Mr. Comeau is responsible for overall strategic and operational leadership at Phocuswright. Pete oversees all aspects of Phocuswright’s commercial activities including product, sales and service, and marketing. He also plays a key role in product development and business development strategy for Phocuswright research, events and media businesses globally. Pete is a frequent speaker at industry events and heads Phocuswright’s coverage of startups and innovation.

Mr. Comeau’s travel industry career spans over two decades. Previously, he managed strategic partnerships at Orbitz in Chicago, where he assisted in growing and managing accounts for the Orbitz Partner Network. Prior to Orbitz, Pete was the sales leader at Moguls Mountain Travel, a ski tour wholesaler in Boulder, CO. He helped design, implement and maintain four reservation systems during his tenure and managed and mentored a team of successful sales agents.

Based in the Denver, Colorado area, Pete holds an M.B.A. from Daniels College of Business and graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College with a degree in government and economics.

Siew Hoon is a travel trade journalist, author, entrepreneur and podcaster who established WiT in 2005 to address the evolving landscape of travel technology and customer behaviour.

Over the years, WiT has grown into a prominent events and media platform in the Asia Pacific region, expanding its coverage to include markets such as Japan, South Korea, and the Middle East. Recognised as “Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Singapore Tourism Board, Siew Hoon’s efforts led to the acquisition of WiT by Northstar Travel Group in 2014.

Siew Hoon is happiest when platforming the future movers and shakers of the industry, lending a voice to those who are out to change, disrupt, and build back better. She thrives on launching unique, people-centric events by blending global insights with local knowledge, while exploring new markets and staying informed about industry developments.

Siew Hoon’s published titles include “Around Asia In One Hour: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries,” and children’s books such as “Adventures of Habibie The Turtle” and “The Story of Baitong and Boon.” Siew Hoon also hosts the “A Life In Travel” podcast.

A passionate leader who thrives on driving business transformation and achieving tangible outcomes through innovation and technology – Sanjay Sharma is recognized as the top 10 CIOs in the Middle East and awarded the BT 150 (Business Transformation) in Silicon Valley.

As the Chief Technology Officer of Orascom Hotels Management, he is responsible for driving digital transformation and change within the Group. In his previous role as the Head of IT in Jumeirah Group, he has successfully led various strategic Programs to address the transformation of Customer Engagement, Business Processes, Back-office Operations, and IT Infrastructure.

As Chief Digital Technology Officer at Almosafer, Qais Amori brings over 15 years of experience in the tech industry to his role, where he leads a talented team of software engineers, solution architects, DevOps specialists, cloud operations experts, and Data technology experts.

In his role, Qais oversees the software engineering, solution architecture, DevOps, cloud operations, and Data technology teams, ensuring that they have the tools, resources, and support they need to build products that are both innovative and scalable. He is a champion of state-of-the-art technologies and frameworks, and his passion for technical excellence is contagious, under his guidance, the team is responsible for delivering innovative products that enhance the customer experience of Almosafer’s brands.
Throughout his career, Qais has demonstrated a passion for building large-scale products, as well as creating dynamic and productive work environments that foster a culture of collaboration and technical excellence.

He has a proven track record of building strong technology teams, and his expertise in solution design, software architecture, and cloud computing has been a critical factor in the success of several major technology initiatives, including “dawriplus,” the largest online platform for watching the Saudi Professional League, and “jawwytv,” now known as STC tv, the leading Saudi OTT platform.

Qais possesses a wealth of technical expertise and a proven track record of driving innovation and achieving exceptional results, making him a valuable addition to Almosafer. He is a leader who inspires and motivates his team to deliver their best, and his unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in all aspects of his work.

Vishal Anand is a senior management professional with more than 26+ years of experience in managing multiple disciplines across Information Technology (IT), Destination Management (DMC), Retail, Hospitality and Human Resources (HR) in world class organizations. This includes 17+ years of experience in creating business & IT strategies, operational planning, building high performance teams and implementation of change across the organization. Vishal has overseen every facet of IT development from the procurement of software solutions to the design, setup of offshore development centers and mastermind of business systems and their simultaneous execution across multiple domains. In his current role, Vishal work as the Head of IT & Digital Excellence at Yosh Hospitality driving their Digital and Business transformation strategies, change and outcome with innovation and technology. He had also worked previously at Dubai Holding for 5 years and Emirates Airlines for more than 2 decades and hold a Master’s in Business Administration from Bradford University, UK.

