Conference Schedule
30th & 31st May 2023
09:00 – 10:00
REGISTRATION & WELCOME COFFEE
10:00 – 10:10
OPENING NOTE BY THE CHAIRPERSON
10:10 – 10:30
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE GAMING INDUSTRY IN MENA
- – An overview of the rise of gaming in MENA
- – How developing a self-sustained gaming economy boosts the demand in MENA and how governments are supporting
- – How to be a successful gaming start-up in the region
Speaker
MJ Fahmi, Co-Founder & CEO, Babil Games
10:30 – 10:50
CLOUD GAMING - THE NEW WAVE OF GAMING
- – How will the meteoric rise of cloud gaming define the next decade of gaming?
- – How will traditional console makers, compete with cloud gaming platforms?
- – Impact of Cloud-based and AI-powered solutions on the Gaming industry
Speaker
Nikolay Bondarenko, VP of Product, Xsolla Inc.
10:50 – 11:35
PANEL DISCUSSION | THE BUSINESS OF GAMING & ESPORTS FROM THE CEO’S DESK
- – Will the gaming industry define the way entertainment is perceived in the world?
- – How will game streaming become the next uber-popular medium?
- – Will Quantum Computing revolutionize the gaming industry?
Speakers
- 1. Aravind Swaminathan, Co-Founder & CBDD, Calyx – Moderator
- 2. Vincent Ghossoub, Chairman, Falafel games | CEO, Nifty Craft
- 3. Mario Rizzo, Co-Founder & CEO, Artisan Studios, Inc
- 4. Steven Valentine Pinto, Co-Founder & CEO, Manabreak LLC
- 5. MJ Fahmi, Co-Founder & CEO, Babil Games
11:35 – 11:55
FIRESIDE CHAT: PAYMENTS IN GAMING – INTERSECTION BETWEEN WEB2 AND WEB3 EXPERIENCES
- – Unveiling new payment initiatives in the gaming domain
- – Enabling a smooth transition between the fiat and the crypto world
- – Exploring collaborative approaches with non-card player and opening new markets for the gaming community
Speakers
- 1. Andrea Prazakova, Senior Vice President, MC Foundry, EEMEA, Mastercard
- 2. Aditya Meherish, Verve Management – Moderator
11:55 – 12:25
NETWORKING & COFFEE BREAK
12:25 – 13:10
PANEL DISCUSSION | REGIONAL LOCALIZATION & WHY IT MATTERS
- – Making gamers feel more important by designing a game, especially for them
- – Cover a larger demographic, inducting more players in the region.
- – Providing a larger competitive edge and accelerating ahead of the competition
Speakers
- 1. Naji Ghaziri, Senior Operations Manager, Level Infinite MENA, Tencent Games Global – Moderator
- 2. Jing Wang, Founder and CEO, Sawa Group
- 3. Lokesh Suji, Director – Esports Federation of India | VP – Asian Esports Federation
- 4. Rafed Salem, Head of Localization, Riot Games
- 5. Madiha Naz, Professional Player, Galaxy Racer
- 6. Noor ul ain Fatima, Co-Founder & Chief Gaming Officer, Bleeding Edge Studio
- 7. Ahmed Gamal-Eldin, Regional Director, Connect Ads
13:10 – 13:30
2023 MENAP GAMETECH INVESTMENT LANDSCAPE
- – Overview of global trends shaping our middle eastern gaming market
- – Investments globally and the rise of MENAP early-stage gaming companies
- – Industry challenges and opportunities in MENAP
Speaker
Tarek Fouad, Partner, Shorooq Partners
13:30 – 14:15
FIRESIDE CHAT | LEVERAGING AI TO CREATE COMPELLING GAMING NARRATIVES
- – Enhancing gameplay with AI-generated narratives and procedural content
- – What are the Ethical considerations for AI in game design, including bias and privacy
- – Future applications of AI in gaming and their potential impact
Speakers
- 1. Jamie McClenaghan, CEO, Classy Games Studios (Moderator)
- 2. Kareem Seddik, CEO & Founder, YallaPlay Games
- 3. Lokesh Suji, Director – Esports Federation of India | VP – Asian Esports Federation
14:15 – 14:35
GAMING FUSION: BLENDING ENTERTAINMENT AND GAMING FOR THE FUTURE
- – How will players become the driving force behind the evolution of blending entertainment and gaming?
