Meet the Speakers
Kenneth Brincat
CEO Malta Digital Innovation AuthorityKenneth Brincat
CEOAbout the speaker
Charles Mizzi
CEO Malta Gaming AuthorityCharles Mizzi
CEOAbout the speaker
Charles Mizzi is the Chief Executive Officer at the Malta Gaming Authority. He joined the MGA following a five-year tenure at the helm of the Residency Malta Agency. During his time there, he led the organisation towards its goal of ensuring that Malta is one of the most reputable and desirable residencies by investment jurisdictions. He has extensive experience in operations management and a background in marketing, communications and national-level event management. He holds an MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Henley Business School and is a dynamic and results-driven professional.
Mark Blandford
Partner Burlywood CapitalMark Blandford
PartnerAbout the speaker
Mark is a founding partner of Burlywood Capital LLP, a new digital Pay2Play investor and advisor. Burlywood invests in companies in the digital Pay2Play entertainment industry; the fastest growing segment in the $0.8 trillion global media and entertainment industry. Highly driven serial entrepreneur. Moved into investment, specialising in development capital.
Dr Sara Al Madani
The Emirati EntrepreneurDr Sara Al Madani
The Emirati EntrepreneurAbout the speaker
Sara Al Madani is also called "Dr." Sara Al Madani, owns a restaurant, is a fashion designer, a tech-preneur, and an entrepreneur. She got the idea to start her own business when she was 15 years old. They chose her because of her success as a young businesswoman and entrepreneur. Sara was asked to encourage women in the UAE to be more active and confident in order to be successful in business. Sara is a well-known speaker at many universities, colleges, and institutes. She is known for her creativity and hard work. Sara Al Madani started speaking in public and gave keynote speeches at more than 182 events from 2016 to 2018. She was recently on the first season of the reality TV show "Real Housewives of Dubai." On June 1, 2022, her show started.
Mark Van Weeren
Attorney-at-law Blenheim LawyersMark Van Weeren
Attorney-at-lawAbout the speaker
Mark van Weeren is a business lawyer in Amsterdam. He helps out companies and investors on licences, regulatory compliance and procedures in the Netherlands. Especially financial and crypto service licences. He represents clients in the Dutch licence procedures and those who’s licences are being challenged by competitors, authorities and other parties. He regular challenges public law enforcement by Dutch Authorities in case of a penalty, withdrawal of permits or coercive action. He is also the author of a book on Business Licences in the Netherlands.
Giusy Campo
Business Development Manager GLI GaminglabsGiusy Campo
Business Development ManagerAbout the speaker
Keith Marshall
Chief Philanthropy Officer SiGMA FoundationKeith Marshall
Chief Philanthropy OfficerAbout the speaker
Keith is known around the island as an energetic, fun-loving, fund-raising force of nature! A Pharmacist by profession, helping others is in his blood and this is reflected in his many successful philanthropic ventures - including his personal “Kilimanjaro Challenge” pet project, which raised an eye-watering €1million towards various causes in Ethiopia and Kenya. He can usually be found halfway up a coastline trek, or handing over a giant cheque to a charity or, when he is able, getting his hands dirty in a small village building something useful for the community. In his own words: “It is their right and our duty.
Luke Todd
CEO, Executive Coach & Trainer MadeYouLuke Todd
CEO, Executive Coach & TrainerAbout the speaker
Stefan Sluijter
Global Co-Head EM GroupStefan Sluijter
Global Co-HeadAbout the speaker
Stefan’s responsibilities as Global Co-Head of EM Group include developing new markets and services, establishing new partnerships globally and running smooth and efficient global operations.
Emma Blaylock
CEO Pretty TechnicalEmma Blaylock
CEOAbout the speaker
Emma is an experienced business strategist and technology commercialist, having practised formal management consultancy at Deloitte and strategic investments, acquisitions and cross-group business development at Sony’s Corporate Development and M&A group. At Amazon, she delivered strategic initiatives to launch and grow Kindle in the UK and other European markets. Emma holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago.