Mr. Comeau is responsible for overall strategic and operational leadership at Phocuswright. Pete oversees all aspects of Phocuswright’s commercial activities including product, sales and service, and marketing. He also plays a key role in product development and business development strategy for Phocuswright research, events and media businesses globally. Pete is a frequent speaker at industry events and heads Phocuswright’s coverage of startups and innovation.

Mr. Comeau’s travel industry career spans over two decades. Previously, he managed strategic partnerships at Orbitz in Chicago, where he assisted in growing and managing accounts for the Orbitz Partner Network. Prior to Orbitz, Pete was the sales leader at Moguls Mountain Travel, a ski tour wholesaler in Boulder, CO. He helped design, implement and maintain four reservation systems during his tenure and managed and mentored a team of successful sales agents.

Based in the Denver, Colorado area, Pete holds an M.B.A. from Daniels College of Business and graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College with a degree in government and economics.

Viren is the co-founder and CEO at VIDEC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 15 years of experience in emerging markets in the East, especially UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, China & SEA. He specializes in tech enabled high growth businesses and provides research, commercial due diligence and buy and sell side M&A advisory to companies across leisure and corporate travel categories.

Viren served as the head of Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions for Phocuswright for more than a decade before co-founding VIDEC in 2016.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and M.B.A. with dual specialization in marketing (major) and finance (minor).

In his downtime, Viren is a doting father to a 5-year old munchkin named Ori.

As Vice President and Managing Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Carlo Olejniczak is responsible for leading operations for Booking.com across this region, including accommodation partner growth and retention, exploring business development opportunities and ensuring best-in-class service and support for both customers and partners.

In his eight years with the company, Carlo has served in several key leadership roles for Booking.com both regionally and globally. Most recently, he led the Global Chains segment of the Booking.com business, a key arm of the Accommodations Business Unit dedicated to supporting chain hotel partners and their relationship with Booking.com. Prior to that, Carlo was Regional Director for France, Spain and Portugal, a position he was first appointed to in 2015. Before joining Booking.com, Carlo spent five years at AccorHotels, leading global sales for the global hotel and hospitality company. Previously, he worked in a myriad of roles at Disneyland Paris.

Carlo holds an MBA in International Trade from the Sorbonne University. A native of France, he now lives and works in Amsterdam.

Ross is CEO & Co-Founder at Wego, which is online travel marketplace that provides top ranked mobile apps and websites for users living in the APAC and MENA regions. Wego harnesses powerful technology that simplifies the process of searching, comparing and booking flights and hotels across hundreds of airlines, hotels and online travel agency websites. Wego is has dual-HQs in Singpaore and Dubai and is backed by top-tier investors including Tiger Global, Crescent Group, Square Peg Capital and the MBC Group.

Ross is a veteran of the Asian internet industry having established Yahoo!s Southeast Asian operations in Singapore back in 1998 and leading product development efforts across the region for 6+ years. He is also Singapore Co-Chair of H2, the premier global leadership network for the digital industry. Ross has been an active angel investor in the technology sector for a decade and enjoys working with other passionate entrepreneurs. He has worked in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Kuala Lumpur and is now splits his time between Singapore and Dubai. He travels frequently for business but not nearly enough for leisure.

Muzzammil is the CEO of Almosafer, Saudi Arabia’s leading Travel Company, elevating the journey for travelers from Saudi Arabia, the region & beyond, while harnessing Seera Group’s 40+ years of expertise. Muzzammil is passionate about creating teams that use the power of digital technologies and data to deliver delightful customer experiences at scale.

Muzzammil holds an MBA with Distinction from INSEAD and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine.

Mr. Albert Fernando is a visionary leader and the CEO of Travelwings, a leading online travel platform headquartered in Dubai. Mr. Fernando is one of the rare insiders who built Travelwings with a passion for travel, keen business acumen, and hypersensitivity to the customer experience.

