developing effective communication campaigns

 In addition to mastering her career and delivering quality campaigns and branding concepts, Wajeeha is a proud mother of two and an avid sports enthusiast and player.

BIOGRAPHY

Mehdi Moutaoukil is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of L’Oréal Middle East. He comes with 14 years of marketing experience in the personal care, beauty and telecommunications industry.

As the CMO, Mehdi leads all aspects of L’Oréal’s marketing efforts in the GCC, including business strategy, digital, e-commerce, and market intelligence and consumer insights.

Mehdi brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his previous role as the Head of Marketing and Sales Director at Beiersdorf Middle East and North Africa, as well as his role as Senior Marketing Manager at French multinational telecommunications corporation, Orange.

He has served in a number of marketing and sales roles throughout his career, where he successfully launched several award-winning communications campaigns and digital platforms. He played an instrumental role in transforming the NIVEA face care business in the MENA region, implemented executive turnaround plans and established the very first Youth Marketing Strategy at Orange.

Mehdi holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from IAE de Toulon France and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from ENCG Tanger. He has lived and worked in several countries in Europe and the Middle East region including France, Morocco and the UAE.

BIOGRAPHY

Ramzi Moutran has worked in the creative, advertising and communication industry for over 25 years, developing world-famous ideas and campaigns for many of the best brands in the world. In 2014 Ramzi was crowned the number one Creative Director worldwide by the The One Show and his office at the time Memac Ogilvy Dubai the 13th most awarded office. In 2018 Ramzi decided to leave the corporate world to found Do Epic Sh*t; a virtual boutique creative agency, content-creation and production agency.

Having survived the questionable decision by most to rid the bricks, mortar and pool tables in exchange for remote working, alongside the pressures of a start-up during covid, Ramzi is now seen by most as the ‘father of virtual agencies’.

Amongst many of his talents, Ramzi has been honoured to jury at D&AD, Cannes Lions, Clio, LIA and was jury chairman at PIAF. He has also been lucky to have won almost every major award there is from D&AD to Cannes. Most notable of these awards was winning the first ever Titanium Lion and the first Effectiveness Lion in the Middle East.

BIOGRAPHY

As Global Chief Technology Officer, Nick leads R/GA’s Technology capability across the agency’s global network. In this connected age, Technology is a critical element of R/GA’s work with clients, infused into business consulting and transformation strategy, product and service development, and communications and campaigns. Nick oversees a global staff of developers and technologists, and works closely with clients such as Samsung, Nike, Beats by Dre, and Google as well as early stage and emerging startups to anticipate and strategically integrate advances in technology.

In his nearly 10 years at R/GA, Nick was deeply involved in the Nike and R/GA partnership that resulted in many breakthrough products such as NIKEiD and the Nike+ platform. Nick cofounded the R/GA Accelerator program and built the Technology capability for R/GA in Europe. Nick’s work has been recognized by the industry with many of its most esteemed awards, including the Cannes Integrated Titanium, the D&AD Black Pencil, International Andy Gold, One Show awards, and Adweek’s Campaign of the Decade. Prior to joining R/GA, Nick developed systems for managing Internet-connected hardware at a startup in San Francisco, and early web applications for clients at digital agencies in San Francisco and New York City.

BIOGRAPHY

Ray Son, CSO at IGAWorks, the first unicorn company in the data sector of South Korea. He has since developed the company into Korea's leading data-tech firm, which boasts an unrivaled data business based on actionable data & SaaS platforms. IGAWorks offers a comprehensive marketing cloud ecosystem.

BIOGRAPHY

Uptin is a video journalist, content creator and CEO based between Dubai and Los Angeles.  Today, he makes videos for YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram about Tech, Money & Cultures to his combined audience of 3 million followers.

He’s reported in the past for MTV News in New York and CNBC International across the U.S, Europe and Asia, primarily covering business, tech, and more.
He’s lived and worked in New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Now Uptin has his own company based in Dubai called UP10Media (up10.co) where they make high-impactful videos for their clients for social media, email marketing, websites and more.

