Decentralized Lugano

A dynamic two-day event where innovation converges with tradition.

Decentralized Lugano is an exclusive gathering that bring together forward-thinking entrepreneurs from various industries like video gaming, sports, music, and fashion, along with respected government officials. The event aims to explore the potential of web3 technologies and their impact on various sectors, fostering discussions and collaborations among industry leaders.

Date

Thursday May 8th, 2025

Location

Hotel Splendide, Lugano, Switzerland

Agenda for 2025 will be announced soon!

Stay tuned for a detailed list of speakers and discussion panels for Decentralized Lugano.

Mark Cachia

Founder & CIO, Scytale Digital

Mark founded Scytale Ventures in 2017 and launched his first venture fund, Scytale Horizon, by combining his extensive financial industry experience with the technological expertise of Ed Hesse, Gavin Wood, and Aeron Buchanan. Before that, he managed hedge funds, private equity, and venture investments at wealth management firm Infinity Capital, A.S., and spent 12 years at Erste Group Bank as Head of Alternative Investments. He currently advises the Web 3 Foundation, the Energy Web Foundation, and several other blockchain companies.

Christoph Kampitsch

CEO, Scytale Digital

Christoph worked for nearly 30 years in various roles at Erste Group Vienna, early on as Executive Assistant to the CEO, and in multiple departments including controlling, accounting, interest rate risk management, and building the Alternative Investment Division. He also served as Head of Product Development & Sales, and Private Wealth Management. Christoph played a key role in building Erste Group’s Alternative Investment Division into a respected European player with almost USD 2bn under management, launching multiple products with a focus on emerging markets.

Sascha Wullschleger

Head of Wealth Management, BIL Lugano

Sascha is the Head of Wealth Management at BIL Suisse Lugano, offering customized investment solutions, corporate and investment banking services, and cross-border mortgage financing in over 10 European countries. He has an experienced team that handles relocation matters and an extensive network in Switzerland and neighboring countries. By leveraging his personal experience of dealing with diverse cultures and environments, he adopts a comprehensive approach to his work.

Jan Brzezek

Founder and CEO, Crypto Finance

Jan Brzezek is an accomplished entrepreneur and fintech expert with a passion for creating innovative financial solutions. He is the CEO and founder of Crypto Finance AG, a leading provider of institutional-grade crypto asset management and brokerage services. Jan has extensive experience in both traditional finance and blockchain technology, making him a sought-after thought leader in the fintech space.

Angela Dalton

CEO & Founder, Signum Growth Capital

Angela Dalton is the CEO and Founder of Signum Growth, which operates at the intersection of mass market culture and new economies that are bubbling up in new digital communities. Areas of expertise include video gaming, entertainment, digital payments, blockchain protocols, AI and social media. The firm believes that emerging technologies will continue to be born in games and that ‘gaming’ will eventually be known simply as entertainment. Signum Growth comprises Signum Growth Capital, a FINRA-registered broker dealer licensed in private and public market advisory and serving as Lead Advisor to Web3 Foundation and ARK Invest, and Signum Growth Advisors, an investment business. Prior to Signum Growth, Angela served in Tech/Media leadership roles and as a Managing Director at three firms - Guggenheim Securities, Evercore Partners, and UBS. Angela was an initial investor and Co-Founder of Evercore Partners Equities in 2010, and currently serves on the board of FaZe Clan and as a Venture Partner for Griffin Gaming. She earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Kansas, Phi Beta Kappa.

Hans- Peter Borgh

Group Head of International & CEO, BIL Suisse

Hans-Peter is an experienced business executive and board member with extensive international banking experience. In his early career he gained experience in Capital Markets roles in London, New York and Hong Kong. Followed by a global strategy role in Private Banking based in Zurich. Subsequently he worked 12 years as Country and Regional Head Wealth Management for various banks in Asia & Middle East (based in Singapore).Currently he is a member of Group Executive Committee as Group Head of International and CEO Switzerland at the leading Luxembourg headquartered international bank. He is specialized in Wealth Management, Private Banking, Asset Management, Digital Banking and HVAC industry.