Inspired by the idea of taking customers on an enchanting journey without bounds, he established Travelwings as an enduring travel brand that offers authentic and exclusive travel experiences made possible with innovative technology and firsthand knowledge of every destination. Ever attentive to consumer demands, Albert is driven by a vision to position Travelwings as the world’s most trusted e-commerce tourism brand, known for its world-class technology, exceptional customer service, customer-centric approach, and seamless user experience.

Mr. Fernando’s extensive experience in the travel and hospitality sector has enabled him to understand the evolving needs and preferences of modern travellers. With an acute focus on personalised travel experiences, Albert has revolutionised the way we explore the world. Under his guidance, Travelwings has become renowned for its emphasis on customised travel ventures, tailoring every journey to meet the unique requirements of customers. Through innovative technologies and a customer-centric approach, Mr. Fernando has ensured that Travelwings remains at the forefront of the industry. His impressive career trajectory is marked by his unwavering commitment to excellence and his relentless pursuit of innovation in the travel sector.

Mr. Fernando possesses a wealth of experience and expertise, making him a respected leader in the industry. His visionary leadership has propelled Travelwings to become a trusted platform for travellers around the world. Under the guidance of Mr. Albert Fernando, the company has recorded over 300K bookings catered to over 1 million travellers, and gained a strong foothold in 32+ nations across the Middle East, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Morocco, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, and many more.

Throughout his tenure, Mr. Fernando has been recognized for his outstanding contributions. Recently, Albert was felicitated with ‘Africa’s Flight Booking Brand CEO of the Year 2023.’ The award celebrates the “Best Brains and the Most Successful Visionary Brands in Africa.” Moreover, in 2022, CEO Insights 2022, a program that honours emerging chief executives across the Middle East, bestowed Albert Fernando with the title of “Top 10 Leaders in the Middle East,” while the CEO Monthly program felicitated Mr. Albert with the “Most Influential CEO of 2022 in the United Arab Emirates” award. Additionally, he has been featured in CEO Insights India as a self-motivated leader setting an exemplary standard for others to follow.

Moreover, as a thought leader in the travel industry, Mr. Fernando has also been featured in various publications and industry journals. His efforts to offer well-curated travel experiences have been celebrated in The Guardian’s special focus on iconic drivers of Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector. His insights and expertise have been sought after by many, and he has inspired many others in the tourism sector. These prestigious accolades are a testament to his exceptional leadership skills and his ability to drive positive change within the organisation.

Driven by his relentless pursuit of excellence, Mr. Albert Fernando continues to steer Travelwings toward new horizons, ensuring that every traveller’s journey is nothing short of exceptional. He envisions offering his customers a journey filled with unforgettable memories and unparalleled experiences.

Guided by his vision to deliver exceptional customer satisfaction and his ability to navigate the ever-changing travel landscape, Albert Fernando continues to be a driving force in the tourism industry, shaping the future of online travel platforms.

Hoor Al Khaja is the Senior Vice President of International Operations at the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), the entity under Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) responsible for branding, promotion, and marketing of Dubai.

Since joining in 2013, Hoor has played a key role in shaping Dubai’s global tourism strategy, initially contributing to the Tourism Sector Strategy before transitioning to International Operations.

Over the past decade, Hoor has managed diverse global markets, with a notable focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Her leadership in driving Dubai’s China Strategy elevated China from the Emirate’s 11th largest source market to its 4th during the pre-pandemic year.

Now overseeing all of Dubai’s global source markets, Hoor is instrumental in positioning Dubai as one of the world’s top three most-visited destinations as part of the overall D33 Vision for the city.

Hoor currently manages a network of 35+ offices across 60+ markets, fostering collaborations with partners such as Emirates Airlines and aligning public and private stakeholders to enhance Dubai’s global appeal. She integrates B2B and B2C strategies to deliver measurable outcomes, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a premier destination.

As part of DCTCM’s Strategy Leadership Team, Hoor ensures data-driven, audience-focused marketing strategies tailored to each market. She has spearheaded initiatives like the Dubai Stopover and Medical Tourism programs, diversifying the Emirate’s appeal to international visitors.