- Coaching clients including C-Suite Executives and startups including Agoda, Draper Startup House, The Great Room, Bud Communications, Engage3, and more.
- Reported for MTV News and CNBC across live television and digital platforms.
- Uptin has interviewed hundreds of executives and experts across various platforms, including television, CNBC.com and for digital videos.
- Hosted and produced videos amassing more than 100 Million views across YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram & more.
- Hosted three half-hour documentary specials which aired globally on CNBC and played in-flight entertainment on United Airlines, American Airlines, Emirates, Qatar, Lufthansa, and Cathay Pacific.
- Interviewed Serena Williams, Gary Vaynerchuk, Bill Nye, Piyush Gupta (DBS CEO), Wang Xiang (Xiaomi President/Acting CFO), Craig Smith (Marriott International Asia CEO), Taavi Roivas (Estonia's Former Prime Minister), Jason Calacanis (Angel Investor), Changpeng Zhao (Binance CEO).
- Graduate of The George Washington University, with Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, International Business, and minor in Communications.

BIOGRAPHY

Marwa Kaabour is a CMO-level executive and an international best-selling author with 25+ years’ experience in establishing and leading strategic marketing communications for global and regional brands in the Middle East. Among her achievements is establishing marketing and communication functions from scratch for companies and government entities. In addition to her strategic ‘from scratch’ capabilities, developing core functions for large and portfolio businesses, leading cross-functional teams, and creating harmony and efficiencies in both marketing and comms — as well as contributing to organizational transformation.

Marwa is a diverse expert with specializations such as business transformation and digitization, strategic marketing, sustainability, branding, public relations, brand management, corporate communications and executive profiling. Her core expertise lies in elevating strategic management, creation and launch of B2C, B2G and B2B brands, media relations, corporate communication, change management, and growth marketing.

Marwa started her career with award-winning international agencies like Leo Burnett and Impact BBDO. She then moved to the client side, bringing agency-level expertise into solo-firm marketing and communication. Her experience spans multiple industries, including energy, manufacturing, automotive, airlines, banking, FMCGs, F&B, construction and retail businesses. This versatile background has led her to contribute to a broad spectrum of global and regional brands such as Nissan, Infiniti, Renault, Volvo Penta, MTU, Nestle, Emirates Airline, Pizza Hut and entities that fall under the Government of Abu Dhabi such Al Hilal Bank.

Marwa was named Campaign’s Middle East 2021 Marketing Game Changer and was selected as one of LinkedIn’s Most Engaged Marketers in 2014. She was also selected to be the UAE’s ‘Highly Commended Female Marketing Leader’ by Women in Marketing Institution in London in 2018. Marwa was named “Best CMO in UAE” by the Digital Stallions Community and winner of Al Masaood’s ‘Best Leader Award’ and ‘ Best Support Department Award’. Marwa frequently lectures on the topic of Marketing, CSR and Communication at Abu Dhabi Universities. She is part of the Advisory Committee for the Abu Dhabi School of Management. She is consistently recognized for exemplary management performance in leading marketing campaigns, driving innovative strategy, and establishing procedures to increase enterprise-wide efficiency.

Marwa, an advocate of women empowerment, health and financial literacy, Marwa often blogs about the topics of CSR and brand’s higher purpose. She is a member of the Marketing Society, UAE Chapter, frequently publishes articles. She holds an MBA from the American University of Sharjah and Bachelor of Marketing and Management (with honors) from the same university. She is a Certified Sustainability Marketer, with an accreditation from the Center for Sustainability Excellence and a Certified Digital Marketer from the Institute of Digital Marketing in Ireland. Marwa is a frequent lecturer at Abu Dhabi University on the topics of communications and CSR.

Currently Marwa is the Group Head of Marketing and Communication for Al Masaood Group, Abu Dhabi’s largest family-owned business conglomerate. She was selected as the Best Leader in the Group in 2019 and 2020. For media enquiries, contact her at marwa@marwakaabour.com.

BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Sonali Krishna is well-known as India's ace journalist and is the editor & face of ET NOW's flagship feature show ‘Brand Equity’. Since joining the Economic times' team in 2006, she has evolved into one of the most respected Business Editors/ TV anchors in the media business. In addition to her editorial and anchoring responsibilities, she is also actively involved in creation & curation of the network's IP offerings.

Her expertise in the industry has enabled her to consistently break high-impact stories on. A stalwart at anchoring and engaging in live interviews with prominent personalities has gained her viewers' applaud for bringing a human side to stories and proven that she genuinely cares for their entrepreneurship & business development. Sonali is also ET NOW’s key interviewers and conducts a lot of business interviews on the channel. Sonali's core strengths pivot around analysing and deciphering the biggest trends not just in the country, but globally too. Sonali was brought in from The Economic Times, India’s leading business daily as part
of the launch team of ET NOW, thirteen years ago.

BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Mohammed has 30 years of experience across global Top 100 ranked multi-nationals. Following a strong grounding in Finance, Mohammed became a dedicated marketer, developing his skills in strategy, research, planning, partnerships, product, brand and digital.

He’s a strong believer in marketing led business that drives value to the bottom line, bringing this philosophy to extensive senior tenures at Citibank, Procter & Gamble, HSBC and Visa. He was the executive sponsor for the Mental Health and Wellness plus Women’s Leadership Networks at Visa, both areas he still passionately champions.

BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Alex is an experienced customer research professional who applies his Experimental Social Psychology background and his passion for research, design, and innovation to solving important customer and business problems. His professional goal is to help teams create remarkable products and services which make people's lives easier and more enjoyable.

Currently Alex is leading Marketing Insights and Customer Research for the Zappos Family of Companies.  In previous positions, he was responsible for research and usability of the products and services for companies like TurboTax (Intuit), State Farm Insurance, and the Active Network.   Alex has a PhD in Experimental Social Psychology and over 25 years of relevant experience – 5 years of academic research and over 20 years of customer research in the software industry.    

Alex’s areas of expertese include: defining and measuring emotions, the psychology of individual differences, usability, market research and consumer segmentation, customer experience research and strategy.

BIOGRAPHY

Kavin Kumar, as CTO and Co-founder of Oraar Studio, is devoted to turning innovative concepts into reality through strategic collaborations with leading brands. Having launched his career in Social XR in 2018 and with over 200 Social AR campaigns to his credit, he has successfully crafted engaging experiences for industry leaders such as Zara, Tesco, HBO, Meta, and Universal Music.

BIOGRAPHY

David has been involved in Customer Experience for 35 years, first as a milkman, and then as a postman (eventually as the Executive Lead on experience in both these organizations).

In Royal Mail David led the development of the specification for Customer Experience delivery to ensure an integrated experience across 250k colleagues.

Until its successful sale (to IHS a Global Leader in data services), David was founder and CEO of Mulberry Consulting, the largest Global boutique Customer Experience Consulting business. David led the business for over 12 years, taking it from start-up to a global player with a Fortune 500 client base.

As both a practitioner and consultant, David has unique insights on how to equip and empower the leaders of household brands to make their customer and colleague experience real, every day.

He has worked globally with over 300 organizations in telecommunications, finance, retail, logistics, travel & hospitality, auto, publishing and technology.

David has coached Senior Leaders of global companies on Customer Experience from UPS to the UK Police.

David regularly speaks on Customer Experience (in 17 countries across 2018/19), telling a unique practical story of customer experience transformation, from both a practitioner and advisors perspective and sharing details of proven practices.

David is President of TribeCX, also Chairman XMCoach and TMD, a North American marketing communications company leveraging customer experience based in Canada.

Recently described as “one of the 10 most influential voices in the field of Experience Management”.

BIOGRAPHY

Dena Almansoori is the Group Chief Human Resources Officer at e&, formerly Etisalat Group, the region’s leading telecommunications, technology, and investment conglomerate.

With over 20 years of experience spearheading disruptive HR strategies across multiple industries and continents, Dena uses her global perspective and understanding of various cultures to drive talent initiatives across the group.