Paolo Bortolin

Deputy CFO, Lugano

Paolo Bortolin is the city of Lugano’s Deputy CFO and Member of the city’s Blockchain & Crypto Task Force, also known as “Lugano’s Plan₿”. He is responsible for the city’s overall finance and accounting operations, including financial planning/ budgeting and analysis, treasury management, and tax collection function. He has previously held various positions such as Head of Treasury, CEO and CFO of SME, and Director of Finance & Marketing.

Thomas Moser

Alternate Member of Government Board SNB

Thomas Moser is an Alternate Member of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank and Deputy Head of the SNB’s III Department (Money Market and Foreign Exchange, Asset Management, Banking Operations, Information Technology). He is also a member of the Managing Committee of the Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance at the University of St. Gallen and a member of the Board of Directors of Orell Füssli Holding Ltd. He has a doctorate in economics from the University of Zurich and was previously an Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington,D.C. from 2006 to 2010.

David Newns

CEO, SDX

David Newns, with over 20 years of experience in capital markets, is the Head of SIX Digital Exchange (SDX). SDX is licensed by Switzerland’s financial market regulator FINMA to provide digital securities services which include issuance, listing, trading, settlement, servicing, and custody. Prior to this role, he served as Senior Managing Director and Head of GlobalLink Execution Services at State Street, and also as the eBusiness Development Manager for Micro strategy.

Vincent Gusdorf

Head of DeFi and Digital Asset Analytics, Moody's

Vincent Gusdorf is the SVP and Head of DeFi and Digital Asset Analytics at Moody’s Investors Service. Formerly, he held a position at Standard & Poor’s as High yield and investment-grade credit analyst. He has 15 years of experience in financial analysis and is an expert in blockchain and machine learning. Vincent is also a seasoned leader and problem solver with solid management skills and a proven track record of identifying business opportunities.

Alex Hatoum

Co-founder, Sumi

Alex Hatoum is a distinguished professional with a diverse background spanning Homeland Security, US Military intelligence, and the blockchain space. As the co-founder of multiple core initiatives within the Polkadot ecosystem, including Polka Häus, Sumi, and Tread Group, Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. After obtaining his graduate degree in Homeland Security, Mr. Hatoum began his career in the US Military, serving in a small intelligence unit. He later transitioned to working with the Executive Office of the President under the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2012, Alex co-founded Infinitum Humanitarian Systems (IHS) with Dr. Eric Rasmussen, where they continue to advise several US federal government departments, private companies in the entertainment sector, and major defense contractors. Alex has been deeply involved in the blockchain space since 2015 and has published several academic papers on topics ranging from emerging technology to human security.

Maarten Henskens

Astar Network

Maarten Henskens is the head of Astar Foundation. As a modern-day renaissance man building on the foundations of the open web, his first interaction with blockchain was in 2013 when he bought his first Bitcoin. From that moment, he was hooked on blockchain technology and its culture.

Philipp Cottier

Managing Partner, L1 Digital AG

Philipp Cottier is a co-founder of L1 Digital, an entrepreneur and investor within blockchain, impact finance, fintech, and hedge funds. He started his career at UBS and BCG before venturing into entrepreneurship. Aside from his professional pursuits, Philipp is also dedicated to philanthropy and social causes, particularly female empowerment through his foundation. He holds multiple advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. in finance from the University of St. Gallen.

Ralph Ebert

Head of Compliance, BIL

Ralph Ebert, the Chief Compliance Officer at Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL) Switzerland and has over 15 years of experience in compliance roles for global and Swiss private banks. Ralph uses an effective leadership style to achieve permanent progress in compliance and create an enterprise-wide compliance culture. He previously held positions such as Head of Compliance Switzerland at Indosuez Wealth Management, as well as roles at Credit Suisse and BNP Paribas.

Ingo Rübe

Founder, KILT Protocol

Ingo Rübe is the Founder of KILT Protocol and CEO of BOTLabs GmbH. He is a serial entrepreneur who founded his first startup in 1995 then later served as IT Project Director at Axel Springer. As CTO of Hubert Burda Media, Ingo was an early proponent of open-source platforms for enterprise and later became a Drupal board member. In 2018 Ingo founded BOTLabs GmbH, the initial developer of KILT Protocol, an identity blockchain built on Polkadot.