A senior spokesperson for DET, Hoor represents Dubai on global platforms, engaging in panels, exhibitions, and media to amplify its vision and achievements. Beyond her professional contributions, she is committed to youth empowerment, sustainability, and community development, having served on the Dubai Youth Council and supported various accessibility and sustainability-led initiatives.

Hoor is a Cum Laude graduate in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah, combining her academic background in economics and finance with her expertise in leadership and global strategy.

Souhilla Taarabit is an accomplished travel professional with extensive experience in designing and optimizing corporate travel programmes. As Head of Corporate Travel Services at Al-Futtaim, she currently focuses on building efficient strategies, powered by technology, while keeping business travelers at the heart of her decisions. With a strong background in the travel industry, having held leadership roles at major global companies such as Amazon and PepsiCo, Souhilla Taarabit drives operational excellence. A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, she champions the integration of DEI strategies to create more tailored business travel experiences.

Prashant Kirtane is the CEO of WegoPro, a revolutionary platform aimed at modernising and simplifying business travel.

Prior to founding Travelstop (later acquired by Wego), Prashant Kirtane was Vice President at HomeAway (Emerging Markets), leading the development and operations of the company across Asia and other emerging markets.

Before joining HomeAway, Kirtane was the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Travelmob, one of Asia’s pioneer social marketplace for booking accommodation and room rentals, during which time he was instrumental in the evolution of the company’s local market positioning before it was acquired by HomeAway/Expedia in 2015.

An experienced and well-respected leader in his field, Kirtane spent 12 years in various roles at Yahoo! Inc. where he led the development of game-changing mobile solutions and technology platforms for the company. In his last role as the Senior Director of Engineering for Yahoo!’s video division, he was instrumental in leading a team of over 40 engineers in a global revamp of consumer video experiences. Kirtane started his career in India at Tata Infotech.

Former commercial exec at airlines such as Etihad and Qatar Airways backed Air Italy. Moved to travel tech in 2021 with PSNGR1, a content agnostic online booking platform which went on to win Business Travel News Innovate and was acquired in 2023. Always looking for ways to reduce corporate travel friction, Ron joined Acai in 2024 to bring AI to support TMCs, OTAs, and airlines.

Rikin Sheth is the Assistant Vice President and Product Head at Musafir.com, UAE’s leading online travel agency. He is a results-driven professional noted for his communication and leadership abilities, as well as problem-solving, data-driven decision-making, adaptability, flexibility, analytics, multitasking, and strategic initiatives.

Rikin is on a quest to carve out a distinct niche in the business for Musafir.com, with 19+ years of hands-on expertise in Business Development, Sales, Operations (BFSI, Corporate & Leisure OTA), Training, Transition, and Project Management. He is instrumental in setting up 24 * 7 contact centers for Musafir.com in the GCC and India. Additionally, he has been consistently optimizing data to deliver impeccable service levels, customer support, revenue, and performance.

Starting his career at Intelenet Global Services/Seco Global Services in Mumbai, India in the CX space, he moved onto Transition/Project Management involving migration of 2500+ jobs into India for global companies in the BFSI/Healthcare space for over a period of 9+ years.

His core strengths include operations management, product development, sales and business development, alliances, and partnerships (banks/credit cards), client relationships, and project management.

Rikin is an ardent sports lover and after successfully ticking off Zipline, Hot-Air Balloon, and swim with the sharks from his bucket list, bungee jumping, and sky diving are next on his agenda.

John joined dnata in November 2017, as CEO B2B Europe, a move that ended four years in Miami as COO of Spafinder Wellness – a role that he has graduates to having been the brand’s Managing Director in London. In May 2018, John’s role within dnata expanded and he assumed the responsibility for all B2B and B2C brands within the UK.

He is now CEO of dnata Travel Group and is responsible for a portfolio of 30 travel brands across leisure , travel trade, travel technology, corporate travel and destination management sectors, in more that 20 countries.
John has held several non-executive director posts in travel, as well as served on boards of both the UK’s Institute of Travel & Tourism and Association of British Travel Agents.

