Step onto the stage at the Global Games Show Abu Dhabi

Layden is the former chairman of PlayStation Worldwide Studios for Sony Interactive Entertainment
(SIE), where he was responsible for driving first-party content to differentiate the PlayStation platform.
In 2019, he established PlayStation Productions to create film and television properties based on
PlayStation’s game IP.
Prior to serving as chairman, Layden was CEO of SIE America, and before that served as president of
SIE Japan. His 32-year career with Sony began with corporate roles in Tokyo, including five years as
personal assistant to Akio Morita, co-founder of Sony Corporation.
He currently advises several tech start-ups in game adjacent fields and is a founding board member
of the Girls Make Games Scholarship Fund.
Layden graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in American Studies.

Johnson Yeh holds a PhD in Strategic Management from Peking University and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He has significant experience in the gaming and circular economy sectors, having held senior positions at Riot Games and the World Economic Forum. Currently, Johnson leads Ambrus Studio, a Web3 game production company, and ROEHL, a Lifestyle as a Service brand focused on sustainability.

I am an esports and gaming industry leader with over 20 years of commercial and strategic leadership experience, currently serving as Chief Business Officer for NODWIN Gaming in the MENA region. My mandate is clear: build the most commercially successful and strategically aligned gaming and esports ecosystem across Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the wider Middle East—working directly with government entities, vision-driven sovereign organizations, and global publishers to launch esports IPs, content ecosystems, and multi-million-dollar media rights models.Over the past decade, I have led the regional transformation of the esports economy in partnership with government entities in MENA and Europe. My leadership has focused on monetization innovation, scalable production models, cross-border investment, and the integration of esports into national economic diversification agendas.What I’m BuildingMulti-IP esports ecosystem anchored with government and sovereign fund backing
Cross-border monetization models in media rights, production, content licensing, and data
Partnerships with strategic operators, publishers, and infrastructure developers to scale regional esports exports globally
High-performance leadership teams aligned with long-term national strategies and investor objectives

Joseph van Heeswijk is an entrepreneur and one of the founders of the 2Game ecosystem, a rapidly expanding gaming and esports group that operates globally and forms part of GCL, a NASDAQ-listed company. Joseph serves as the CEO of the LATAM division, overseeing growth across Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and the wider Latin American region.
With more than 20 years of experience in the global games industry, Joseph has worked across Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America in roles spanning distribution, development, publishing partnerships, and large-scale marketing.
In esports, he helped build 2Game Esports into one of the region’s fastest-growing organisations earning a place in the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) through competitive qualification in its first year. VCT is Riot Games’ official global league system and one of the most prestigious circuits in esports. Joseph also discovered standout talent such as Blaz from Chile, who went on to achieve major international success. With multiple expansions underway, 2026 is set to be a landmark year for the group.
Joseph focuses on building the infrastructure and opportunities needed to accelerate Latin American expansion in gaming, esports, and digital entertainment.

Kishan Deepak Palija is the visionary Chief Executive Officer of Geekay Group, one of the leading gaming and lifestyle companies in the Middle East. Taking charge at just 18 years old, Kishan has transformed Geekay from a single-business operation into a diversified powerhouse operating across six GCC countries. Under his leadership, the group has expanded into multiple verticals including retail, distribution, esports, e-commerce, and licensing, establishing a formidable regional presence.

Since assuming leadership in 2002, Kishan has spearheaded the growth of Geekay Retail, now operating over 40 stores across the GCC and employing more than 400 people. Through Geekay Distribution, the group represents and distributes several top-tier global gaming brands exclusively across the MENA region.
Kishan also played a pivotal role in the establishment of Geekay Esports, one of the region’s most competitive esports organizations, dedicated to developing and showcasing top regional talent on the global stage. Additionally, he founded K2S Media, a licensing and marketing agency representing world-renowned brands across the Middle East, Turkey, and India.

His entrepreneurial drive and strategic vision have earned him recognition as one of the UAE’s most influential business leaders. Kishan has been featured in NRI Media’s “UAE’s Most Iconic Indians”, listed in Gray Matters Super 100, and was a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year at the Gulf Capital MEED SME Awards as well as SME of the Year by Gulf Business. Under his leadership, Geekay Group received the Dubai Economic Department’s Best Service Performance Outlet Award in the electronics category in both 2021 and 2023. Kishan is also a recipient of the prestigious UAE Golden Visa.
With a relentless commitment to innovation, community-building, and regional growth, Kishan continues to lead Geekay Group to new heights, cementing its position as a dominant force in the gaming and esports industry across the Middle East.

Dirk Lueth is a serial entrepreneur and an early adopter of blockchain and related technologies based in Silicon Valley. In addition to being the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Uplandme, Inc., Dirk co-founded and is chairman of the Open Metaverse Alliance for Web3 (OMA3).

