Speakers

Stephanie Emile
Stephanie Emile was appointed General Manager of Binance Dubai in August 2024, bringing with her a wealth of experience in digital and electronic trading systems. With a robust background in banking, data analytics, sales, and liquidity management, Stephanie has been instrumental in shaping Binance’s operations in Dubai and across the Middle East. In her previous role as Head of Operations at Binance Dubai, Stephanie played a key role in securing the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), a landmark achievement that significantly enhanced Binance’s ability to serve both retail and institutional investors in the region. Her strategic vision and growth-oriented leadership have been pivotal in positioning Binance FZE as a trusted leader in the fast-evolving cryptocurrency landscape. Before joining Binance, Stephanie held prominent roles at BNP Paribas, where she led electronic FX client and digital solutions for EMEA, and at Barclays Capital, managing credit risk technology and supporting emerging markets applications. Her technical expertise, combined with a deep understanding of both the business and regulatory environments, has made her an invaluable asset in the financial sector. Stephanie's appointment as General Manager underscores her ability to navigate complex challenges while driving innovation and operational excellence, making her a key player in the future of digital finance.

Rifad Mahasneh
Rifad is the CEO of OKX for the MENA region. He brings in over a decade of experience in business strategy, management and public policy in the MENA region. Prior to OKX, Rifad was the Vice President and General Manager of Rain Financial in the UAE. Rifad's earlier roles included leading Uber's ride hailing business in the GCC and the levant region; Rifad has a bachelors degree from the University of Toronto and an MBA from IE Business school.

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Sergio Pisani
Sergio Pisani is a strategic leader with over 15 years of experience in Risk Management and Cyber Risk Advisory. Currently Head of Specialised Underwriting at Trust Payments, he excels in enhancing compliance and team performance. A sought-after speaker, Sergio shares insights on digital currencies and regulatory strategies, driving innovation in the industry.

Amit Arora
Amit Arora is a strategic builder with over 14 years of experience in financial services, including more than 5 years specializing in digital assets and Web3. As Head of Partnerships at RAK Digital Asset Oasis, Amit works alongside global stakeholders to drive ecosystem growth and deliver innovative solutions. His past work with Layer 1 ecosystems like Hedera has equipped him to continue expanding markets across EMEA and APAC by building impactful partnerships and enhancing ecosystem development. Amit?s approach is centered around performance marketing, collaborative innovation, and data-driven decision-making, all of which help him achieve measurable results.


Dyma Budorin
Dyma Budorin is a Co-Founder & CEO of Hacken, the leading blockchain security auditor, Co-Chair of EEA DRAMA (a DeFi Risk Assessment Management and Accounting group), co-author of crypto industry standards, and a Vice President of the Blockchain Association of Ukraine. Being a crypto enthusiast and cybersecurity expert, Dyma has had his insights featured by BBC, Wired, Cointelegraph, Coindesk, and other reputable media outlets.


Dr. Ayesha Binlootah
A self-driven & ambitious leader with +15 Yrs. of experience in Licensing, Supervision, Digital Assurance, Inspection, Internal Audit, Risk Management, Information Security, Internal Control, Excellence, Service Improvement, Governance, Business Continuity Management, Crisis Management, Global & City Crisis Communication including COVID-19 city-level management with diverse industry experience of Financial Institutions, Virtual Assets, Tourism, Hospitality, Real Estate, Economic Development & Economic Acceleration & Public Sector.

Mohammed Ali Yusuf
Leading Fuze, a pioneering regulated digital assets infrastructure platform in the MENA region. In August 2023, Fuze achieved a milestone with a record-breaking $14 million seed funding round?the largest of its kind for a digital assets infrastructure startup in the region. The company now generates over AED 8 billion in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and has cemented its status as the fastest-growing fintech in MENA.

Mr. Majed Ahmed Al Shamsi
Director of AML & Financial Crimes Department
Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA)

Shantnu Saxena
Shantnu Saxena is the founder of Encryptus (Regulated and Licensed Crypto <> Fiat) payment providers with licenses in UAE, Europe, and Asia Pacific. He is also the CEO of Anzens (Cardano backed and Emurgo supported) stable coin. He has been working in the payments space for 10+ years and in the crypto space for 8+ years. Shantnu got into crypto in 2016 to build the model between Bitcoin and money transfers for BitPesa and later went on to lead the business of Huobi in Middle East and Africa as their CEO. He supported several other companies like Paxful and LBank as Strategic Advisor. He spoke at conferences like Consensus, WebX Japan, India Blockchain Week, CryptoExpo to name a few.

Serena Sebastiani
Serena Sebastiani is a Passionate Management Consulting professional with 13 years of experience in the Financial Services industry. Focused on Fintech, Virtual Assets and the future of Finance. Learning on metaverse. Involved in fintech acceleration programs as a business mentor; speaker in industry events; supporting the Virtual Assets ecosystem and contributing to the creation of an active community of players across the value chain. I work in the GCC advising Sovereign Wealth Funds, Central Banks and Regulators, Government entities and the private sector to support the transformation agenda of the Region. Harvard Law School / IOSCO certified on Global Program for Regulators of Securities Markets.

Alessandro Pellegrino
With a career in cryptocurrencies dating back to 2012, Alessandro Pellegrino is the Founder and CEO of Traianus Partners, a leading firm in the digital asset liquidity sector, and also manages the investment fund Qubrax Capital. Starting his journey by trading and mining Bitcoin, he gained early insights during the ICO boom that shaped his approach to digital finance. Alessandro now focuses on developing algorithmic trading and market-making strategies that enhance the accessibility, efficiency, and security of the digital assets market. His vision is to build a decentralized, community-focused financial ecosystem that fosters fairness, innovation, and equitable wealth distribution.