As Chief Operating Officer (COO) at OAG, Filipov drives the optimization of business operations, enhances organizational performance, and spearheads the company’s long-term strategic vision. His leadership approach focuses on fostering innovation and operational efficiency, ensuring OAG maintains its position as a leader in the aviation and travel data industry. Before joining OAG, Filipov served as Vice President of Product and Strategy at Skyscanner, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a leading global digital travel platform. Outside the travel industry, Filipov has held senior management positions in venture capital and strategy consulting, including key roles at Opera Solutions in New York and London.

Steven Greenway was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Arabian low-cost airline flyadeal in January 2024, bringing with him over 25 years of travel, airline, loyalty and advisory experience gained around the world. He was a founding member and Chief Commercial Officer of Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ successful LCC subsidiary; CEO of reward-U, a pioneering Hong Kong loyalty/lifestyle programme; and President of Swoop, WestJet’s ultra low-cost subsidiary in Canada.

With exposure in C-level and executive board roles in Europe, Middle East, Asia and North America, his expertise ranges from sales and distribution to planning and revenue management, ancillary revenue, digital commerce, loyalty and strategy.

In recent years, he joined Boards in the manufacturing AI space (T-DAB.AI – UK), Virtual Reality pilot training (VTR – USA) and airline commercial solutions (Caravelo – Spain).

Prior to joining flyadeal, he was President Commercial of Pangiam, a solutions and service provider of the efficient flow of people and goods across industries, including travel and
transportation.

Steven has Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Political Science degrees.

Serdar Gürbüz is a leader who has managed technology and data-driven transformation in industries such as aviation, telecommunications, retail, and financial technologies driving technology-based innovations throughout his career.

He currently serves as General Manager of Turkish Technology, which develops technology products and services for the aviation sector, primarily for Turkish Airlines and its subsidiaries. He also holds a position as a Board Member at Turkish Airlines Electronic Money and Payment Services.

He is an active member of Turkish Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) and Teknofest Aerospace and Technology Festival, both prominent civil society organizations.
Additionally, he serves on the investment committees of venture capital funds at Bilişim Vadisi and the T3 Foundation.

He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Boğaziçi University.

Chiara has been working in the travel and payments industry for over 20 years and is currently the Senior Vice President Travel Industries, in Mastercard, focusing on Travel B2B issuing, Travel Acquiring solutions and overall travel industry strategy.

She previously worked as the Head of Commercial at Amadeus Payment Unit ensuring payment solutions commercialization in the travel industry (hospitality, airlines, travel agencies) and prior, also in Amadeus, she headed the Payment Business Development Area and the Payment Partnerships Team.

Prior to joining Amadeus in 2012, she has worked in the Global Card Division at Santander Bank and in AirPlus International mainly focusing on commercial card processing and acquiring.

Chiara is also ambassador in Spain for the European Women Payments Network, a not-for-profit organization which goal is to promote gender parity in the payment industry.

Madhavan is responsible for Sabre’s Global Solution Engineering team focused on building Sabre’s next generation AI powered multi-source distribution platform. As part of his role, Madhavan and his team work closely with Sabre’s most strategic customers to understand their goals and translate these into capability requirements for the platform.

Prior to this role, Madhavan led Sabre’s Online business in the EMEA region. With his team of Online Sales & Account management professionals and eCommerce technology SMEs, Madhavan drove new Online Sales and provided world class account management services to Sabre’s OTA customers in the EMEA region.

Prior to this role, Madhavan established a Customer Enablement practice within Sabre. This is a global team responsible for enabling customers to, integrate rapidly with Sabre’s technology platform and leverage Sabre’s advanced technical capabilities on an ongoing basis.

Madhavan brings to Sabre close to 18 years of experience in management consulting, business development and software engineering. Prior to joining Sabre, Madhavan was with PriceWaterhouseCoopers UK for eight years in their management consulting division leading consulting engagements to help businesses across various industry sectors (financial services, insurance, pharma, healthcare) shape and execute their digital strategy.

Madhavan’s academic profile includes Electrical Engineering Degree from National Institute of Technology India and MBA from INSEAD Fontainebleau (Class of Dec 2006)

As senior vice president at Expedia Group Media Solutions, Rob Torres leads all facets of the global advertising business, including product, engineering, strategy, operations and business development, and works with the leadership team in shaping the future of the business with industry-leading offerings for partners.

