HUBBIS DIGITAL WEALTH FORUM - Dubai 2022

Marc-André Sola is a serial entrepreneur. He started his first company at the age of 20 and has since founded, or co-founded, a number of businesses in different fields and in multiple countries. Mr. Sola holds a Masters of Law degree from the University of Zurich and serves on the board of various companies. He specializes in insurance and retirement planning, as well as tailored asset protection and estate Tax planning solutions. For over 20 years, he has been advising clients from all over Europe, North & South America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Mr. Sola is a sought after speaker at international investment, asset protection and estate planning conferences worldwide. Furthermore, he has published a variety of professional articles and co-authored the book, The Insured Portfolio, published by John Wiley & Sons (2010). He is a member of YPO (Young Presidents Organization), Zurich Chapter.

Hans Diederen is Executive Advisor for Apollo Capital in Asia. As a seasoned Asian financial services executive, Mr. Diederen has a strong reputation in the field of ultra-high net worth wealth management. Whilst based in Hong Kong, he was CEO of ABN AMRO Private Banking Asia and Middle East. He has since served as Managing Director and Head of Southeast Asia at Merrill Lynch in Singapore, followed by CEO at Crédit Agricole/Indosuez wealth management (Asia). For the past 4 years, he has been based in Beijing and has served a single business family, focusing on investment opportunities. After 16 consecutive years in Asia, Hans recently relocated to Dubai. Hans has been a crypto investor and enthusiast since 2016. He firmly believes that digital assets should be part of any investment portfolio.

Oliver Linch is CEO of Bittrex Global, one of the world's most secure digital asset exchanges. Oliver has over a decade of experience as a financial regulatory lawyer, having advised major investment banks, exchanges and leading financial institutions on regulatory matters across the EEA, UK and US. During his tenure with a leading global law firm, Oliver specialised in various areas of financial regulatory advisory work, with particular expertise in advising exchanges, clearing houses and other financial market infrastructure companies, as well as payment service providers. Oliver's extensive legislative and regulatory drafting experience includes advising special economic zones around the world on devising and drafting new regulatory regime, particularly focusing on financial regulation and fintech. Under Oliver’s lead, Bittrex Global continues to position itself as a best-in-class, regulated cryptocurrency exchange.

Joy Li is Head of the Middle East at ChainUp. She is the Managing Director of Business Development for the company. Joy has worked for ChainUp since 2018. She has extensive experience in the blockchain industry.

Hamdan Khan is the Consulting Leader for EY’s Wealth and Asset Management business across the Middle East and Africa. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Staffordshire University and a Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences plus various relevant professional qualifications. Hamdan has over 15 years of experience of working across Europe, US and the Middle East predominately with Independent Financial Advisors, Boutique Wealth Managers, Private Banks and Retail Mass Affluent businesses which are part of a broader bank. Hamdan supports clients across their entire operating model from products, propositions to technology and operations.

Philip Rosenberg is Managing Director and Head of Distribution - Middle East. He looks after institutional, private wealth, and wholesale relationships across the region. Phil has been involved with asset management distribution for over 33 years, including fixed income, equities, and alternatives. He joined GAM Investments in 2010 and has been closely connected to the firm since 1998. Before joining GAM, Phil was an Executive Director at Julius Baer, in the Middle East team. He also worked at EFG Bank advising clients in the US, Middle East, and the UK. Prior to this, he held senior distribution and marketing roles at Liberty Ermitage, and Credit Lyonnais. Phil started his career at Lehman Brothers in 1989 where he was a pioneering member of the alternatives investment team. He studied sound engineering and music technology and holds the CFA Level III (IMC) and CISI Level 6 qualifications. He is based in London.

Following a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, Tim relocated to the Middle East and established Globaleye in 1999. His vision was to build a global organisation that met the demands of the modern financial services industry whilst addressing the ever-growing complexities of financial planning of global citizens. This is continuously achieved by working collaboratively with Private Banks, Trustees, Law Firms, Family Offices and Fiduciaries to create effective client liquidity and inter-generational wealth transfer solutions that meet the modern needs of HNW families. He is now the CEO and Chairman of Globaleye group, spanning offices from Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe. Under his leadership, the company has been recognized and awarded for adhering to international standards of financial advice, fully regulated and partnered with some of the largest global financial and insurance institutions. Having appeared on TV and Radio he is a regular commentator in the financial press too. Normally based in the UAE, his partner is a member of the Ruling family of Dubai. When not in Dubai, he has a farm in Devon with his wife Louise, four children, one grandchild and is an avid MG enthusiast.