Micha Bitterli

Head of Managed Services, Deloitte AG

Micha has over 20 years of experience, including two in New York and auditing large financial institutions and trading financial instruments and commodities. After working as an auditor, Micha has spent many years advising small and medium-sized financial institutions on the operational implementation of regulatory requirements. Micha joined Deloitte from another Big Four company in 2015 and is responsible for establishing “Deloitte Managed Services” including the “KYC-Utility” platform.

Niloo Verma Bruppacher

Group General Counsel, Crypto Finance Group

Niloo Verma Bruppacher is the Group General Counsel at Crypto FinanceAG. She is a Swiss qualified attorney-at-law with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Previously, she was a partner at Vyoma Partner AG, she was a member of the Executive Board and General Counsel of Nectar Digital Wealth AG, she was also responsible for automation of Swiss and European regulations. Niloo worked at UBS for almost 10 years as Head of Legal Investment Management & Advisory as well as legal counsel for the Investment Bank covering derivatives and bank-to-bank business. Niloo holds an LL.M. in Corporate Law with a Dean’s Graduate Award from the University of New York (School of Law). In 2001, she was admitted to the Zurich Bar and received the distinction of “Teilerlass”.

Pascal Schmid

Chief Risk Officer, Crypto Finance

Pascal Schmid is a Chartered Financial Analyst with over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, split equally between banking and the Big 4 environment. He spent the last 13 years with EY and KPMG executing advisory and audit projects, and has acted as Group Chief Risk Officer of Crypto Finance Group since 2022.

Patrick Heusser

CCO, Crypto Finance

Patrick Heusser is the COO at Crypto Finance AG, with experience as an interest rates trader, who held various positions in the IRCC (interest rate, commodity, and currency) trading division in London, New York, Singapore, and Zurich. Patrick possesses expertise in trading, risk management, and leading startup initiatives. He holds a degree in banking and has completed additional courses in technical chart analysis, demonstrating his commitment to expanding his knowledge and skills in the field.

Lucas Vogelsang

CEO, Centrifuge

Lucas Vogelsang is the CEO and Co-founder of Centrifuge, a decentralized finance protocol that enables real-world assets to be put on the blockchain.Centrifuge is building a better financial system by being the first protocol to bring real-world assets on-chain. Lucas has also been a Partner and Software Development Consultant at Foreway Studios for the past 15 years and was previously a part of Close.io’s distributed engineering team as a freelance software developer.

Ray Hindi

Managing Partner, L1 Digital

Ray is a co-founder and CEO at L1 Digital AG, a Zurich based asset manager dedicated to digital assets. He previously acted as the CIO of Bellegarde Capital AG an independent investment group with activities focused in fintech, blockchain and other alternative investments. Previously at Swiss Capital (StepStone Group) responsible for the firm’s macro outlook, macro hedge funds and event driven coverage. Ray was also part of Harcourt Investment Consulting AG, a USD 6 bn fund of hedge funds firm in Zurich, and responsible for USD 2 bn of investments (rates, macro and distressed). He started his career trading interest rates for a London based proprietary group.Ray holds a BEng from University College London (UCL) and an MSc in Finance from Imperial College.

Remy Savoya

Head of CIB, BIL

Remy Savoya is the Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL) - Suisse. He previously served as Managing Director at Kepler Cheuvreux for ten years, where he worked in various domains like advisory, capital markets, asset management, and fintech. His expertise lies in finance and business, where he has extensive experience in acquisitions, business development, and integration of new asset management activity.

Matthew Arrow

CEO and co-founder, Dark Forest

Matthew Arrow is the CEO and co-founder of Dark Forest, a global algorithmic trading firm focused on creating liquid and efficient markets for digital assets offering a wide spectrum of services including: market making, blockchain infrastructure for validation and staking, treasury management, and execution services. Prior to Dark Forest he worked for Fidelity Management and Research helping maintain compliance with the latest SEC regulations by building low latency, high velocity time-series databases. He believes in open source, open communication, and open doors.

Jay Chrawnna

Director, The Kusamarian

Jay Chrawnna has been working in the Polkadot ecosystem for nearly 2 years as a communicator and personality funded by the Kusama and Polkadot treasuries. Regular content produced by The Kusamarian covers aspects of Polkadot development, innovation, people, culture, and governance. A media production house, WagMedia, was founded at the end of 2021 to onboard media makers and connect that talent to the project treasuries that need them.