She is dedicated to enhancing the employee experience, turning productivity into profitability, and driving large-scale organisational change by implementing innovative talent strategies and technologies.

She previously held the Chief Human Resources Officer position at the Central Bank of the UAE. She holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde and a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and Finance from Boston University. She has completed an Artificial Intelligence programme at MIT.

Dena is also the CEO and founder of WhiteBox HR - an HR Tech company born out of her insatiable passion for data, organisational behaviour, and AI technologies to make informed decisions on talent acquisition, engagement, and retention.

BIOGRAPHY

Alexander Wodrich founded audio branding agency why do birds in 2010. Located in Berlin, the agency employs 30 people working in music production, brand consulting, software production, graphic and motion design. Its clients include such brands as Siemens, Hyundai, German Rail and Gore-Tex. why do birds is considered one of the most creative and awarded audio branding agencies worldwide. Alexander has a degree in business and has been a musician for most of his life.

Awards
17 x Transform Awards, incl. 9 x Gold
15 x Red Dot Award, incl. 5 x Best of the Best
12 x International Sound Award, incl. 3 x Grand Prix
+ Cannes Lions, LIA, Clio etc.

BIOGRAPHY

Anja is a seasoned marketer with over 17 years of experience in the advertising industry. Her expertise lies in digital marketing, content marketing, social media, and advertising. Anja has made history as the first female Marketing Director of Volkswagen Middle East, where she is responsible for developing and executing the brand’s marketing strategy. She is dedicated to ensuring that Volkswagen’s brand message resonates with the target customer segment in the region. Anja leads multidisciplinary agencies to drive communication, branding, and social media strategies for the brand. Her areas of specialization include digital marketing & campaigns, brand activations, loyalty and experience, consumer behavior, market trends, cross-channel/omnichannel customer engagement, and sales. With her experience and expertise, Anja is committed to driving Volkswagen’s success in the Middle East.

BIOGRAPHY

Jamie is a strategist, advisor, serial businessman, and investor.  He is a technology native who’s created and built several companies in the last 20 years in the UK and Middle East in various sectors including marketing, gaming, telecommunications, management consulting, HR, online education, and tech. Jamie’s youngest son, Rocco, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes aged 2 and in support of the search for a cure, Jamie is climbing the 7 Summits – the highest mountains on each continent, ending with the small task of Mount Everest.

BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Nick Walsh is the CEO of VMLY&R MENA, leading a network of offices from Dubai. He was chosen to lead the group following the integration of VMLY&R, VMLY&R COMMERCE, Group Partnership and GTB, forming the region’s largest fully connected brands agency.

Nick encapsulates the modern breed of CEO, empowering a broad leadership and enabling the growth of a fully integrated agency that builds connected brands.

Prior to this role, Nick was the founding leader of Geometry MENA, overseeing the migration of G2 and OgilvyAction. Under Nick’s leadership, Geometry experienced unprecedented growth and recognition. He was also recognized as one of the most influential and powerful advertising and media leaders 2022 with Communicate Magazine – part of AdAge.

Geometry MENA was crowned the number one creative agency in the Geometry Global network for four years in a row, winning awards at every major international show.

Having worked with WPP and the Ogilvy group in London and Dubai for over 15 years, he has seen rapid progression, becoming one of the youngest leaders in the global network. He is a pioneer in the brand and customer experience space and regular writer and speaker on connected brands, commerce, and experiential.

Nick’s client management experience spans a spectrum of sectors including FMCG, Pharma, Government, Automotive, Tech, Banking, Travel and Tourism, and Telco.

He is personally exhilarated by the diversity that Dubai offers. He lives in the Emirate with his wife and three young children and is proud to call the UAE home.

BIOGRAPHY

Cdr Abhilash Tomy, a Naval Academy alumnus, is a maritime reconnaissance pilot with a passion for sailing.