Having spent his life between the UK and the UAE, Rupert Searle, CEO of Globaleye relates to their globally diverse clients. He entered the family business in 2014 after graduating from university, starting in wealth advisory and then heading the marketing department before latterly taking on an operational role as Group General Manager. Under Rupert’s leadership, the company is positioning itself to advise on the biggest intergenerational transfer of wealth yet, which will occur over the next two decades. By staying focused on how the firm can add value beyond wealth management, his strategic vision is built on enhancing client experience and the firm's proposition by introducing innovative solutions and technologies that will enhance the collaborative relationship between wealth managers, private clients and other fiduciaries.

Salman Haider’s banking career spans 25 years across EMEA and Asia. He has spent most of his career in Wealth Management leadership roles in addition to Retail Banking, Corporate Banking and Global Markets experience. Salman started his banking career with Habib Bank AG Zurich in London, before moving to Citi in 2001, where he held various roles in London, Zurich and Singapore. His last role at Citi was Asia Pacific Head for Citi’s Citigold client segment and launched Citigold Private Client for HNW clients in the region. Salman then joined JPMorgan in 2010 as Head of South East Asia PWM for the Private Bank in Singapore, where he built the HNW business for the firm. Salman moved from Asia back to London in 2015 and returned to Citi to run the U.K. Consumer Bank and International Personal Banking EMEA. In 2018 Salman joined Barclays Private Bank in London as Region Head for Global Growth Markets/International Private Bank (ex-Europe), responsible for Africa, Middle East, India onshore and Asia. In his current role he is CEO for the Global Wealth Management business for Habib Bank AG Zurich since 2021, responsible for building the bank’s Private Banking business in Zurich and Dubai, serving UHNW clients across nine markets the bank operates in. Salman is considered an established business leader in the global wealth management industry, who possesses experience across the wealth spectrum—Affluent, HNW and UHNW clients—with proven results with global banks. He currently lives in Dubai with his wife and three children, and holds an MSc in Finance from Cass Business School in London.

Philippe Amarante is a Managing Partner at Henley & Partners and the Head of the firm’s Dubai and Pakistan offices. Philippe has been successfully advising private and institutional clients across industries, countries, and cultures for over 15 years as a successful business, relationship, and brand builder. Before his current role, he served as the Global Head of Brand and Group Marketing Strategy at Credit Suisse Group. Philippe is a strategic thinker who enjoys a hands-on approach, delivering results across board and governmental levels in complex and international environments. His interests include nascent technologies and emerging business models and related trends. Philippe also has experience in non-profit organizations and luxury, retail, and finance industries.

Sudhir Marwa, EVP and Business Head, Intellect Wealth and Capital Markets, is an operations & technology professional with over 29 years of experience in Retail Banking, Off-shore Wealth Management, Private Banking & Commercial Banking across Asia, Europe, Middle East & Africa. He has worked with Citibank, DBS, ABN AMRO, Barclays, ANZ and Mashreq Bank.

Prashant joined Lighthouse Canton in 2016 in Singapore and moved to Dubai in 2017 to set up the DIFC business. He is the CEO for Lighthouse Canton Capital (DIFC) Pte Ltd and heads the Multi-Family Office business for the firm. He is responsible for engagement with key clients in addition to building a footprint for the business in the MENA region Prashant brings over 18 years of experience across large international banks like Citibank, Merrill Lynch and Barclays. In Barclays, he was responsible for managing the Non-Resident Indian team in Dubai along with the portfolios of select Ultra-High Net Worth and Institutional clients based in MENA and South/South-East Asia. Prashant has specialized skills in complex derivative products across interest rates, equities and FX and has a keen understanding of the requirements of corporate and institutional clients Prashant qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is a merit holder from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Delhi University in India.