Giulia Maresca

Founder & CEO, Public Pressure

Giulia Maresca is the CEO and Founder of the web3 music platform Public Pressure, as well as Founding Partner at Twelve Ventures. She is an experienced marketing professional with a background in branding and digital marketing. Prior to her current roles, she held leadership positions in luxury fashion brands such as Emilio Pucci, Christian Louboutin, Tod’s, Moncler, and All Saints.

Francesca Versace

Founder & CCO, Public Pressure

Francesca Versace, the Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer at Public Pressure, is an Italian designer who comes from a fashion dynasty as the niece of Donatella and the late Gianni Versace. She has collaborated with prestigious brands in Milan, London, and Asia and is passionate about music and technology. Francesca now supports artists in transitioning into the NFT marketplace and has become a trendsetting reference point for a global network of personalities, entrepreneurs, and investors

Stephen king

Managing Director, Public Pressure

With over 30 years’ experience in the music industry, ranging from artist management to leading commercial operations, Stephen King has an exceptional track record of driving and delivering digital strategies, music management solutions, music licensing frameworks and rapid expansion strategies. Previously at Ricochet , Creation and Believe where he was UK MD and Chief International Officer .Across his career, he has not only been recognized for his ability to nurture and develop artist talent but also the individuals with whom he worked.

Andy Saunders

Founder, Velocity Communications

In 2000, Andy founded Velocity Communications, a consultancy that specializes in providing corporate communications strategy and implementation for a wide range of clients including record labels, music publishers, digital music platforms, artist management companies, high profile industry executives, legal firms, technology developers, live music agents/promoters and trade organizations among others. Velocity Communications is today recognized as the leading provider of strategic corporate communications, and crisis control solutions to the international music industry.

Alessandro

VIP Account Manager, Kraken

Before entering the crypto space, Alessandro honed his leadership and management skills as an Area Manager at The Star Casino in Sydney(AU),navigating the complexities of the gaming industry. Alessandro spent nearly six years as an Account Manager at Kraken Digital Asset Exchange, empowering both individuals and institutions to realize the transformative potential of cryptocurrencies. His expertise, combined with Kraken’s innovative products and services, has contributed to the ongoing global shift towards mass crypto adoption.

Ale Palombo

CEO, Jur Network

Alessandro Palombo is a tech entrepreneur with a legal background, holding a pHd in Public Law obtained from Sapienza Università di Roma . He is CEO and founder of Jur, as well as several other tech initiatives. He is also an advisor for public and private entities such as Oxford University, AstanaInternational Financial Center, San Marino Innovation, and Proriented.

Sergio Mottola

Founder & President, Public Pressure

Sergio Mottola is President and Co-founder of Public Pressure, a web3 music and media platform. He’s an experienced entrepreneur, VC, and corporate strategy executive with a diverse background ranging from insurance services to renewable energy and consumer goods. He is passionate about disruptive technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence and conducts business with a consumer-centric approach. Sergio has also made significant contributions to blockchain regulation and adoption at the Republic of San Marino Innovation Institute, where he served as Chairman, CEO, and Director of the Scientific Committee.

Peter Ruchatz

Chief Marketing Officer, Parity Technologies

Peter Ruchatz is a seasoned marketer with a track record of growing B2B SaaS and software businesses through effective marketing strategies.His strategies include digital marketing ,social marketing, account-based marketing, events, and media/influencer relationships. He has held leadership roles in fortune 500 enterprises (Salesforce, Microsoft) and startups. Peter has a proven track record in identifying revenue growth opportunities and driving delivery and execution across teams.

Danny Masters

Chairman, CoinShares

Danny Masters is an Executive Chairman of CoinShares, a company with over $4B in assets in XBT Provider listed products and over 40,000 clients.He is an entrepreneur and director of the world’s largest, first fully regulated Bitcoin Fund. Masters is a Bitcoin Pioneer and a visionary founder and industry leader in the domain space’s first two NASDAQ-listed bitcoin and Ethereum tracking certificates.

Alan Vey

Founder & CEO, Aventus Network

Alan Vey is the CEO and Founder of Aventus Network. He raised over $20m in an ICO in 2017 and expanded the company’s services to include NFTs, loyalty, ticketing, gaming, and supply chain management. Alan was recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 winner in 2021 for his work at Aventus and currently consults businesses on tokenomics modeling and blockchain integration. Alan received a Masters of Engineering degree in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from Imperial College London.