Anton Golub
Chief Investment Officer
Freedx
Anton Golub is a seasoned executive with over 10 years of experience in the crypto and traditional finance markets. Anton has been instrumental in scaling multiple businesses in the crypto industry. Anton expertise spans crypto exchanges and market-making, backed by a strong industry experience and academic foundation in financial mathematics & computer science.


Dani Mariano
Dani Mariano leads marketing transformation agency Razorfish. She?s committed to helping brands build relationships with consumers and future proof them for Gen Alpha. Dani is a recipient of the 2024 She Runs It Changing the Game Awards, a UN speaker, author, and board member of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance.
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David Palmer
David Palmer is a digital visionary, innovator, and author. He is the Chief Product Officer and co-founder of the Pairpoint by Vodafone IoT and Web3 platform Digital Asset Broker (DAB). He is board member of the Asia Web3 Alliance, international speaker on Web3, and the author of a new book entitled “The Business of the Metaverse – How Organisations Can Optimize the Opportunities of Web3 and AI.” David is recognised as one of the top 20 people to watch in Web3, and one of the top 30 Metaverse industry leaders. Most recently he has been working on the opportunities associated with AI, Web3, IoT and Fintech to power new business models for digital businesses and enterprise
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Elias Ahonen
Elias Ahonen is a blockchain author and legal expert described as ?one of the first Bitcoin historians? due to his 2016 book, Physical Bitcoins and Crypto-Currencies. His 2021 book, Blockland, serves as an industry textbook. A frequent contributor to Cointelegraph, his expertise is acknowledged in international media including The Wall Street Journal. With an academic background in Philosophy, Economics, and Political Science, his MA in International and Comparative Law (MICL) thesis, Encoded Territory, explores legal questions related to NFT?s and the metaverse. He is a broker and avid collector of crypto memorabilia and launched his consulting company Token Valley at the beginning of the ICO boom in 2017.

Hakim Bousba
Hakim is a seasoned crypto expert and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in blockchain and Web3. As a founder of three ventures with one successful exit, he has a proven track record of building and scaling impactful projects. Hakim serves as a trusted advisor to Web3 startups, helping them grow from concept to execution. Dedicated to decentralization, transparency, and empowering Web3 builders, Hakim continues to shape the future of blockchain technology.

Henzie Healley
Henzie studied Business Management in Canada, before going on to study law in New Zealand. She qualified with an LLB with Honors in New Zealand and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2014. She then moved to Dubai early in 2014 after being offered a permanent role at an international law firm she interned at during her school vacations. Early 2019 she founded her own legal consultancy. Her firm is a legal consultancy and registered ADGM Corporate Service Provider which is seeking to disrupt the status quo of traditional law firms by giving them direct and ongoing access to senior legal counsel and improve on the provision of legal and corporate service provider services and the way that such services are provided.


Jehanzeb Awan
Jehanzeb Awan is the Founder and CEO of J. Awan & Partners, a global consulting firm specializing in technology-driven governance, risk, and compliance solutions. He is also the Founder and CEO of Azakaw, a leading RegTech company offering compliance solutions to diverse industries worldwide. In addition to his executive roles, Jehanzeb is the Chairman of the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Crypto and Blockchain Association, helping to shape the future of digital finance in the region. Jehanzeb?s career spans key leadership roles, including his tenure as Regional Head of Compliance for Morgan Stanley?s operations in the MENA region, and Head of Compliance at the National Bank of Dubai (now Emirates NBD). His professional journey began in New York with Hornblower & Weeks, followed by a role at Raymond James & Associates in Philadelphia. Jehanzeb holds a BSc degree with Magna Cum Laude honors from the University of Arizona and is an active member of the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and several other regulatory bodies.


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Mr. KEY Karnika E Yashwant
Mr. KEY is an entrepreneur and investor shaping the future of businesses through innovative blockchain solutions. With over 15 years of experience and ventures like KEY Difference Labs, he leverages blockchain to drive efficiency, transparency, and resilience. As a sought-after speaker, he simplifies blockchain’s impact, empowering others to embrace the transition from traditional to Web3 ecosystems.

Pere Monguio
co-CEO
FXStreet
Pere is the co-CEO of FXStreet, where he oversees the editorial, analytical and marketing areas. With over a decade of experience in the financial services sector, he is committed to empowering independent traders with the insights and tools they need to confidently navigate the financial markets. A graduate in Advertising and Public Relations from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Pere combines his expertise in communication with a passion for understanding how financial markets tick. Outside work, he enjoys outdoor activities with his family in the beautiful Catalan landscapes.


Sharique Raza
Senior security Architect
ENBD
Dr. Sharique Raza is a distinguished cybersecurity expert specializing in offensive security. He has discovered zero-day vulnerabilities and is empaneled in the National Security Database. Recognized by Microsoft, the United Nations, and Nvidia, he is also the author of Fortress of Finance: Blockchain-Based Digital Currencies and a prominent industry speaker

Terri-Leigh Bennett
Terri-Leigh Bennett is the COO of CMS Prime, a leading trading firm with over 20 years in the market. A fintech and crypto background, she has led crypto exchange and NFT marketplace development, driving innovation, regulation, and growth in global trading and digital assets. With extensive experience in scaling operations and market expansion, she is committed to shaping the future of finance and blockchain technology.
Be A Speaker
At Crypto Expo Dubai
The demand for speaking opportunities at Crypto Expo Dubai is tremendous, with numerous requests received alongside our proactive outreach. To increase your chances of being selected, we encourage you to submit your application early, showcase your unique insights, and ensure your topics are relevant to our audience.
Please email us with the following details:
- Your preferred speaking role
- Topics you would like to cover
- A brief overview of your background and expertise