Bassam Salem is a Senior Partner at Mckinsey & Company focusing on Wealth Management, Private Banking, Asset Management and Digital Finance. He is an award winning CEO with in depth entrepreneurial experience in Asia Pacific, India, the Middle East and Europe. He was the CEO of Citi Private Bank in Asia based in Hongkong, the Global Investment Head for Citi Private Bank based in New York and a founding partner of EFG Bank in Zurich.

Chambers Global named Henri the “highest profile FinTech consultant in Hong Kong,” Blockchain Asset Review named him the “Most Influential Crypto and Blockchain Thought Leader in Asia,” and Asian Private Banker awarded him the “FinTech Changemaker of the Year” award. Henri is the author of numerous best-selling crypto and fintechrelated books, including “The Book of Crypto” (Palgrave, 2022), which became a global top 10 best-seller in financial services, and “The Future of Finance” (Palgrave 2019, Palgrave), which became not only a global top 10 best-seller in financial services but was also recognized as one of the “Best FinTech Books of All Time” by Bookauthority. Henri was elected as the first Chairman of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong. He is also an appointed member of Hong Kong securities regulator SFC FinTech Advisory Group, the Hong Kong central bank’s Institute for Monetary and Financial Research council of advisers, and the Dubai DIFC innovation panel. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hong Kong, where he teaches the first FinTech university course globally. Henri started his career as a financial markets and funds lawyer in Canada and Hong Kong before joining UBS Investment Bank’s prime brokerage capital consulting team. Henri speaks five languages, including English, French, Armenian, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. He holds a Master’s in Chinese Law from Tsinghua University; a joint Global Executive MBA from Columbia Business School, London Business School, and Hong Kong University; a Bachelor of Law from the University of Montreal (Dean’s List of Excellence), and a Master’s in Transnational Law from the University of Sherbrooke, where he was awarded the Governor General of Canada Gold Medal for Academic Excellence for having graduated with the highest grades of the university.

Nicholas is an online trading industry veteran of 25 years, who is passionate about commercialising innovative and disruptive technology. Nicholas is responsible for building white-label partnerships. These collaborations are transforming banks and financial institutions across the region as they navigate ever-changing markets and regulatory systems. Nicholas’ current focus is on providing financial institutions with BaaS (Banking-as-a-Service), multi-asset execution, robo-advisory, digital channels and prime brokerage. Prior to his time at Saxo Bank, Nicholas successfully launched and led cuttingedge products, services and platforms for major brands including Bloomberg, Dresdner Kleinwort, Mubasher and Beltone.

Damian leads Saxo Bank’s expansion strategy in the MENA region via the digital delivery of global trading platforms for direct/private clients and Institutional partners. Damian has been the CEO for 2 of the leading Digital Banks in the UAE over the last 10 years, being Swissquote Bank (Swiss) and Saxo Bank (Denmark). Saxo’s mission is the delivery of timely, relevant content and access to global financial markets, with a passion of constant innovation. Whether for our direct clients, or to our Partners serving their end-clients, our Vision is to enable people to fulfil their financial aspirations and make an impact. Prior to joining Saxo Bank, Damian worked in a number of senior roles for HSBC in the Middle East region, and as an Executive Director for Falcon Private Bank, the Abu Dhabi owned Swiss Private Bank.

Investment professional with 35+ years experience of buy and sell side of the banking businesses. I have managed numerous strongly performing investment and advisory teams in large banks in Europe and more recently in Asia and the Middle East. I have built businesses from scratch and successfully restructured businesses. I have had links with Asia and particularly Singapore since 1999 when I managed money for the GIC, Hong Kong Jockey Club and Brunei government. The core of my career was the 11 years at JPMorgan where I made Managing Director. On the buy side I have worked for asset management firms (e.g. JPMorgan) and private banks (Barclays, Merrill Lynch, Coutts, Emirates NBD and NBAD). I have a reputation for making bold calls on the markets. I made major bear calls on equity markets in 1987, at the top of the tech boom and the financial crisis in August 2007, and a bull call on equity markets on March 17th 2009. I have been a high profile with the media regularly appearing in the printed press and on TV. I often speak at conferences and provide industry thought leadership on a number of macro and investment topics. In the past I made a presentation to the European Parliament on the outlook for asset markets after the introduction of the euro. I am highly regarded for my team leadership, the rigour and intellect I bring to the investment process, my attention to governance and ethics, and my affinity with clients in presentations and meetings. I was voted Private Banker of the year 2015 (MENA) from Wealth Briefing.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events.