Hoon Kim

CTO, Astar Network

Hoon Kim is the CTO of Astar Foundation. He won the gold prize in the Korean Olympiad in Informatics National competition at age 16. He received the outstanding thesis award for his undergraduate thesis on using interoperable blockchains for corporate asset management. He first met Sota in 2019, who was creating a parachain for Polkadot network. Now, Hoon is working with Astar network to make Web3 the frontier for creative and innovative minds worldwide.

Omar Elassar

VP, Parity Technology

Omar is an INSEAD alumni, experienced advisor, investor, and business development executive. He has worked in a variety of roles with top-tier organizations and has broad functional experience in strategy, operations, technology management, and corporate finance.Omar is VP, Global Head ofEcosystem Growth & Business Development at Parity Technology.

John Linden

CEO, Mythical Games

John Linden is the CEO of Mythical Games, a company that develops player-owned economies and games with renowned game developers and publishers. Prior to this, he held leadership positions at Seismic Games and Activision Blizzard. John is passionate about video games, emerging technologies, and the future of blockchain.

Robby Yung

CEO, Animoca Brands

Robby Yung is CEO of Animoca Brands, an investment, development and publishing company for games, blockchain and AI products. He has invested in over 30 companies, raised dozens of rounds of venture and public capital, and has previously co-founded and served as CEO of Redgate Media.

David Palmer

Blockchain Lead, Vodafone

David Palmer is the Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Vodafone’s Digital Asset Broker platform, and is a recognized thought leader in blockchain and web3. David is considered a top 30 metaverse industry leader. He is actively exploring the opportunities of IoT, blockchain, DeFi, digital identity, and the Metaverse.

Ed Hesse

Founder, Energy Web

Ewald is the CEO of Grid Singularity, and acts as the chairperson for theSovereign Nature Initiative and the Energy Web Foundation. He serves as an advisor to blockchain investment firm Scytale Digital and several other start-ups. Ewald holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and Project Management from the University of Konstanz and is fluent in English, German, and Russian.

Aeron Buchanan

VP, Web3 Foundation

Aeron Buchanan earned a Computer Vision doctorate from Oxford University where he also earned a degree in Engineering and Computer Science. After studying, Aeron designed algorithms for UAVs, started multiple tech companies, acted as a consultant in economics and ecology, and held leadership roles at the Ethereum Foundation and Web3 Foundation. Currently, he serves as the VP of the Web3 Foundation.

Ursula O'Kuinghttons

CMO, Scytale Digital

With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ursula’s journey began as a journalist at Reuters News Agency. Later, she worked in print and television news at the Spanish newspaper El País and Prisa Media Group. While she thoroughly enjoyed her time as a journalist, she also found herself increasingly interested in public affairs.In 2008, Ursula changed her career path and became the Director of Communications at Casa Sefarad, a diplomatic institution that is part of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is a former Director of Communications and Partnerships at the Web3 Foundation and is currently a strategic advisor for Amplica Labs and Project Liberty, as well as the Chief Marketing Officer, leading Scytale’s Marketing and Communications efforts. Before that, she was part of the founding team at the New York-based startup Civil Media Company, under the umbrella of ConsenSys, one of the largest blockchain players.Above all, she is fascinated by the challenges we’re facing today, the most intense and significant being the rapid technological evolution, which is reshaping our society in profound ways.

Michael Casey

Chief Content Officer, CoinDesk

Michael Casey, a media executive, author, and advisor, explores the impacts of digital technology and globalization. With experience at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal, he focuses on blockchain's potential for economic inclusion as Chief Content Officer at CoinDesk, Inc. Casey also founded Streambed Media, advancing media analytics with blockchain. He advises MIT Media Lab's Digital Currency Initiative and speaks widely on blockchain and digital disruption, with five books on digital culture, economics, and globalization.