Shaun Choudhary
Partner LongOn CapitalShaun Choudhary
PartnerAbout the speaker
Ayelet Mamo Shay
Director Benefit Business SolutionsAyelet Mamo Shay
DirectorAbout the speaker
Mark Balestra
US Special Counsel SegevMark Balestra
US Special CounselAbout the speaker
Damu Winston
Global Head Web 3 Innovation Amazon Web ServicesDamu Winston
Global Head Web 3 InnovationAbout the speaker
Steven Armstrong
Founder FRL Compliance SolutionsSteven Armstrong
FounderAbout the speaker
Graziella Grech
COO FinanceMaltaGraziella Grech
COOAbout the speaker
Ulrik Bengtsson
Chair HostelworldUlrik Bengtsson
ChairAbout the speaker
Ulrik Bengtsson has spent the last 20+ years in consumer platform businesses, across industries such as; Broadcasting, Betting & Gaming and Telecom. Most notably Ulrik was the CEO of William Hill, resulting in the £ 2.9bn acquisition by Caesars and subsequent carve-out sale to 888 in 2022. Before that he was the CEO of Global Betting and Gaming operator Betsson. Ulrik also spent seven years with broadcasting company Modern Times Group (MTG) first as CEO for the Swedish broadcasting business, Viasat, and later as CEO for the Emerging Markets Pay-Tv business. More recently Ulrik held the roles as COO and CCO for British telco giant ViginmediaO2 Currently Ulrik is the Chair of two-sided travel market place Hostelworld as well as Chair of Affiliate company Raketech and Slot Operator Gamenation. He is also working as advisor and investor in early stage Betting and Gaming related companies.
Giovanni Falzone
CEO The Power PluginGiovanni Falzone
CEOAbout the speaker
Carlos Sánchez
CEO TipsterChatCarlos Sánchez
CEOAbout the speaker
Eli Desatnik
Co-Founder Pushub.netEli Desatnik
Co-FounderAbout the speaker
Bill Gantz
Partner Duane MorrisBill Gantz
PartnerAbout the speaker
William M. Gantz is a versatile lead trial lawyer with nationwide experience representing gaming, technology and manufacturing clients in intellectual property and commercial litigation, including patent infringement, trade secret, consumer class action and appeals. Bill is a Team Lead of the firm's Gaming Industry Group. Bill is a well-known speaker and authority on gaming law in the US. Since 2002, he has represented internet and mobile gaming clients in patent infringement litigation and inter parts review of US patents. Bill has extensive experience defending gaming industry clients facing consumer class actions and collective arbitration claims asserting rights to recover revenues under gambling loss recovery and consumer fraud statutes. Bill also regularly advises gaming clients regarding state and federal gambling law, provides legal opinions supporting operations, and gives counsel on licensing and regulatory compliance matters. Bill focuses on supporting digital entertainment businesses and start-ups offering igaming, pay-to-play or "freemium" games, fantasy sports, esports, sports betting, skill games, sweepstakes, retail product promotions and lottery tickets. His gaming clients include those utilizing cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, ICO's and tokens. His pro bono work regularly involves assisting charitable organizations with events or fundraising involving games, contests or raffles.
Hayley Joseph
Director of Operations Africa WA.TechnologyHayley Joseph
Director of Operations AfricaAbout the speaker
Rachel Decelis
Associate Director & ESG lead, Advisory Services KPMG MaltaRachel Decelis
Associate Director & ESG lead, Advisory ServicesAbout the speaker
Russell Mifsud
Director, Gaming Lead & Global SME KPMG MaltaRussell Mifsud
Director, Gaming Lead & Global SMEAbout the speaker
Robert Duboff
Director Velo PartnersRobert Duboff
DirectorAbout the speaker
Pavel Yurovitskiy
CEO KIT GlobalPavel Yurovitskiy
CEOAbout the speaker
Mona Motwani
Founding Venture Partner Ixia CapitalMona Motwani
Founding Venture PartnerAbout the speaker
Eran Shay
Managing Director Benefit Business SolutionsEran Shay
Managing DirectorAbout the speaker
Natalia Mallia
Senior AI Engineer Axon ParkNatalia Mallia
Senior AI EngineerAbout the speaker
I am a Senior Machine Learning Engineer with a focus on AI and Data Science, particularly in Generative AI. I have a Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence, where I concentrated on machine learning and neural networks. I stay current with the latest AI trends by engaging with the AI community, attending conferences, and experimenting with new techniques in personal projects. My combination of formal education and a passion for continuous learning helps me leverage Generative AI's capabilities, especially in the field of educational technology.