During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008.

Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing. His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.

Prashant joined Lighthouse Canton in 2016 in Singapore and moved to Dubai in 2017 to set up the DIFC business. He is the CEO for Lighthouse Canton Capital (DIFC) Pte Ltd and heads the Multi-Family Office business for the firm. He is responsible for engagement with key clients in addition to building a footprint for the business in the MENA region Prashant brings over 18 years of experience across large international banks like Citibank, Merrill Lynch and Barclays. In Barclays, he was responsible for managing the Non-Resident Indian team in Dubai along with the portfolios of select Ultra-High Net Worth and Institutional clients based in MENA and South/South-East Asia. Prashant has specialized skills in complex derivative products across interest rates, equities and FX and has a keen understanding of the requirements of corporate and institutional clients Prashant qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is a merit holder from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Delhi University in India.

Salman Haider’s banking career spans 25 years across EMEA and Asia. He has spent most of his career in Wealth Management leadership roles in addition to Retail Banking, Corporate Banking and Global Markets experience. Salman started his banking career with Habib Bank AG Zurich in London, before moving to Citi in 2001, where he held various roles in London, Zurich and Singapore. His last role at Citi was Asia Pacific Head for Citi’s Citigold client segment and launched Citigold Private Client for HNW clients in the region. Salman then joined JPMorgan in 2010 as Head of South East Asia PWM for the Private Bank in Singapore, where he built the HNW business for the firm. Salman moved from Asia back to London in 2015 and returned to Citi to run the U.K. Consumer Bank and International Personal Banking EMEA. In 2018 Salman joined Barclays Private Bank in London as Region Head for Global Growth Markets/International Private Bank (ex-Europe), responsible for Africa, Middle East, India onshore and Asia. In his current role he is CEO for the Global Wealth Management business for Habib Bank AG Zurich since 2021, responsible for building the bank’s Private Banking business in Zurich and Dubai, serving UHNW clients across nine markets the bank operates in. Salman is considered an established business leader in the global wealth management industry, who possesses experience across the wealth spectrum—Affluent, HNW and UHNW clients—with proven results with global banks. He currently lives in Dubai with his wife and three children, and holds an MSc in Finance from Cass Business School in London.

Sudhir Marwa, EVP and Business Head, Intellect Wealth and Capital Markets, is an operations & technology professional with over 29 years of experience in Retail Banking, Off-shore Wealth Management, Private Banking & Commercial Banking across Asia, Europe, Middle East & Africa. He has worked with Citibank, DBS, ABN AMRO, Barclays, ANZ and Mashreq Bank.

Damian leads Saxo Bank’s expansion strategy in the MENA region via the digital delivery of global trading platforms for direct/private clients and Institutional partners. Damian has been the CEO for 2 of the leading Digital Banks in the UAE over the last 10 years, being Swissquote Bank (Swiss) and Saxo Bank (Denmark). Saxo’s mission is the delivery of timely, relevant content and access to global financial markets, with a passion of constant innovation. Whether for our direct clients, or to our Partners serving their end-clients, our Vision is to enable people to fulfil their financial aspirations and make an impact. Prior to joining Saxo Bank, Damian worked in a number of senior roles for HSBC in the Middle East region, and as an Executive Director for Falcon Private Bank, the Abu Dhabi owned Swiss Private Bank.

Investment professional with 35+ years experience of buy and sell side of the banking businesses. I have managed numerous strongly performing investment and advisory teams in large banks in Europe and more recently in Asia and the Middle East. I have built businesses from scratch and successfully restructured businesses. I have had links with Asia and particularly Singapore since 1999 when I managed money for the GIC, Hong Kong Jockey Club and Brunei government. The core of my career was the 11 years at JPMorgan where I made Managing Director. On the buy side I have worked for asset management firms (e.g. JPMorgan) and private banks (Barclays, Merrill Lynch, Coutts, Emirates NBD and NBAD). I have a reputation for making bold calls on the markets. I made major bear calls on equity markets in 1987, at the top of the tech boom and the financial crisis in August 2007, and a bull call on equity markets on March 17th 2009. I have been a high profile with the media regularly appearing in the printed press and on TV. I often speak at conferences and provide industry thought leadership on a number of macro and investment topics. In the past I made a presentation to the European Parliament on the outlook for asset markets after the introduction of the euro. I am highly regarded for my team leadership, the rigour and intellect I bring to the investment process, my attention to governance and ethics, and my affinity with clients in presentations and meetings. I was voted Private Banker of the year 2015 (MENA) from Wealth Briefing.