Braxton Woodham

President of Amplica Labs, Co-Creator of DSNP

Braxton Woodham is a technology leader with over 20 years of experience in developing scaled software products and platforms. He is currently President of Amplica Labs, overseeing the development of tooling and infrastructure that equips builders to launch the next era of social networking apps. Previously Braxton served as the Chief Technology and Product Officer at Fandango, where he oversaw the product development and technology operations for various services. Prior to Fandango, he was the co-founder, President, and CTO of Sun Basket, a personalized meal platform, and co-founder and Executive Chairman at kuma.capital, a software company for digital asset trading. Braxton has also co-founded Tap11, a real-time media analytics platform, and served as the CTO of InfoSpace’s mobile division. He was additionally the Executive Director of Technology at Sony Music Digital Media Ventures, where he focused on new internet initiatives. Braxton began his career as Lead Propulsion Engineer for two Atlas missions and served as a Captain in the United States Air Force.

David Tomchak

Founder, Cogency Media

David Tomchak is an award-winning Chief Digital Officer and editor known for his pioneering work at the intersection of media and technology. He founded Cogency, formerly known as the AI In Media (AIIM) Working Group, to explore the potential of AI, decentralized data storage, and quantum technologies in content creation. With a career spanning JPMorgan, the BBC, and the Evening Standard, he has led transformative initiatives, including founding Vizibee and chairing The Drum Online Media Awards. Currently with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, David continues to drive innovation in technology, communications, publishing, and design.

Mario Altenburger

FCo-founder and managing partner of Harbour Industrial Capital

Mario is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Harbour Industrial Capital, an early stage Web3 VC fund focused on Polkadot. Mario has 14 years of experience in the capital markets as Head of EMEA Origination and Debt Syndicate at Bank of China International, having raised over US$500 billion for issuers. He holds an MA in Financial Mathematics from Columbia University and is a CFA charterholder.

Patricia Russ

Founder, ParkEnd Ventures

Patricia Russ, founder of ParkEnd Ventures, is a social entrepreneur deeply engaged in enhancing tech innovation through tech for good initiatives. With ParkEnd Ventures, she advises organizations such as Project Liberty, the United Nations or the European Commission to foster global innovation, focusing on the application of decentralization technologies. She previously held positions at Google for Startups, Inovexus Ventures and the World Economic Forum. Patricia's passion is to empower startups with a focus on emerging markets, and to leverage innovative tech to drive social and economic inclusivity.

Ana Trbovich

Co-founder, Grid Singularity & Energy Web

Bio: Dr Ana Trbovich is Grid Singularity co-founder, developing grid-aware peer-to-peer energy exchanges (gridsingularity.com), and co-founder of the Energy Web Foundation, building web3 technology for energy transition (energyweb.org). She also serves on the UNECE Task Force on Digitalization in Energy, and previously as board member at the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT), Axa and the Belgrade Philharmonic. She has been teaching and consulting on good governance, competitiveness and innovation for international organizations, including the EU and the World Bank, having previously served as Assistant Minister in charge of Serbia’s EU Accession. She holds a PhD from the Fletcher School and Master Degrees from the Fletcher School and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Erika Wykes-Sneyd

Vice President of adidas /// Studio

Erika's dedication to embracing cultural change and technological disruption underpins her role as the founder and head of the brand's dedicated Web3 team, the adidas /// Studio. Leading this diverse and dynamic team of DeGens, she proudly oversees the development and delivery of all adidas global Web 3.0 activities. Her team works diligently to define the brand's strategy, partnerships, community engagement, activations, and product innovations for the road ahead. In her brief tenure at adidas, Erika has spearheaded the brand strategy, 'The New Age of Originality,' aimed at repositioning the trefoil to capture the premium streetwear consumer market worldwide. Her passion for emerging culture and the open Metaverse has led her to establish the brand's pioneering Web3 roadmap, 'Into the Metaverse,' focusing on the convergence of sport-inspired culture, blockchain, collectibles, and emerging tech. With a career spanning action sports, fintech, accelerated tech, gaming, fashion, automotive, and advertising, there's one common denominator — Erika's deep understanding that the greatest brands are defined by their profound and passionate connection to community, evident in the products and experiences they offer.

Jordi Mompart

Research Director, FC Barcelona

From mid-September 2021, Research Director at Futbol Club Barcelona. Responsible for the use of modeling tools and artificial intelligence for the generation of new knowledge and products at FC Barcelona. Also, responsible for the definition of FC Barcelona's strategy in the use of products and services offered by Blockchain technologies. Previously, Jordi Mompart has been Professor of Physics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, participating and being responsible for national and international research projects in the field of quantum technologies. He has more than 100 research articles, 8 doctoral theses supervised and three patents. He has also been a visiting researcher at different research institutions in the United States, Japan, Italy and Germany.