In 2012-13, Abhilash achieved the remarkable feat of completing a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the earth under sail, becoming the first Indian and second Asian to do so. He spent 151 days sailing over 23,000 nautical miles through treacherous oceans. He was accorded a ceremonial reception by the President of India upon his return.

In 2018, Abhilash participated in the Golden Globe Race, a single-handed, non-stop race using 1968 technology. However, he had to be rescued after suffering multiple spine fractures during a storm in the south Indian Ocean.

Undeterred, Abhilash returned to the Golden Globe Race in 2022 aboard SV Bayanat and finished second after 236 days of non-stop racing. He became the only Asian skipper to achieve a podium finish in any format of round the world race.

Sailing

(a) Single-handed, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation of the earth under sail. The first Indian and second Asian to do so.
(b) Took part in the Golden Globe Race 2018
(c) 2nd position, Golden Globe Race 2022
(d) 100,000 nautical miles of ocean sailing experience.
(e) Took part in Cape2Rio 2011 (trans-Atlantic race onboard INSV Mhadei), Copa del Rey 2014 (Dr Senis, crew), Korea Cup 2014 and 15 (winning skipper on Edelweiss and crew on Youth of Great Korea respectively)
(f) Yacht services manager, Volvo Ocean Race 2008
(g) Bronze in Enterprise Class, Senior Indian Nationals 2015

Awards and Recognitions

(a) Kirti Chakra 2013 (Second highest peacetime gallantry award, India)
(b) Nau Sena Medal 2019 (Navy Medal, India)
(c) Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2012
(d) Mac Gregor Medal for Military Reconnaissance – 2013
(e) Doctor of Philosophy (h.c.)
(f) YAI Offshore Sailor– 2009, 2013, 2019
(j) Chief of Naval Staff Commendation – 2009

Author

(a) Author of “151 Solitary Days at Sea, Sailing Around the World” (English)
(b) Author of “Kadal Ottakku Kshanichappol” (Malayalam)
(c) Author of “Journey to the Edge of the World” (English)

Links

(a) Wikipedia
(b) India Today South Conclave
(c) Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2019
(d) TEDx Gateway
(e) https://youtu.be/Aimd6ZOY3m0
(f) https://kaypius.com

BIOGRAPHY

"Vikram is the Co-Founder of Sacred Groves, a Community Interest Company that protects forests and natural habitats from destruction all over the world. He is inspired by the principles of ‘inter-generational equity’ and is driven by his passion for taking immediate action to leave behind a flourishing planet for future generations.

In his 28-year corporate career he has earned his spurs at Emirates NBD, HSBC and Citi, delivering award winning Marketing, transforming Customer Experience, driving Sales, merging Brands and delivering Sustainable business growth.

Being a long-distance runner, he is all set for the long haul in protecting natural habitats for posterity."

BIOGRAPHY

Arun Iyer stands as a dynamic force in the world of marketing and creativity, proudly serving as the Co-Founder and Partner of Spring Marketing Capital. One-of-a-kind skin-in-the-game creative consulting firm with an investment arm. His journey through the realms of advertising and brand innovation has been marked by exceptional achievements, reflective of his visionary leadership and creative brilliance.

Before his venture into Spring Marketing Capital, Arun Iyer held the esteemed position of Chief Creative Officer and Chairman at Lowe Lintas, a preeminent advertising agency in India. This role catapulted him into the vanguard of the industry, positioning him as one of the youngest leaders to helm a major agency. His inclusion in the prestigious Economic Times 40 under 40 leaders list further illuminated such distinction, a testament to his profound influence and exceptional achievements. Under his watch, the agency went to win major accolades including the most effective agency in the world.

Arun has indelibly shaped the trajectories of numerous brands within India's dynamic market landscape. His expertise spans a diverse spectrum, ranging from fledgling startups to sprawling multinational conglomerates, encapsulating his ability to transcend industry boundaries. Every engagement undertaken by Arun has been marked by a transformative creative vision, redefining brand narratives and resonating deeply with audiences.

Arun is super inspired by the founders they work with at Spring, who treat each day – irrespective of past accomplishments – as if it were their first. And fear that it could be their last.