Following a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, Tim relocated to the Middle East and established Globaleye in 1999. His vision was to build a global organisation that met the demands of the modern financial services industry whilst addressing the ever-growing complexities of financial planning of global citizens. This is continuously achieved by working collaboratively with Private Banks, Trustees, Law Firms, Family Offices and Fiduciaries to create effective client liquidity and inter-generational wealth transfer solutions that meet the modern needs of HNW families. He is now the CEO and Chairman of Globaleye group, spanning offices from Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe. Under his leadership, the company has been recognized and awarded for adhering to international standards of financial advice, fully regulated and partnered with some of the largest global financial and insurance institutions. Having appeared on TV and Radio he is a regular commentator in the financial press too. Normally based in the UAE, his partner is a member of the Ruling family of Dubai. When not in Dubai, he has a farm in Devon with his wife Louise, four children, one grandchild and is an avid MG enthusiast.

Philip Rosenberg is Managing Director and Head of Distribution - Middle East. He looks after institutional, private wealth, and wholesale relationships across the region. Phil has been involved with asset management distribution for over 33 years, including fixed income, equities, and alternatives. He joined GAM Investments in 2010 and has been closely connected to the firm since 1998. Before joining GAM, Phil was an Executive Director at Julius Baer, in the Middle East team. He also worked at EFG Bank advising clients in the US, Middle East, and the UK. Prior to this, he held senior distribution and marketing roles at Liberty Ermitage, and Credit Lyonnais. Phil started his career at Lehman Brothers in 1989 where he was a pioneering member of the alternatives investment team. He studied sound engineering and music technology and holds the CFA Level III (IMC) and CISI Level 6 qualifications. He is based in London.

Marc-André Sola is a serial entrepreneur. He started his first company at the age of 20 and has since founded, or co-founded, a number of businesses in different fields and in multiple countries. Mr. Sola holds a Masters of Law degree from the University of Zurich and serves on the board of various companies. He specializes in insurance and retirement planning, as well as tailored asset protection and estate Tax planning solutions. For over 20 years, he has been advising clients from all over Europe, North & South America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Mr. Sola is a sought after speaker at international investment, asset protection and estate planning conferences worldwide. Furthermore, he has published a variety of professional articles and co-authored the book, The Insured Portfolio, published by John Wiley & Sons (2010). He is a member of YPO (Young Presidents Organization), Zurich Chapter.

Having spent his life between the UK and the UAE, Rupert Searle, CEO of Globaleye relates to their globally diverse clients. He entered the family business in 2014 after graduating from university, starting in wealth advisory and then heading the marketing department before latterly taking on an operational role as Group General Manager. Under Rupert’s leadership, the company is positioning itself to advise on the biggest intergenerational transfer of wealth yet, which will occur over the next two decades. By staying focused on how the firm can add value beyond wealth management, his strategic vision is built on enhancing client experience and the firm's proposition by introducing innovative solutions and technologies that will enhance the collaborative relationship between wealth managers, private clients and other fiduciaries.

Hamdan Khan is the Consulting Leader for EY’s Wealth and Asset Management business across the Middle East and Africa. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Staffordshire University and a Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences plus various relevant professional qualifications. Hamdan has over 15 years of experience of working across Europe, US and the Middle East predominately with Independent Financial Advisors, Boutique Wealth Managers, Private Banks and Retail Mass Affluent businesses which are part of a broader bank. Hamdan supports clients across their entire operating model from products, propositions to technology and operations.