Prior to Expedia Group, Rob spent 16 years at Google as the managing director of advertising and marketing for the company’s travel division, overseeing sales, strategy, product development and relationship management. He also previously spent seven years as vice president of strategic accounts at Expedia Group, working closely with hotel partners.

A travel industry leader, Rob was most recently vice chairman and a member of the Operating Committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and currently serves on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB). He is also a former chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Mobility council and past board chairman for The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Rob holds a B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Georgetown University and resides in Seattle with his family.

Winner of the Global Startup Pitch 2024 Asia Pacific Seedup Category

Speaker Bio
Founder of Belli (air cargo startup) / former Chief Product Officer at AirAsia / built aviation software for McKinsey and SpaceX

Company Profile
Belli is a VC-backed SaaS startup that helps airlines increase their air cargo revenue. The problem we solve is that airlines fly with the bottom of the plane 85% empty.

Winner of the Global Startup Pitch 2024 Emerging Markets Seedup Category

Speaker Bio
Startup founder in love with exploring unique places.

Company Profile
The first travel-exclusive creator marketplace, backed by UN Tourism.

William is a Venture Partner at SOSV and Managing Director of Orbit Startups. William joined SOSV from SingTel Innov8 Ventures where he was Managing Director supporting China investments. While at Innov8, he led investments including Yodo1, GMobi, DemystData, Lekan, and Massive Impact. Previously, William was a Partner at Softbank China & India Holdings, a venture capital firm backed by Softbank and Cisco, leading investments in China and South East Asia. William spent 11 years as an equity research analyst most recently with Deutsche Bank where he was responsible for Internet and Telecom Equipment in Asia and China technology, media, and telecom. Previously he covered Digital Media at Banc of America Securities in San Francisco and PC/Enterprise Hardware at Bear Stearns in New York. William was an active angel investor with 39 investments between 2004 and 2014.

In 2006, he was ranked #3 All-Asia analyst for Technology/Software and IT Services by Institutional Investor Magazine Asia. In 2005, he was ranked #3 stock picker overall for Hong Kong/China and #1 stock picker in technology, media, and telecom by Thomson Reuters Starmine. He currently sits on the boards of advisors/directors for a number of companies including Neonan, Robin8, Yodo1, DYAD, GMobi, Silk Road Telecom, iTalki, and kineticOne as well as organizations including Angelvest, Angelcrunch (天使汇), AAMA Shanghai, Digital Matters, Techyizu, and the US China Strong Foundation. He holds a BA from Bowdoin College..

Rebecca is the CEO of Kanoo Ventures, the direct equity investing platform for the YBA Kanoo group. With nearly 15 years of GCC experience, Rebecca is passionate about generating value via changing the way leaders view their businesses and is actively advising corporate investors and entrepreneurs across emerging markets including the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Over her career Rebecca has worked with Founders, CEOs and investors across more than 100 companies and has overseen an investment portfolio worth more than US1bn in assets. Rebecca is also a Venture Partner with Mindshift Capital, the first gender-lens venture capital fund with a base in the Middle East and a founding member of the Middle East Advisory Committee of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Amin Ismail is a Managing Director of Certares. Prior to joining Certares, he worked in mergers and acquisitions at American Express Global Business Travel. Amin has served in a number of executive management positions including as the CEO of Palestine Investment Fund’s real estate and hospitality investment company Amaar Group. He started his career working in leveraged finance for Bank of America and Abn Amro Bank. Amin previously served on the Boards of Directors of Nirvana Travel & Tourism.

Amin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Nebraska, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Miami.

With extensive experience across the full spectrum of the investing life cycle, Lisa is a seasoned professional in strategy, corporate development, and M&A. As Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Etraveli Group, she oversees Strategy, M&A, and Strategic Partnerships for a global flight platform backed by CVC Capital Partners. With over 15 years of experience, she mentors startups as an angel investor and VC, and is a member of the Hellenic Business Angel Network. Her expertise spans travel tech, marketplaces, fintech, classifieds, price comparison, and edutech. She has served as a board observer for VC investments, participated in ETG boards, and holds the position of Vice Chair of the Greek Advisory Council for Tourism Culture and Creative Industries. Lisa is also set to join the board of Nezasa, a SaaS company in the travel tech space.