Torben Friis
Managing Director Match Liquidity DMCCTorben Friis
Managing DirectorAbout the speaker
Anton Golub
Venture Partner Full Stack VCAnton Golub
Venture PartnerAbout the speaker
Anton Golub is a Venture Partner at Full Stack VC and a strategic advisor to Pazar and SwissAssetDAO. Anton is a founder of flovtec, a Swiss market-maker, Trust Square AG, a pre-eminent blockchain hub located in Zurich, and Lykke Corp, a crypto exchange.
Cal Evans
Managing Associate Gresham InternationalCal Evans
Managing AssociateAbout the speaker
Tejinder Kumar
Group CCO KyrrexTejinder Kumar
Group CCOAbout the speaker
Tejinder Kumar is highly experienced and technically minded senior manager with over 17 years of experience in sales, fintech and online trading industry with a proven track record of building, scaling and managing high performing retail and institutional teams for traditional finance and crypto start ups. Deep understanding of the trading industry, worked in FX, CFDs and Equities sector with a strong interest in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, CEX, DEX, DeFi, various blockchain platforms and various consensus methodologies (Mining, PoW, PoS).
Taylor Freeman
Co-Founder & CEO Axon ParkTaylor Freeman
Co-Founder & CEOAbout the speaker
Yuriy Romanyukha
Managing Partner ICLUB GlobalYuriy Romanyukha
Managing PartnerAbout the speaker
Mauricio Carrillo-Palacio
Chief Strategy Officer GlobiancePayMauricio Carrillo-Palacio
Chief Strategy OfficerAbout the speaker
Wong Wei See
Head of Sales APAC Group-IBWong Wei See
Head of Sales APACAbout the speaker
Wei See brings two decades of IT experience, half of which were dedicated to cybersecurity. She's been serving major corporations like HP, Oracle, F5, and Microsoft. Currently leading APAC Sales at Group-IB from Singapore, she's known for driving top-tier sales teams for the past decade.
Dinos Stranomitis
Co-Founder & COO AltenarDinos Stranomitis
Co-Founder & COOAbout the speaker
Dinos has been a partner and co-founder of Altenar since 2014 and has overseen the company’s growth into a leading sports betting software provider. Now living in Malta with his wife and two children, Dinos was born in Greece in 1969 and studied engineering in Athens as well as studying as a naval architect and marine engineer in Newcastle. After two years in the navy and four years working as an engineer in the Far East, Dinos moved into the betting industry as a manager at various gaming companies, mainly in the trading and operations departments. Now with years of industry experience under his belt, he passes on his knowledge as a regular guest speaker at numerous iGaming exhibitions around the world.
Martin Zarian
Co-Founder Factory 39Martin Zarian
Co-FounderAbout the speaker
Martin Zarian is a full-stack brand builder and internationally recognised keynote speaker who specialises in helping organisations build strong and impactful brands that drive business success and foster collaboration. With over a decade of experience in design, branding, and strategy, Martin brings a unique perspective to the table, blending creativity, strategy, and practicality to help brands reach their goals and avoid all the BS. Recently Martin and his team at Factory 39 were involved in 2 global iGaming rebranding for SiGMA and Wicked games, both projects are up for a series of European awards. As a co-founder of Factory 39, Martin is proud of his team’s vision to become one of the best brand and software consultancies in Southern Europe helping tech companies build their brands and digital products in the most efficient way possible.