Chambers Global named Henri the “highest profile FinTech consultant in Hong Kong,” Blockchain Asset Review named him the “Most Influential Crypto and Blockchain Thought Leader in Asia,” and Asian Private Banker awarded him the “FinTech Changemaker of the Year” award. Henri is the author of numerous best-selling crypto and fintechrelated books, including “The Book of Crypto” (Palgrave, 2022), which became a global top 10 best-seller in financial services, and “The Future of Finance” (Palgrave 2019, Palgrave), which became not only a global top 10 best-seller in financial services but was also recognized as one of the “Best FinTech Books of All Time” by Bookauthority. Henri was elected as the first Chairman of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong. He is also an appointed member of Hong Kong securities regulator SFC FinTech Advisory Group, the Hong Kong central bank’s Institute for Monetary and Financial Research council of advisers, and the Dubai DIFC innovation panel. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hong Kong, where he teaches the first FinTech university course globally. Henri started his career as a financial markets and funds lawyer in Canada and Hong Kong before joining UBS Investment Bank’s prime brokerage capital consulting team. Henri speaks five languages, including English, French, Armenian, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. He holds a Master’s in Chinese Law from Tsinghua University; a joint Global Executive MBA from Columbia Business School, London Business School, and Hong Kong University; a Bachelor of Law from the University of Montreal (Dean’s List of Excellence), and a Master’s in Transnational Law from the University of Sherbrooke, where he was awarded the Governor General of Canada Gold Medal for Academic Excellence for having graduated with the highest grades of the university.

Joy Li is Head of the Middle East at ChainUp. She is the Managing Director of Business Development for the company. Joy has worked for ChainUp since 2018. She has extensive experience in the blockchain industry.

Oliver Linch is CEO of Bittrex Global, one of the world's most secure digital asset exchanges. Oliver has over a decade of experience as a financial regulatory lawyer, having advised major investment banks, exchanges and leading financial institutions on regulatory matters across the EEA, UK and US. During his tenure with a leading global law firm, Oliver specialised in various areas of financial regulatory advisory work, with particular expertise in advising exchanges, clearing houses and other financial market infrastructure companies, as well as payment service providers. Oliver's extensive legislative and regulatory drafting experience includes advising special economic zones around the world on devising and drafting new regulatory regime, particularly focusing on financial regulation and fintech. Under Oliver’s lead, Bittrex Global continues to position itself as a best-in-class, regulated cryptocurrency exchange.

Damian leads Saxo Bank’s expansion strategy in the MENA region via the digital delivery of global trading platforms for direct/private clients and Institutional partners. Damian has been the CEO for 2 of the leading Digital Banks in the UAE over the last 10 years, being Swissquote Bank (Swiss) and Saxo Bank (Denmark). Saxo’s mission is the delivery of timely, relevant content and access to global financial markets, with a passion of constant innovation. Whether for our direct clients, or to our Partners serving their end-clients, our Vision is to enable people to fulfil their financial aspirations and make an impact. Prior to joining Saxo Bank, Damian worked in a number of senior roles for HSBC in the Middle East region, and as an Executive Director for Falcon Private Bank, the Abu Dhabi owned Swiss Private Bank.

Philippe Amarante is a Managing Partner at Henley & Partners and the Head of the firm’s Dubai and Pakistan offices. Philippe has been successfully advising private and institutional clients across industries, countries, and cultures for over 15 years as a successful business, relationship, and brand builder. Before his current role, he served as the Global Head of Brand and Group Marketing Strategy at Credit Suisse Group. Philippe is a strategic thinker who enjoys a hands-on approach, delivering results across board and governmental levels in complex and international environments. His interests include nascent technologies and emerging business models and related trends. Philippe also has experience in non-profit organizations and luxury, retail, and finance industries.

Nicholas is an online trading industry veteran of 25 years, who is passionate about commercialising innovative and disruptive technology. Nicholas is responsible for building white-label partnerships. These collaborations are transforming banks and financial institutions across the region as they navigate ever-changing markets and regulatory systems. Nicholas’ current focus is on providing financial institutions with BaaS (Banking-as-a-Service), multi-asset execution, robo-advisory, digital channels and prime brokerage. Prior to his time at Saxo Bank, Nicholas successfully launched and led cuttingedge products, services and platforms for major brands including Bloomberg, Dresdner Kleinwort, Mubasher and Beltone.