Blanca Menchaca is CEO and Co-founder of BeMyGuest, a travel technology company offering a Distribution Platform and a Booking System to Operators of attractions, activities, theme parks, museums, tours, events, and other travel activity services.

BeMyGuest’s distribution network enables real-time connectivity and transactions between Operators of travel activities and the rest of the travel industry (travel agents online and offline, airlines, hotels). Its network comprises top travel brands in APAC and has been increasing in popularity in the Middle East and Europe. The company’s reservation system ‘Xplore’ automates and captures B2C bookings on the Operators’ own websites, ticket counters and other direct sales channels.

Prior to taking over as CEO of BeMyGuest in 2018, Blanca acted as COO for the company since 2013 when she also entered the company as a majority investor.

Her experience in the travel and digital sector spans over 15 years, with former senior management engagements at start-up travel meta search Wego.com in 2010 and at a start-up incubator owned by Enero Group in 2007.

Blanca was born in Mexico City, obtained her BA and Masters in Sydney and Executive Certification in Global Management with INSEAD Abu Dhabi and Singapore. She has been referred to by the industry as “the face of a new global travel generation”.

Since 2021 Blanca and her business partner Ola Andersen, who is also her husband and CFO at BeMyGuest, embraced a digital nomad lifestyle. They spend most of their time between the office in Singapore, the desert in Dubai, soaking in nature in Malaysia, sailing in Australia and visiting family in Norway or Mexico.

With over three decades of diverse experience in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors, Samir is a highly accomplished figure in the industry. Currently Chief Operating Officer at Desert Adventures Tourism, one of the Middle East premier DMCs, Samir has previously held key leadership roles during his 20+ year career at Emirates Group, including General Manager of Arabian Adventures & Gulf Ventures, dnata Cruise and Representation; as well as in establishing the GoZahid DMC business at Zahid Travel Group in KSA.

Strategic oriented with a strong commercial acumen, Samir is recognised for his unwavering focus on customer centricity in leading multi-cultural teams. Combined with his ability to adapt to industry changes through innovative solutions and championing of sustainable practices internally and externally through robust stakeholder engagement, he has consistently helped deliver long term organisational growth.

With an 18-year track record in strategic planning and delivery, Alka specializes Brand & Tactical Marketing, Media Relations, Reputation Management and Corporate and Stakeholder Communications.

As Vice President, Destination Marketing & Communications for Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, Alka is tasked with elevating the profile of the northern Emirate in the UAE and ultimately driving the destination’s vision of becoming a sustainable destination and reaching over 3.5 million visitors annually by 2030.

A travel and hospitality expert, Alka’s career has taken her from Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel to Accor, one of the largest hotel operators worldwide. It was during her time at Accor where she was the custodian of 30 brands and oversaw a portfolio of over 350 hotels across 36 countries.

She is the recipient of numerous awards – Middle East’s Brightest & Most Influential PR Professional from PR Week (Power Book 2024 & 2020), and Marketing Game Changer 2024 from Campaign Middle East.

Kerry Healy is the Chief Commercial Officer for Accor’s Premium, Midscale & Economy division in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific. Kerry oversees the commercial function for this diverse region which comprises close to 900 hotels under iconic brands such as Pullman, Mövenpick, Swissôtel Novotel, Mercure and ibis. Based in Singapore, Kerry leverages her wealth of business acumen and over 25 years of hospitality experience to ensure all functions of the organisation are aligned to meet the Group’s strategic commercial objectives.

Kerry is an outstanding leader and a skilled negotiator who has a deep understanding of distribution, customer relationship management, partnerships and operations. With strong international experience across four continents, her commercial insight and wide connections play a key role in aligning Accor’s commercial strategy and driving increased revenue in an increasingly complex environment.

Kerry has a long history of managing teams to excellence through change, building trust and designing exciting robust strategies. She fosters a customer centric organisational culture based on quality, respect and trust.