Tony Ventura
Innovation and Technology SpeakerTony Ventura
Innovation and Technology SpeakerAbout the speaker
Dr Jane Thomason
Emeritus Chair World Metaverse CouncilDr Jane Thomason
Emeritus ChairAbout the speaker
Peter Wilson
CEO PWL LegalPeter Wilson
CEOAbout the speaker
Prof. Joshua Ellul
Director Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) University of MaltaProf. Joshua Ellul
Director Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT)About the speaker
Prof. Joshua Ellul is Director of the Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) and an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Malta. The Centre for DLT developed and runs a world-first multidisciplinary Masters in Blockchain and DLT which takes in students having backgrounds in computer science, law, finance and economics. His research interests span across technological advancements across the blockchain/dApp stack, to techno-regulatory issues of such emerging technologies.
Alexiei Dingli
Professor of Artificial Intelligence University of MaltaAlexiei Dingli
Professor of Artificial IntelligenceAbout the speaker
Eugene Ravdin
Communications & Marketing Manager MightyTipsEugene Ravdin
Communications & Marketing ManagerAbout the speaker
Before joining MightyTips, I spent 19 years with the UEFA official website in various roles, most notably as the Editor-in-Chief of the Russian-language editorial team. I've worked on men's and women's UEFA EUROs, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League finals, interviewed the likes of Arsène Wenger and Guus Hiddink, commentated English Premier League and Serie A for Setanta, hosted live sports shows on TV and radio, built UEFA Champions League community on VK from scratch to million followers, and reported from Camp Nou and the City of Manchester Stadium. Strangely enough, I have a degree in IT (although it was long ago) and rich experience as a voice-over artist. I am a father of two and an amateur basketball player.
Jekaterina Dubnicka
Marketing & Communications Manager SlotsjudgeJekaterina Dubnicka
Marketing & Communications ManagerAbout the speaker
Tanja Dimitrijevic
Head of Legal Red Acre GroupTanja Dimitrijevic
Head of LegalAbout the speaker
Olaf Miska
CPO & Mathematician Wishbone GamesOlaf Miska
CPO & MathematicianAbout the speaker
Vlad-Alexandru Matei
CTO Wishbone GamesVlad-Alexandru Matei
CTOAbout the speaker
Shweta Dubey
Founder & CEO Aadhya IT ServicesShweta Dubey
Founder & CEOAbout the speaker
Shweta Dubey, an accomplished entrepreneur and revered public international speaker, has been at the helm of Aadhya IT Services, providing exemplary services for the past 16 years. With a strong foundation in technology and a keen understanding of market dynamics, she has propelled the company to unprecedented heights of success. At Aadhya IT Services, Shweta and her team offer a comprehensive range of solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of clients across the globe. With a relentless focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, Shweta has cemented Aadhya IT Services' reputation as a trusted partner for businesses seeking cutting-edge technology solutions. In addition to her role as a successful business leader, Shweta is a highly sought-after speaker, sharing her insights and expertise on various platforms globally.
Jarek Bialek
CEO Revenue CapitalJarek Bialek
CEOAbout the speaker
Since 2004, Jarek Bialek has been active in the fintech sector, dealing with several B2B products and, in addition taking responsibility for the areas of product management, team building, sales and automated support. He also actively involved in the global startup ecosystem: as a mentor, coach, educator and as an entrepreneur.
Jason Fernandes
Co-Founder AdLunam Inc.Jason Fernandes
Co-FounderAbout the speaker
Jason Fernandes is an investor, entrepreneur and advisor in the Web3 space. Fernandes has spent years evaluating token-based investments, first as an analyst and regular guest on the Crypto Now show and then later as an investor and tokenomics expert evaluating tokens, their teams and closing over 200 institutional investments in early stage Web3 companies for a portfolio company publicly listed in Canada and Germany. A member of Cointelegraph’s “Innovation Circle”, Fernandes is frequently quoted in industry outlets like Cointelegraph. Bitcoin.com, Investing.com and others for his views on token architecture and Web3 investing. Fernandes has been awarded the Seaside Startup Summit 2018 Award, Startup@Singapore Award, the First National Technopreneurship competition Award, "Best Business Plan" award from Sybase at the Global Entrepreneurs Challenge at Stanford University, California, the Childnet International Award (UK) in 1999. In 2000 he was featured on Rediff.com's "Achiever Track". In 2015, he won the Asian Scientist Writing Prize, for his piece entitled Moore’s Law and Evolution: How non-biological evolution made Charles Darwin irrelevant, which focused on how evolution has been far outpaced by non-biological evolution and the age of the cyborg. He also holds a patent for a Network DVR. In 2019, he was awarded the Karmaveer Chakra Award.