Dr. Faisal Khan is the IT Director at Al Nassr Club Company, where he leads digital transformation initiatives spanning AI, cybersecurity, enterprise systems, and fan engagement technology. With a strong background in sports technology and digital strategy, he has been at the forefront of integrating AI-driven personalisation, CRM, and data platforms to enhance how one of the region’s leading football clubs connects with its fans and operates as a modern digital business.

An alumnus of Harvard Business School’s Program for Leadership Development, Faisal was awarded the IDC CIO Excellence Award 2025 in Saudi Arabia for outstanding project leadership. He has spoken at the IDC Public Sector Congress on emerging technologies for sustainable governance, and moderated panels on AI, data, and digital trust.

Faisal is passionate about the intersection of technology and sport, and regularly shares insights on AI, Vision 2030, and the future of fan engagement across sports and gaming.

Nour Khrais is a Jordanian Appreneur and a pioneer in mobile gaming and value-added services. In 2003, he founded Maysalward, the Middle East’s first mobile game studio, catalyzing regional innovation and growth. Over 26 years, he has shaped Jordan’s mobile gaming landscape and earned top honors, including the Medal of Excellence from King Abdullah II (2017), the Jordan Centenary Medal (2022), Mobile Legend (2023), and MENA Market Legend (2024). Khrais holds a Doctorate in World Trade focused on culturalization and localization in Middle Eastern mobile games, a master’s in international business, a Diploma in Mobile Telecommunication, and a BSc in Agricultural Engineering

Tess Hau is an investor and advisor to high performing startups, deep tech companies and extraordinary founders across the world. speaker and moderator on numerous prominent VC and entrepreneurship panels.

Osman Masud is the Founder & CEO of The Game Company, a Dubai-based AI-powered cloud gaming platform that makes console-grade, AAA titles playable on any device, without expensive hardware or downloads. A lifelong gamer and serial entrepreneur, he previously built and scaled ventures across telecom and AI-driven customer experience, including leadership roles at billion-dollar tech companies such as Afiniti. Under his leadership, The Game Company has raised millions of dollars in investment, built a library of more than 1,300 titles, and launched its low-latency cloud gaming platform at Dubai AI Week, positioning UAE as a global hub for next-generation gaming. Osman is a graduate of LUMS and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School. His career uniquely bridges consumer-tech innovation, venture capital-grade execution and the rapidly evolving convergence of entertainment, AI and global digital infrastructure

Vlad is the Co-Founder of True Gamers, a global gaming club chain with more than 130 locations across the Gulf region and Europe. Since 2019, he has led the company’s expansion and the development of its gaming infrastructure, helping establish True Gamers as one of the fastest-growing esports ecosystems in the region. The company is recognized internationally for its esports tournaments, partnerships with brands such as Sony and LG, and pioneering impact-driven initiatives — including eQueens Villa, the region’s first women-only gaming space, and the World’s First eSports Island by True Gamers set to be realized in Abu Dhabi.

Rashed Mansoor Alawar is an Emirati entrepreneur, game developer, and esports enthusiast with a strong passion for gaming and interactive experiences. He is the founder of Old Chair Games, an independent UAE-based game studio focused on developing creative, engaging games with distinctive concepts and memorable player experiences.

Through Old Chair Games, Rashed aims to contribute to the growth of the UAE’s gaming industry by building original titles, developing local game-development talent, and creating games that can reach audiences both regionally and internationally.

Abdulrazaq Salem is the Chief Operating Officer of Diwan Videos, one of the largest digital media and multi-channel networks (MCNs) in the Middle East and North Africa. With more than 10 years of experience in the creator economy, digital media, business strategy, and partnerships, he has played a pivotal role in helping creators, brands, and technology companies scale across the region. Throughout his career, Razaq has contributed to building one of the region’s largest creator networks, generating over 3 billion monthly views. He has also worked with leading global technology companies, including Tencent, Lilith Games, Yalla, ONEMT, Netmarble, and Hyperconnect, supporting their market expansion across MENA and helping drive significant user growth and commercial success. Beyond digital media, Razaq is an entrepreneur, investor, and strategic advisor who has supported numerous startups and international companies in expanding into Saudi Arabia and the GCC. His expertise spans market entry, strategic partnerships, investment attraction, and business growth, combined with a deep understanding of the region’s business landscape and cultural dynamics. Razaq believes the creator economy is evolving beyond content production into a platform for building innovative businesses, scalable products, and globally competitive brands.

Kiki Finley is a dynamic motivational keynote speaker and trailblazing creative executive whose career spans music, film, and live performance. As the founder of Point Blank Management and the LA Soundscape Orchestra the first Black woman-founded film and game scoring orchestra in the U.S. Kiki has built her legacy on breaking industry barriers and empowering underrepresented voices.

With decades of experience as an award-winning actress, music publisher, and sync licensing advocate, Kiki brings transformative insight to every stage. Her talks inspire audiences to discover their authentic voice, embrace resilience, and lead with purpose in creative industries and beyond. Whether speaking to artists, students, or corporate leaders, Kiki’s storytelling and lived wisdom leave a lasting impact.