Siobhan McCarthy

Host, The LifeLab Podcast

Siobhan McCarthY is an award-winning communications consultant with over 15 years of experience creating and implementing multi-market communication strategies. As a trusted C-suite adviser, her expertise includes crisis communications, merger and acquisition activity, and IPOs. She has worked with multinational corporations (both listed and private), governments, brands, and NGOs across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Europe. With extensive experience in corporate and consumer communications across diverse cultures, she develops strategic initiatives and communication plans to target a range of stakeholder groups, supporting and reaching business objectives. She led the communications strategy for BinDawood Holding's IPO on the Saudi Stock Exchange. By counseling C-level executives and partnering with business leads, she problem solves and delivers results quickly through tenacity.

Sean Pattwell

Founder & CEO, CW8

A C-Suite adviser with over 15 years experience that has held senior agency and client side roles in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Impeccable media relations at the highest levels of tier-one international business media at both correspondent and editor level. Deep experience in managing corporate reputation throughout the life-cycle of a company from start up through to large scale multi-national. Extensive crisis and issues management experience.

Tommi Enenkel

Founder, OpenGov.Watch

Tommi Enenkel, also known as “Alice und Bob”, co-founded ChaosDAO and OpenGov.Watch. He is a Web3 strategist specializing in ecosystem development, governance, analytics, and crypto-economics. Tommi previously held CIO and CMO roles and has a systems architecture and political communications background. He holds an MSc in Knowledge Management and IT Security. His master’s thesis explored agile software development and governance practices in open-source communities.

Nate Hamilton

Founder & CEO, CW8

Nate Hamilton is a Co-Founder Distractive, dedicated and creative achiever who exceeds expectations while striving to bring out the best in his team. Relishes the opportunity to take on new challenges while embracing responsibility and leadership opportunities. A track record of making sure that objectives are met and customers are satisfied.

Bill Laboon

Director of Education and Governance Initiatives, Web3

Bill Laboon is the Director of Education and Governance Initiatives at Web3 Foundation. Before this, he was a lecturer in the Computer Science Department of the University of Pittsburgh, teaching courses in software quality assurance, software engineering, and blockchain technology. He is a frequent speaker at conferences on a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, software quality, and the ethics of software development. He is the author of two books: A Friendly Introduction to Software Testing, an undergraduate textbook; and Strength in Numbers, a near-future novel set in a world in which cryptocurrency has eliminated traditional money. Bill has a BS in Computer Science and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as an MS in Software Design & Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Speakers for 2025 will be announced soon!

Stay tuned for a detailed list of speakers and discussion panels for Decentralized Lugano.

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Viale Giuseppe Cattori 18, Lugano, TI, 6900

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Decentralized Lugano Opening

9:00am - 9:15am

Speakers:

Christoph Kampitsch
CEO, Scytale Digital

Sascha Wullschleger
Head of Wealth Management at BIL (Banque Internationale à Luxembourg) Lugano Office

01 Envisioning the Future: A Fireside Chat with the Co-Author of 'Our Biggest Fight’

9:30am - 10:00am

In a fireside chat between the Co-Author Michael J. Casey and Mark Cachia, Chief Investment Officer of Scytale Digital. The conversation will explore how the internet as we know it is broken and how we can create a third generation internet that uplifts humanity before it’s too late. Why this conversation is important in an election year, now more than ever.

Speakers:

Michael J. Casey
Coindesk

Mark Cachia
Chief Investment Officer, Scytale Digital

02 The Role of Decentralized Identities in Shaping Our Digital World

10:15am - 11:00am

Decentralized identity solutions give individuals more control over their personal information and how it is shared. This panel will examine the essential elements for developing forward-looking solutions, addressing the demands of individuals, government, and industry and exploring key themes including privacy, standardization, and usability.

