Setting Up in Dubai:

Belal Jassoma

Director, Ecosystems,
DMCC

Belal Jassoma is Director of Ecosystems at DMCC, the world’s leading business district and authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.

Belal joined DMCC in 2011 and has been instrumental in scaling up DMCC’s ecosystems and commercial offering, including new products, services and member engagement programmes. In his current capacity as Director for Ecosystems, Belal is responsible for developing key strategic relationships, partnerships and product functions as well as overseeing ecosystem development across several of DMCC’s industry verticals such as crypto, gaming, AI, energy and financial services.

Belal holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah and brings over 18 years of experience in real estate, investment, and government administration.

Dr. Ayesha Binlootah

Assistant Vice President,
VARA

Dr. Ayesha Binlootah is the Assistant Vice President for Licensing, Supervision, and Assurance at Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). A trailblazer in financial sector, virtual assets( regulatory compliance and governance, she is a member of the FATF Virtual Assets Contact Group and the UAE Federal National Anti-Money Laundering Committee. She also holds multiple board positions at publicly listed entities in DFM. A board member of Institute of Internal Auditors and serves on the Steering Committee of the Climate Governance Initiative. With prior leadership roles at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism and Dubai Islamic Bank, Dr. Binlootah is recognized as a thought leader and a symbol of empowerment for women in the UAE.

She holds a Doctorate specialised in investment, her MBA in International Business, complemented by executive education from leading institutions.

Paul Boots

Head of Sector Development,
VARA

Paul Boots joins the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) as the newly appointed Head of Sector Development, bringing with him a wealth of experience as a senior executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record in innovation, leadership, and market development. With a diverse background spanning financial services, strategy, and technology, Paul has been instrumental in shaping the Middle East’s peer-to-peer financing landscape, notably as the founding Group COO at Beehive, where he pioneered one of the region's first peer-to-peer lending platforms. His entrepreneurial expertise also extends to co-founding a boutique advisory firm that focuses on leadership development and strategy for large UAE-based companies, with a special focus on AI-driven technologies. 

Before these ventures, Paul played a key role in the executive leadership team at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), where he was instrumental in establishing Dubai as a global hub for trade across multiple industries. During his tenure, he conceptualized and built DMCC’s commodity trade finance platform, which facilitated Islamic banking partnerships. More recently, Paul led the development of a large B2B marketplace on behalf of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, further showcasing his ability to build innovative platforms that drive economic growth. 

A graduate of Babson College, Paul’s passion for leadership, entrepreneurship, and building high-performing teams is central to his approach. His appointment at VARA aligns with Dubai’s strategic goals under the D33 agenda, as Paul’s leadership in sector development will play a critical role in positioning the Emirate as a global leader in the virtual assets space. His unique blend of strategic insight and operational expertise will be pivotal as VARA continues to shape the future of virtual asset regulation and innovation. 

Michelle Daura

Head of Wealth Business Unit,
Bybit

Michelle has been with Bybit since 2019, as the Head of Expansion of regulated regions where she’s in charge of the strategic planning and growth of new business. She currently oversees the MENA and European markets as well as South Asia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Georgia.

Walid Benothman

Managing Director,
MENA & International Expansion,
BITPANDA

Walid Benothman is the Managing Director of Bitpanda MENA & International Expansion, where he spearheads the company’s strategic growth across key global markets. A respected voice in digital finance, he brings a proven track record of scaling some of the industry’s most innovative companies, including senior roles at Ripple, 1inch, and Curv (acquired by PayPal). With a sharp eye for opportunity and deep expertise in blockchain infrastructure, Walid is playing a pivotal role in establishing Bitpanda as the go-to partner for financial institutions across the Middle East and beyond.

Francesca Salierno

Executive Director,
DCGG

Francesca is the Executive Director at DCGG. After 10 years as a policy advisor at the European Parliament, she decided to devote her expertise and talent to service the digital asset and AI sector. At DCGG, she has been instrumental in devising and successfully executing numerous engagement strategies and deliver specific policy and regulatory objectives for its members.

Jörn Jakob Röber

Head of EU Policy,
DCGG

Jörn, head of EU Policy at DCGG, has over 20 years of experience leading work on EU-and national-level public policy. Prior to joining DCGG, he has successfully delivered policy objectives for enterprise companies such as Commerzbank, Trustly, and Visa. At DCGG, he heads up all efforts in the EU region and also oversees activities in the LATAM region.

Leonardo Real

Chief Compliance Officer,
Tether

Leonardo Real has been the Chief Compliance Officer of Tether since 2018. Leonardo is a professional specializing in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, counter-proliferation, and economic sanctions. He works with Tether to defend against financial crime risks and observe applicable compliance laws and regulations. Leonardo previously held positions with the Bank of Montreal, in AML Quality Control and Capital Markets AML Investigations. Leonardo is the Chair of the editorial board and a regular contributor to ACAMS Today Europe.

Saqr Ereiqat

Secretary General,
Dubai Digital Asset Association

Saqr Ereiqat is the Secretary General of the Dubai Digital Asset Association, driving the growth of the digital asset ecosystem. With over 20 years of experience in technology and innovation, he specializes in blockchain, fintech, and govtech across the Middle East.

He co-founded several initiatives, including Arte.community (art and blockchain), The Green Block (blockchain for sustainability), and Crypto Oasis Ventures (Web3 adoption). Previously, Saqr spent 13 years at IBM, leading public sector blockchain projects across 23 countries and shaping Dubai’s government blockchain strategy.

He also mentors startups through DIFC and supports blockchain innovation as a Blockchain Aficionado for the Blockchain Founders Fund.

Maximilian Crown

CEO,
TON Foundation

Maximilian Crown is the Chief Executive Officer of the TON Foundation, a non-profit organization driving the advancement of The Open Network (TON) ecosystem. As a co-founder and current board member of MoonPay, he played a critical role in scaling the company into a global leader in crypto payments, previously serving as both Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. With deep expertise in fintech operations, regulatory strategy, and global payments infrastructure, he brings a track record of execution at the intersection of finance and emerging technology. Max holds advanced degrees from London Business School and Columbia Business School.

Scott Thiel

CEO and Co-founder,
Tokinvest

Scott is a futurist, multi-jurisdiction qualified lawyer, fintech entrepreneur, and industry thought leader. He is a co-founder of Tokinvest, providing access to desirable assets for all investors, and serves as a responsible officer for a regulated virtual assets business.

Scott has been a director of Hedera LLC for over five years and previously founded TOKO, a tokenization platform that achieved the first full market VASP licenses and structured the world's first debt tokenization transaction.

He has received numerous accolades, including recognition as a “Most Innovative Lawyer” by the Financial Times (2019–2022) and as a leading individual by Chambers & Partners.