Joe Pisano
Founder & CEO Jade Group of CompaniesJoe Pisano
Founder & CEOAbout the speaker
Joe is the Founder and CEO of Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies, which was founded in the Philippines in 2009 and is now a Pan-Asian supplier of Gaming Technology and service provider. Joe was the former International Project Manager for Automatic Totalizators Ltd, Director for Business Development Asia-Pacific of IGT, and Executive Director and Senior Vice President of Entertainment Gaming Asia (formerly known as Elixir Gaming Technology). Jade Group has service and support offices in the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Macau, and Sri Lanka. The Jade Group is involved in Land-Based Product Distribution, Sports Betting, and Online Operations. Jade serves as the bridge between Land-Based and Online Gaming. Joe’s gaming experience includes Systems, Slots, Lotteries, Sports Betting, Fantasy Skill Games, and Totalisators. Joe obtained his Master's Degree in Business and Technology at the University of New South Wales, Australia. He has over 40 years of experience in global gaming technologies.
Mauro Magro
Founder Get Recruited WorldwideMauro Magro
FounderAbout the speaker
I am a Certified Public Accountant with a passion for recruitment, bringing over seven years of experience working within the iGaming industry, where I have also established a licensed recruitment agency. My career has provided me with a comprehensive view of the industry, as I have worked with firms offering assurance and regulatory services, as well as with affiliation businesses, game providers, and operators. Today, I lead a boutique consultancy that provides diverse services to iGaming businesses, including financial consulting and talent acquisition. With a focus on the iGaming and Fintech sectors, I leverage industry connections and international expertise to help businesses achieve financial success and build strong, effective teams.
Mariana Tostes
Head of Operations FBMDSMariana Tostes
Head of OperationsAbout the speaker
Mariana Tostes is a highly engaged professional in the iGaming industry. Currently Head of Operations at FBMDS, a globally renowned iGaming company known for its innovative approach to online casino game development, Mariana leverages her combined expertise in iGaming and marketing to transform the iGaming industry.
Vas Modinos
Founder BlockreadyVas Modinos
FounderAbout the speaker
Mariusz G?siewski
CEE Mobile Gaming & Apps Lead GoogleMariusz G?siewski
CEE Mobile Gaming & Apps LeadAbout the speaker
Mariusz collaborates with top partners across Central and Eastern Europe to foster the growth and development of the mobile gaming and apps ecosystem. With over 12 years of experience, Mariusz has leveraged both internal and external Google data to gain deep insights into mobile user behaviour and industry trends. Since 2015, he has specialized in mobile gaming and apps, expanding his expertise to include Web3, casino, and sports betting sectors since 2021.
Vladimir Malakchi
CEO & Managing Partner Xanada InvestmentsVladimir Malakchi
CEO & Managing PartnerAbout the speaker
Vladimir Malakchi is a strategic investor and business scaling expert with over a decade of experience. For the past five years, he has been mentoring iGaming companies, guiding them to commercial success and top rankings in the industry. Recognized as Speaker of the Year and Influencer of the Year, Vladimir is also listed among the top voices in the industry on LinkedIn. He has been nominated for prestigious industry awards multiple times, leading companies to over 300 wins and nominations. As a renowned judge and speaker at global gambling conferences, Vladimir has made a significant impact. In 2024, he founded Xanada Investments, a fund dedicated to supporting promising iGaming projects. The fund aims to revolutionize business scaling by offering not just financial backing but also fostering a community of companies that support each other's success.
