Featured Speakers

Helen Bourke

GM Operations, Modelcraft

Helen Bourke is a highly experienced major event manager and producer, having worked for or been an adviser on a number of international major events and summits such as G20 (Australia, Argentina, Saudi Arabia), ASEAN, APEC and World Youth Day. Helen’s areas of expertise include strategic event and program planning, integration planning, stakeholder engagement, event logistics, venue operations, hospitality and catering, simultaneous interpretation services, accommodation planning, delegate end-to-end services, liaison and protocol services and showcasing and cultural events.

Mutaib Alruhaimi

Founder & CEO, Cerimonia Weddings and Events

Mutaib Alruhaimi began 10 years back as an event planner, structuring and executing some small to stunning occasions. Through sheer interest, Mutaib moved its concentration to weddings, and over the last recent years, he proudly established the company "Cerimonia".

Mutaib Alruhaimi’s achievements would not be possible without all its wonderful partners. He also, have built a team of the best professionals in the industry, who work together to create weddings and events successful.

Mutaib and the team Cerimonia, where energy meets planning.

Natalie Crampton

Director, TEC Worldwide

Initially, starting on her own in 2008, today Natalie has grown TEC to a full-service events agency that operates throughout the MENA region. The company, with head office in Dubai now employs a team of 24 event planners and managers and has a 5000 sq. ft. warehouse in Dubai. TEC is the trusted partner of clients such as HSBC, Visa, Sephora, Cisco, DHL and others.

Natalie's career highlights include working with a host of well-known personalities including Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Formula One Champion Lewis Hamilton, former Mayor of New York Mike Bloomberg and International band The Rolling Stones. This year Natalie and her team executed events such as Rihanna’s visit to Sephora Dubai Mall, HSBC’s Economist roadshow across all GCC countries, Visa’s MENA client forum in Rome, DHL’s internal event in Malta and several conferences for Cisco and Facebook.

Natalie is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the events industry and has lectured at various universities and industry conferences in both Europe and the Middle East.

Philip Wride

CEO, Cheesecake Digital

Philip has 18 years’ experience in esports that includes managing the world’s best esports teams, organising online and offline tournament events, working for EA SPORTS on the FIFA videogame and delivering marketing campaigns for brands including Microsoft and Telefonica. He is the CEO of Cheesecake Digital, a specialist marketing and events agency dedicated to esports. Philip been in the Middle East since 2015 and is currently working on projects related to SAFEIS, the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports, the General Sports Authority and the General Entertainment Authority.

Sujoy Cherian

CEO, Option 1 Event Services LLC

Sujoy Cherian has always been immensely passionate about innovation & the future. His ardent desire to incorporate cutting-edge technology on each of his projects and his everyday life; has indeed paved the way for him to be known as one of the leading event technologists in markets he serves.

As a young entrepreneur, his first business venture in 1997 was an audio-visual and special effects rental company called Soundwaves rapidly creating a niche in the Asian entertainment and events industry. Truly inspired & backed by his visionary father who was a pioneer in the field of manufacturing audio solutions since 1985.

Over the past two decades Sujoy has grown the companies he leads into globally renowned event technology, production & content development verticals with headquarters now based in Dubai and liaison offices worldwide; rebranded as Option 1 Events. Content. Technology.