Moderator

Mark Cachia
Chief Investment Officer, Scytale Digital

Speakers:

Ingo Rube
Founder of KILT, CEO of BOTLabs

Braxton Woodham
Co-creator of DSNP, president of Amplica Labs

Micha Bitterli
Head of Managed Services at Deloitte

Morning Break: 11:00am — 11:45am

03 Leveling Up: Gamifying the Sport Industry with Web3

11:45am - 12:15am

Gamifying the sports industry with Web3 is changing the face of fan engagement, transforming passive spectators into active participants. The integration of sports and Web3 not only introduces innovative monetization avenues through play-to-earn, NFTs, and immersive metaverse experiences, but also enhances community involvement. This panel will discuss how Web3 integration marks the beginning of a new era of interactive and rewarding sports entertainment.

Moderator

Siobhan McCarthy
Host of the Life Lab Podcast

Speakers:

John Linden
CEO of Mythical Games

Jordi Mompart
Director of Research, FC Barcelona

Erika Wykes-Sneyd
Head of Web3 Studio Adidas

Announcement: winner of the Scytale Academy

04 The ETF and Tokenization Era is Coming, What Should We Know

1:00pm - 1:45pm

This panel delves into the transformative impact of recent ETF approvals on the cryptocurrency market and traditional finance, exploring the implications of increased inflows to asset managers through Bitcoin ETFs and the broader implications for mass adoption. The discussion will also encompass the growing trend of ETFs offering exposure to a diverse range of digital assets, and the regulatory, technological, and investment landscape shaping this new era of financial innovation.

Moderator

Michael J. Casey
Journalist

Speakers:

Hans-Peter Borgh
CEO at Bil (Banque Internationale à Luxembourg)

Lucas Vogelsang
CEO and Co-founder Centrifuge

Jan Brzezek
Founder at Crypto Finance

Mathew Arrow
CEO and Founder of Dark Forest

05 Unleashing Creativity and Ownership: How Web3 is Transforming Media, Music, Art, and Fashion

2:00pm - 2:45pm

Web3 empowers artists, brands, and designers to engage directly with their audiences while monetizing their creations in novel ways. By enabling creatives to tokenize their assets, Web3 opens the way for building new and diverse revenue streams. This panel of experts will delve into how these innovative business and revenue-sharing models are revolutionizing media, music, art, and fashion.

Moderator

Sean Pattwell
Founder & CEO, CW8

Speakers:

David Tomchak
Founder of Cogency Media

Sergio Mottola
Founder Web3 Music Association

Patricia Russ
Founder, ParkEnd Ventures

Erika Wykes-Sneyd
Head of Web3 Studio Adidas

06 Navigating the Future: Government in the Web3 Era

3:00pm - 3:45pm

Web3 poses both challenges and solutions for governments worldwide. While decentralization challenges their traditional stronghold, Web3 technologies offer a transformative path forward, empowering individuals with control over their data and identities. This panel discusses the issues governments may face as power shifts from centralized authorities to a network of users.

Moderator

Michael J. Casey
Journalist

Speakers:

Ed Hesse
CEO at Grid Singularity

Ana Trbovich
Co-Founder Singularity & Energy Web Foundation

Evening Break: 3:45pm — 6:15pm

07 Swiss Digital Bond & CBDC Helvetia III Project

4:15pm - 5:00pm

The rise of Digital Bonds and CBDCs will be in focus in this far reaching discussion that will explore the recent pioneering moves by the City of Lugano in issuing its second Digital Bond and how Switzerland is leading the way. What does this mean for public finances and what can others learn from innovative Cities like Lugano?

Moderator

Sascha Wullschleger
Head of Wealth Management at BIL

Speakers:

Paolo Bortolin
City of Lugano, deputy of Finance department City of Lugano

David Newns
CEO of SDX

Thomas Moser
Alternative board member of the Swiss National Bank

Vincent Gusdorf
Head of DeFi and Digital Assets Analytics, Moodys

08 Open Governance: The Key to a Decentralized Future

5:15pm - 5:45pm

Open governance is crucial for Web3 as it ensures transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in decision-making processes. By empowering participants to have a voice, open governance enhances trust, fosters collaboration, and promotes the long-term sustainability of Web3 platforms and protocols. This panel brings together experts to discuss how open governance and active participation in governance processes are vital for true decentralization and the future of Web3.

Moderator

Tommi Enenkel
Founder, OpenGov.Watch

Speakers:

Mario Altenburger
Co-founder and Managing Partner of Harbour Industrial Capital

Bill Laboon
Director of Education and Governance Initiatives, Web3 Foundation

Nate Hamilton
Co-Founder Distractive