SPEAKERS 2025

Brian de Francesca is a pioneering leader in artificial intelligence, having established one of the region’s first AI companies in 2014, later rebranded as VAI in 2025.

Laura K. Inamedinova is an award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and keynote speaker with deep roots in the Web3 space since 2016.

Akhil Koka is the CEO of Magure, a Dubai-headquartered enterprise AI innovation ecosystem. Since joining the leadership team, he has spearheaded Magure’s evolution from a service-led AI partner to a platform-first powerhouse, driving its strategic rebrand, global expansion, and regional footprint across the UAE, India, and the USA. Under his direction, Magure has launched transformative offerings—including MagLabs for AI ideation, modular accelerators, and AI consulting—and strengthened its market leadership through a key partnership with the NVIDIA Connect Program & Huawei.

Azam Pasha is a global executive driving blockchain, tokenization & data-driven solutions to transform trade, agri-supply chains, and financial inclusion.

Founder/CEO of Simsy.AI & Simsy Ventures with 30 years of global entrepreneurship. Built India’s #1 education IT services firm. Former MD at Anthology.

Throughout my 15-year tenure at the Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), I have helped transform the organization into a dynamic hub for entrepreneurship, professional development, and strategic partnerships—empowering women to lead in a digital-first economy. I spearheaded training programs in generative AI, machine learning, IoT, and blockchain, aligned with the UAE National AI Strategy 2031, and co-created leadership programs tailored for businesswomen and entrepreneurs. I also led AI-readiness initiatives with Oracle, AWS, Capgemini, and Odoo, building future-ready capabilities and driving workforce transformation across sectors. As an international speaker, I have shared insights on empathetic leadership, innovation, and women’s empowerment at platforms including SPIEF, the BRICS Women’s Forum 2024 and BRICS Urban Future Forum 2025, Rio Web Summit 2024, and Expo 2020. My efforts were recognized with the Innovators XReward for Equality & Inclusion in 2022. My mission is to build purpose-driven communities, expand access to future-forward skills, and lead with empathy and clarity, enabling people and organizations to thrive in a future proofed world.

AI Innovation Lead at Magure, specializing in designing and deploying practical AI Solutions for enterprises and government bodies. I’ve spent 14 years across sectors such as Banking, Fintech and Technology with the common theme of solution and value engineering through data and AI. “I am looking forward to bringing my experience of on-the-ground deployments of AI and the value I have seen delivered to clients across sectors.”