Don’t miss our tech panel event on April 23 in Dubai

The Gulf Business Business Breakfast is back this April: this time with a sharp focus on the technologies powering the next wave of digital innovation across the region. Taking place on 23 April 2025 at the Metropolitan Hotel in Dubai, the high-level panel event will bring together senior voices from telecoms, artificial intelligence and blockchain.

Register here: https://bit.ly/3FFCYMg

Agenda: https://bit.ly/3XNfPOb

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When: 23/04/2025 8:00 am
Where: Metropolitan Hotel Dubai (location map)

Agenda

08:00am: Registration & Breakfast

09:00am: Welcome speech by Manish Chopra, Publisher, Gulf Business

09:05am: Chair’s opening remarks by Gareth van Zyl, Group Editor, Gulf Business

09:15am: Panel Discussion: Telecoms & Cloud – The Next Frontier

• The impact of 5G Advanced and the roadmap to 6G
• The shift from telco to techco – how telecom companies are evolving into digital service providers
• The rise of sovereign cloud and its role in data security and telecom innovation

Moderator: Neesha Salian, Editor, Gulf Business

Panellists:

• Iwan Stella, Head of Strategy and Commercial Management for Ericsson Middle East and Africa;
• Cherian Varghese, Senior Vice President, AI and Cloud Infrastructure, EMEA, Oracle;
• Samar Mittal, Vice President and MEA Head of Cloud & Network Services, Nokia
• Sameer Jameel, Chief Technology Architect, Huawei Middle East and Central Asia

09:45am: Q&A

10:00am: Keynote – Mazen Nahawi, Founder and Group CEO, Carma

10:15am: Panel Discussion: Artificial Intelligence – A Regional Powerhouse

• The UAE’s growing role as an AI innovation hub
• AI-driven transformation in finance, healthcare, logistics, and security

Moderator: Gareth van Zyl, Group Editor, Gulf Business

Panellists:

• Vasudha Khandeparkar, AI, Analytics and Data Practice Lead, Business Consulting, Grant Thornton UAE
• Andreas Hassellof, CEO and founder of Ombori
• Mark Dymock Operating Partner at SC Ventures
• Mazen Nahawi, Founder and Group CEO, Carma

10:45am: Panel Discussion: Blockchain Evolution – From Pilots to Pioneers

• The UAE’s blockchain-friendly regulations and their role in attracting global innovation

Moderator: Kokila Alagh, founder and managing partner of Karm Legal

Panellists:

• Rifad Mahasneh, CEO of OKX MENA
• Alice Liu, Head of Research at CoinMarketCap
• Faisal Zaidi, President, Exscape
• Akos Erzse, Director of Public Policy at BitOasis
• Srinu Chowhan, Chief Marketing Officer, MultiBank.io

11:15am: Q&A

11:30am: Closing Remarks by Gulf Business Group Editor, Gareth van Zyl