- – Discuss the concept of player-led initiatives in the development of immersive storytelling
- – How will this be a catalyst in revolutionizing the gaming landscape?
Speaker
Loren Roosendaal, Founder & CEO, Galactic Entertainment
14:35 – 14:45
CLOSING REMARKS AND END OF DAY ONE
14:45 – 15:45
NETWORKING LUNCHEON
09:00 – 10:00
REGISTRATION & WELCOME COFFEE
10:00 – 10:10
OPENING NOTE BY THE CHAIRPERSON
10:10 – 10:30
ESPORTS IN MENA - A BILLION-DOLLAR PIE
- – What does this mean for regional investors?
- – Opportunities for growth for Esports in MENA
- – Development of a propitious ecosystem in Esports
Speaker
Tariq Radwan Al Kfaery, Esports Lead MENA, Riot Games
10:30 – 10:50
HOW ANALYTICS & DATA IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ESPORTS
- – Leveraging insights into customer metrics and user behavior to enhance revenue opportunities
- – Role of stats, data & detailed analytics for games in Esports
- – Why analytics & data optimization is the biggest weapon in gaming & Esports?
Speaker
Raheel Iqbal, CEO, The Game Storm Studios
10:50 – 11:35
PANEL DISCUSSION | GAMING IN METAVERSE AND WEB3 - REDEFINING THE PARADIGM OF GAMING
- – The acceleration of Metaverse from our digital behaviors to localize the game?
- – What are the amplified challenges, blurring jurisdictions, and unexpected outcomes?
- – How will decentralized projects since the future seems to be taking a decentralized approach?
Speakers
- 1. Denis Puhleacov, CEO & Founder, Red Rift – Moderator
- 2. Rohit Singh, Founder, Ninetys Station Lab, First Ray Games
- 3. David Fernandez Remesal, Chief Executive Officer, Sandsoft Games
- 4. Raheel Iqbal, CEO, The Game Storm Studios
- 5. Ziad Talge, Founder and CEO, Yayy
11:35 – 11:55
MORE THAN JUST A GAME - EDUCATION, AN INTEGRAL PART OF ESPORTS
- – The need of the hour, as Esports is now a thriving economy
- – Identifying and sharpening student skills to be industry ready
- – Development of a propitious ecosystem in Esports
Speaker
Michael Rüsz, Esport Academy Director, NASR Esports
11:55 – 12:25
NETWORKING BREAK
12:25 – 13:15
PANEL DISCUSSION | PUBLISHERS AND DEVELOPERS, REDEFINING THE GAMING LANDSCAPE
- – The Impact of new AI Technologies on game development
- – Rising above consumers demand better graphics and gameplay quality
- – Countering the complexity of games being developed for better immersive gaming
Speakers
- 1. Jamie McClenaghan, CEO, Classy Games Studios – Moderator
- 2. Maros Bezak, Chief Strategy Officer, Tamatem
- 3. Ahmad Al-Natsheh, CEO, Khosouf Studio
- 4. Murshid C, CEO, Cakebyte
- 5. Mohamad Zehtabi, Studio Director, LeanGo Studio
13:15 – 13:35
MOBILE GAMING - IS IT AN EXTENSION TO ESPORTS?
- – Hyper-casual games continue to rule the top charts
- – Esports is on the rise as the popularity of watching games increase
- – The rise of In-App Subscription Model is on the rise
Speakers
Jing Wang, Founder and CEO, Sawa Group
13:35 – 13:55
VIRTUAL ECONOMIES AND THEIR PLACE IN THE METAVERSE
- – Discussing the history and key components of a virtual world
- – Explore the impact the virtual economies, especially the ones designed for the metaverse
- – Bridging the gap between Web2 & Web3 for gaming audience
Speakers
Mario Rizzo, Co-Founder & CEO, Artisan Studios, Inc
13:55 – 14:00
CLOSING REMARKS AND END OF THE CONFERENCE
14:00 – 15:00