Mr. Jorge Sebastião is a seasoned CEO, CTO, CISO, Advisor and International Speaker, with experience in Blockchain, DeFi, Asset Tokenization, Cyber Security, AI, IoT, 5G, Cloud, Disaster Recovery, Big Data, and Managed Services.

He is a professional advisor for several innovative startups using disruptive technologies and focused on generating business value and enabling sustainability. He is also the creator of a powerful A6 security framework: Assess, Architect, Apply, Administer, Awareness & Agility.

He is a speaker at numerous international conferences on topics including: ICS Security, ICT Security, Business Continuity, ICT Architecture (TOGAF), Wireless Security, Regulatory Compliance, Physical Security, Biometrics and Smart Cards, Ethical Hacking, ISO27001, ISO27002 (ISMS), ISO2000 (ITIL), ISO13335 (Risk Management), ISO22301 (BCMS), CobIT, Basel II, EMV-2, PCI-compliance, SOX, Info warfare, Fraud, Identity Theft, SAP-Security, CISSP, Forensics, and Incidence Response.

Mr. Sebastião has co-authored the book La Face Cachée du Credit.

In addition to his managerial positions, Dr. Mohamed Baqer is a faculty member at the Department of Computer Engineering, College of Information Technology, an Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) member and a Senior member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

He is a keynote speaker and reviewer taking part in many conferences and journals and is an active researcher in the fields of quality assurance, higher education, artificial intelligence and the Internet of the Future. Moreover, He has numerous publications on cybersecurity, internet safety and energy efficient algorithms, the Internet of Things, and linking social networks to the Internet.

Prior to joining the University of Bahrain in 2008, Dr. Baqer was awarded a master’s in computer networks and a PhD by Monash University. He has done research on Peer-to-Peer, Network Security, Mobile IP, and Wireless Systems while obtaining his degrees.

Dr. Esra Wali has been instrumental in developing entrepreneurial activities at the University of Bahrain through the center’s programs and partnerships with the major players in Bahrain’s startup ecosystem.

Dr. Wali is also an Assistant Professor at the Department of Information Systems at the College of Information Technology. Additionally, she serves as a Board Member in ISACA Bahrain Chapter, a non-profit association with over 100,000 members worldwide and more than 300 in Bahrain, which is dedicated to the audit, control, and security of Information Systems. She has over 20 years of experience and has presented and published numerous papers at international conferences and in journals, for which she also serves as reviewer. She has also been a jury member for numerous competitions and awards and an external examiner for local universities.

Dr. Wali holds a PhD from the University of London, an MSc in Information Systems from the University of Surrey, and a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Bahrain.

Ms. Daneh Al Rayes is Vice President of Smart Way Consultancy a multi-disciplinary Bahrain-based consultancy with a focus on Smart Cities solutions. She works with clients to introduce smart and sustainable solutions to their projects and align visions and expectations with real life implementations.

Ms. Al Rayes started her career as a computer programmer at Batelco before moving to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain as Director of Communications & Consumer Affairs.

She joined T-Linx Technology Solutions as Vice President, taking on the operations management role of turnkey projects technology implementations and playing an active role in advising clients on smart-technology solutions for a variety of real estate, hospitality, and retail projects.

Ms. Al Rayes earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Bahrain and has over 20 years of experience in telecoms and technology in the Kingdom. She has also served as Vice Chair of the organizing committee for the Bahrain Smart Cities Summit & Awards since 2016, and is a Board Member of the Bahrain Internet Society.

Mr. Ali Ghuloom has 18 years of expertise as an innovation strategy professional. He joined the National Bank of Bahrain in 2017, bringing extensive experience in technology and digital space to the role. His focus is on transferring strategies into reality by overseeing the implementation of digital initiatives.

Mr. Ghuloom has participated as a guest speaker at many local and international events. He is one of Founders of the Technology and Business Society and a mentor for FinTech companies, start-ups, and other entrepreneurship programs. He was also a Digital Advisor at Riffa Views International School.

He has attained a Master degree with honors from New York Institute of Technology in Management and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Bahrain.

Mr. Ali Beshara is an Information technology professional with more than 20 years of experience, including first-hand knowledge of developing and managing IT security departments, Quality Management Systems, public administration and human resource management systems such as ISO 27001, ISO 9001, eGovernment, electronic transformation and Microsoft infrastructure environment.

Moreover, he has had exposure to best practices in IT and government service improvement initiatives through his membership in more than 10 assessment committees of local and regional awards.

Mr. Beshara has an Associate Diploma in Business Information Systems from the University of Bahrain, a Bachelor’s degree in Computing from University of Greenwich, and a Master’s in Public Management from AIX-Marseille University - France

Ms. Pakiza Abdulrahman is an Investment Development & Market Entry professional with a proven record in Policy Advocacy & Economic Development in Bahrain. She is also the Country Director of Startup Grind Manama, the local chapter of the largest global network of startups and investors.

In her capacity as Head of Startups, Ms. Abdulrahman directed the national initiative @StartUpBahrain through a multi stakeholder engagement program designed to nurture and grow startups, investors, and regulatory reforms. She is also a founding member of the SME Development Board, GEN Bahrain, and Google Developers Group, Manama. She also has 14 years of telecoms industry experience in Product Development, and Consumer & Enterprise Marketing.

Ms. Abdulrahman enjoys supporting startups and entrepreneurs though her mentorship sessions at various accelerators in Bahrain, Tunis, India, and South Korea. She speaks at many startup events and is occasionally on judging panels at major startup events such as Websummit, MIT Enterprise Forum, and others.

Mr. Mohamed Albenjasim is an ICT Manager - Technical Support at Bahrain Airport Services (BAS), heading a multiskilled ICT team responsible for implementing corporate strategy and world class operating procedures. He also oversees the development and implementation of cutting-edge IT solutions to improve operations, streamline processes and reduce costs in challenging work environments.

Mr. Albenjasim is a key member of the Information Security Management System (ISMS) at BAS, and of the Industry Advisory Board at the Arab Open University.

He demonstrates a wide range of skills gained from more than 20 years with organizations such as the Royal Bahrain Air Force and the Bahrain International Circuit. He also supported the Legislation & Legal Opinion Commission during Bahrain’s elections.

Mr. Albenjasim holds a Master’s Degree (MBA) from AMA International University, and a BSc in Information Technology and Computing from The Open University – UK.