Daniel Marote
Founder & CEO EducAItion & AIppointingDaniel Marote
Founder & CEOAbout the speaker
Expert in Artificial Intelligence, Edtech, Entrepreneurship, Purpose, Customer Experience, and Digital Marketing. International speaker, expert, and consultant in User Experience and Behavior, Creation of Differential Value Propositions, and Storytelling / Branded Content Strategies. Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Hydra.Digital, a leading strategic design lab in user behavior in Europe. Executive MBA and Professor at IE Business School. Guest columnist in El País Retina and EFE Empresas. Contributor to the television program Emprende TV on Spanish Television. Host of the leading Spanish marketing program “Un Café con Dani Marote” with an average audience of 200,000 people. Author of the successful digital marketing book OrganicSM, which has over 10,000 downloads. Creator of the manifesto and movement “#UserLovers: for a world without spam,” where thousands of professionals have already joined to change the rules of the game in communication and marketing. I have designed and executed over 400 projects in 25 countries for more than 100 brands. Some notable clients: Starbucks, Mahou-San Miguel, Michelin, IE Business School, Ballantine’s, Havana 7, La Tagliatella, Canon, Shiseido, Telefonica, Siemens, Iberia, El Corte Inglés, Hard Rock, British Council, Oxfam, WWF Spain, Museo Thyssen, Euro 6000, Turismo de Madrid, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo, among others. Currently, I am the CEO of @ConsultorPRO and @AIppoiting—product Owner & Lead Mentor #PowerFormula @ThePowerMba and Mentor & Advisor of purpose-driven entrepreneurs at @AcademiaOnlineDanielMarote.
Galyna Podoprikhina
Associate WH PartnersGalyna Podoprikhina
AssociateAbout the speaker
Galyna is an Associate at WH Partners, forming part of the FinTech, Intellectual Property, and Gaming & Gambling teams. Listed in the 'Associates to Watch' category of the Chambers Fintech 2024 guide, she advises a wide variety of clients, including crypto-assets service providers, fintech companies, and gaming and gambling entities on both regulatory compliance and licensing. Galyna holds an LL.B. (Hons.) and a Master of Advocacy from the University of Malta, and an LL.M. in Maritime and Transport Law from Erasmus University Rotterdam. She has also completed several specialised courses, including the Summer Course on EU Financial Regulation from the Academy of European Law ERA, as well as a Financial Markets Compliance and Regulation course from the Malta Stock Exchange.
Marcin Kumi?ga
Business Development Director VoluumMarcin Kumi?ga
Business Development DirectorAbout the speaker
Jean-Michel Azzopardi
Fintech & AI ConsultantJean-Michel Azzopardi
Fintech & AI ConsultantAbout the speaker
Jean Michel Azzopardi is a seasoned tech and business professional with over 10 years of experience in blockchain and startups. He is currently a self employed fintech Consultant offering a broad range of services in areas such as board membership, technical compliance, sales, strategy, and blockchain architecture. Jean Michel has a proven track record of securing significant funding, pioneering groundbreaking blockchain technology, and building top-performing remote teams. He was the Founder and CEO of Kralanx Cyber Security Malta, a cyber security service provider for the blockchain space, for six years. He also led the APAC Channel at Acunetix where he achieved substantial revenue growth. As a public speaker and content creator, he showcases his passion for the evolving Web3 ecosystem and his vision for a more decentralized and transparent future.
Dr Franklin Cachia
Director & Lead Consultant CSB GroupDr Franklin Cachia
Director & Lead ConsultantAbout the speaker
Olegs Cernisevs
CTO BlackcatcardOlegs Cernisevs
CTOAbout the speaker
As the Chief Technology Officer of Blackcatcard, Olegs Cernisevs drives innovation in product development and technology optimization. His extensive background spans banking and payment services, with notable roles at PrivatBank, First Swiss Card, and the Acquiring Committee of the Association of Commercial Banks of Latvia. Olegs has played a pivotal role in shaping IT projects for various European financial institutions. His impact was celebrated by PayTech Awards – in 2023, Olegs received an award in nomination PayTech Leadership. He holds a Doctor of Science degree and has published several scientific papers on fintech-related topics. Furthermore, Olegs is certified in anti-money laundering management and cybersecurity, underscoring his comprehensive expertise in the financial technology sector.
Gordon Einstein
Founder CryptoLaw PartnersGordon Einstein
FounderAbout the speaker