Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) is thrilled to announce the GameExpo Summit, powered by Pocket Gamer Connects (PG), a platform to bring together professionals from all areas of the gaming and esports industry to share knowledge, network and discuss opportunities in the global gaming market. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, the two-day business conference will be held as part of the annual Dubai Esports and Games Festival 2023 (DEF), and is set to take place on 21 and 22 June at the South Halls, Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City, Dubai.
The two day forum will feature more than 700 high-profile attendees, and a range of activities and talks by over 100 industry thought leaders and government agencies including; keynote speeches, panel discussions, fringe events, and networking sessions with a unique opportunity to catch up on the latest from game developers through the exciting activations and exhibitions on display. The informative talks and interactive sessions will provide attendees with valuable insights into the latest developments in the gaming industry with topics including; AI Advances, Web3 Wonders, Mapping the Metaverse, Global and MENA Trends, Esports Innovations, Publishing Power, The Developer Toolkit, Show me the Money, and more.
This year, all registered attendees can enjoy free access to concepts including; the well known meeting and messaging platform MeetToMatch, a simple and productive pocketbook with multiple features to maximise engagement and interactions other with attendees, from meeting requests to calendar management; The Investor Connector matchmaking activity, a networking session available at this year’s event to help attendees meet with investors from across the globe coming to DEF to look for opportunities here in the region; and Publisher SpeedMatch, a curated networking opportunity that enables developers to connect with publishers through a series of speed-meetings.
The MENA market represents a growing gaming consumer base and a fast-developing industry, and the Summit will encourage the next generation of games businesses in the region, driving investment in an evolving ecosystem. Showcasing the freshest local and global talent, the brightest minds in the industry will meet to stimulate long-term business opportunities.
The finest minds from across the gaming world will share insights at the Summit including:
| Speakers | Company | Title |
| Kadri Harma | Nine66 | CEO |
| Andrey Kalugin | Xsolla | Regional Director |
Hanting Zhu | Publicis Groupe Middle East | Gaming & Esports Lead |
| Nour Khrais | Maysalward | Founder & CEO |
| Thamer Matar | Jawaker | Head of Growth |
| Wonil Suh | Wemade | EVP Corp Dev |
| Matt Nutt | Fenix Games | Co-founder and COO |
| David Fernandez | Sandsoft Games | CEO |
| Manish Agarwal | IndiGG | Elder Council Member |
| Jeff Lyndon | iDreamsky Technology | President / Co-founder |
| John Lacey | Tencent | MENA Head |
| Maria Kochmola | The Games Fund | Founder and Managing Partner |
| Wayne Lee | Bloxmith | Founder/CEO |
| Tony Pearce | Reality+ | Co-Founder |
| Brett Krause | Transcend Fund | General Partner |
| Kyu Lee | COM2US USA, Inc | President |
| Taewon Yun | Super Evil Megacorp | Chief Business Officer |
| Charly Harbord | Global Game Jam | Director of Operations |
Returning for its second edition, DEF 2023 will create a unique platform that unites global gamers, investors, entrepreneurs, and international players through a series of engaging activities that prioritise entertainment. Highlighting Dubai’s position as a global hub for the games industry, the festival’s hero consumer event GameExpo will see a range of entertainment and lifestyle brands that cater to families and children, ensuring an inclusive experience for all attendees.
To purchase tickets for the GameExpo Summit and for more information on Dubai Esports & Games Festival 2023, please click here.