With expertise spanning multiple continents, Kerry has held senior management positions in the UK, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Jitendra Jain (JJ) is Vice President, Strategic Loyalty, Partnerships & Commercial Intelligence at Marriott International, leading Marriott Bonvoy’s loyalty program strategy, enterprise and financial partnerships, revenue operations, commercial analytics, and consumer insights across Europe, Middle East and Africa.

With oversight of 1,200+ hotels across 27 brands in 78 countries, JJ and his team are at the forefront of optimizing commercial performance and driving member value in a rapidly evolving hospitality landscape.

A seasoned industry leader with an MBA from London Business School, JJ brings a tech-forward and data-led approach to his work. A self-professed tech enthusiast and practical AI tinkerer, he is passionate about the intersection of technology, travel, and customer loyalty in the next decade of hospitality.

Le Roux is responsible for leading the marketing team, encompassing owned channels including email, push, website, app, and social media, along with branding and positioning, design, and content strategy. His key responsibilities will cover GHA DISCOVERY customer acquisition, activation, engagement, experience, and analytics.

Originally from South Africa, le Roux started his career in account management and events, gained experience at the Travel Corporation, and was then appointed Head of Marketing for Travelport in MEA & South Asia. In his most recent role as Chief Marketing Officer at Mondia Group, he focused on strategic positioning in the mobile tech industry to act as a key partner to optimise profitability and win market share, while leveraging the end-user experience.

Le Roux holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an IMM diploma in Marketing from the Graduate School of Marketing in Johannesburg.

Alessio joined TikTok in 2022 and has been instrumental in driving its growth as MENA Industry Manager for Tourism. He leads partnerships with tourism boards & mega destinations, shaping TikTok’s role in the region’s travel and entertainment landscape.

Before TikTok, he was a Lead Associate at Strategy&, where he advised governmental entities on strategic initiatives, gaining deep insights into the region’s ambitions and development plans.

Beyond his professional role, Alessio is a DJ and avid traveler. His passion for music and exploration fuels his creative perspective, enriching his contributions to TikTok’s global expansion.

Roxana currently serves as VP Brand Marketing & Social Media for Wego.

With more than a decade of marketing experience in the region, most of it in the aviation and travel industries, she passionately drives the brand marketing activities and brand awareness growth in the Middle East.

Roxana began in this role in October 2017 in Wego’s Dubai office where she focused on developing Wego’s Brand Marketing department as well as played a significant role in expanding the brand footprint across the region.

Over the years, Roxana has worked for several well-known brands in various industries, including aviation, media, and travel tech. Her expertise includes brand strategy development, product positioning, market research, and marketing communications. Roxana has also developed an impressive track record in building brand equity through effective brand management.

Prior to joining Wego, Roxana held senior marketing & corps comm roles with leading regional airlines and a radio network in the UAE.

Natalie Cooke’s agency leadership spans the globe, with a career that has seen her drive and launch successful campaigns and grow brands across multiple continents. She began her career leading the launch of major destinations in Singapore, including iconic projects such as Marina Bay Sands. From there, Natalie lead relationships across APAC in cementing and launching new hotel brands such as Hotel Indigo across China and Indonesia, before taking on the role of Group Managing Director at M&C Saatchi in the UAE.

In her current position, Natalie works closely with a team of over 120 including creatives, strategists, account handlers, production and PR specialists to deliver integrated destination launch campaigns, impactful branded partnerships and socially driven activations including high-profile projects for Fahid Island and Mandarin Oriental. Her team are also leading the charge on a number of social first and integrated campaigns for Wego. Her diverse experience across travel, hospitality, and destination marketing has made her a respected leader in the industry.

At M&C Saatchi, Natalie is committed to fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and strategic innovation. The group believes in creating bold, integrated campaigns driven by cultural power, that not only tell a story but also shape the future of brands and destinations worldwide.

Ali Almeshaal is a Saudi entrepreneur and social media influencer. He is the co-founder of Sukun Travels, specializing in curated travel experiences. With a strong digital presence, Ali shares valuable insights on travel, tourism, and digital marketing.

References:

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