Tom Hall is recognised as a pioneer and one of the world’s leading investors in the field of online gaming software development, specialising in interactive gaming and has regularly featured as a key note speaker at investor forums and Global gaming conferences.
Since 2014, Hall has spent most of his time further building Pax Holdings Limited, his family office that focusses on sports media, fintech, gaming, leisure-related real estate and asset management platform software development. As at 2024, his core focuses are Pax’s digital media expansion, led by the 2020 acquisition of The Sporting News (“TSN”) and the recent launch of the “MyAssets” asset aggregation platform.
www.sportingnews.com is the digital evolution of the US’s oldest sports newspaper founded in 1886 and is a home of quality journalism for not only baseball, but for the NFL, NBA, College Sports, Boxing and many others. Its prestigious awards are recognised with MLB Awards beginning in 1936 and NFL Awards since 1954. It also contributes to the NCAA’s official consensus All-American College Football and Basketball rankings. TSN maintains editions in the US, Argentina, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam.
Co-Founder and former CEO of Asianlogic, an Asian-originating gaming investment group established in 2002, he retired in 2020 as Chairman, to pursue his interests in the media sector. Previously publicly listed in the UK, ALOG was taken private in 2009.
He also led Playtech as Group CEO and oversaw the successful floatation of the Company on the UK AIM market in 2006. Playtech was the world’s largest publicly quoted gaming software provider (UK:PTEC – USD3.5Bn+ Market Cap). Of Eurasian Hong Kong origin, Tom was responsible for overseeing global customer growth and the development of customised software solutions for the Asia Pacific marketplace.
From 1989 until he joined AsianLogic and Playtech in 2002 he worked in Swiss private banking and private client financial services in the UK and HK.
More recently he has thrown himself into the fast changing world of AI – LLMs, all things agentic and driving efficiencies to be achieved through deployment of AI applications and tools in the workplace. Learning lots from the folks at Scale AI, Deepmind and Cognition.
Tom is an avid wine and whisky collector, movie and sports memorabilia and contemporary art collector, lover of all things sport and occasional high stakes poker player.
Danny Ong is a distinguished figure in technology and innovation with over two decades of experience. He excels in the strategic application of AI, machine learning, and data analytics, championing initiatives that redefine industry benchmarks. Having held leadership roles in both corporations and startups, Danny is recognized for building high-performing teams and fostering collaboration and continuous learning.
Beyond his technical prowess, Danny is a passionate advocate for ethical technology development and inclusive innovation. He actively participates in industry forums and contributes to discussions on the societal impact of AI, striving to ensure that technological advancements benefit all segments of society. His commitment to these principles is reflected in his work, where he consistently seeks to integrate responsible design and accessibility into every solution.
Currently, Danny is spearheading initiatives that explore the convergence of AI and sustainable development, believing that technology holds the key to addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges. His current work focuses on developing AI-powered solutions for resource optimization and climate change mitigation, reflecting his unwavering commitment to leveraging technology for a better future.
Dereck Alexander Jon Hoogenkamp is a visionary leader in creating, developing, and successfully exiting high-value real estate and destination projects worldwide. With over 25 years of experience in concept creation, large-scale mixed-use developments, luxury resorts, and next-generation wellness destinations, Dereck blends cutting-edge PropTech, IoT, RWA tokenization, and AI innovations with nature integration, sustainability, and cultural authenticity.
An expert in AI-driven real estate transformation, Dereck leverages emerging technologies to optimize investment returns, operational efficiency, and guest experiences across real estate, entertainment, wellness, rejuvenation, and anti-aging-focused conscious destinations. He is the inventor of the concept and term “Conscious Real Estate Developments” — pioneering projects that go beyond physical spaces to create holistic, life-enhancing ecosystems.
Specializing in off-the-grid, wellness-focused sanctuaries, his developments integrate longevity science, biohacking, anti-aging protocols, and immersive luxury hospitality, designed to increase both healthspan and asset value. His track record includes transforming underperforming properties, reimagining greenfield and brownfield sites, and crafting sustainable, profitable landmarks.
Core Competencies
Harmen is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over three decades of experience in mergers, acquisitions, and venture building. He has a proven track record of identifying high-potential opportunities, structuring strategic investments, and scaling businesses globally.
Throughout his career, Harmen has led complex transactions and market entries, advising operators, governments, and investors on deals that unlock value and drive growth. His work spans acquisitions, joint ventures, and the creation of new ventures from the ground up, with a focus on sustainable and profitable business models.
In the gaming sector, he pioneered the introduction of casino equipment and technology ventures across Asia, Europe, and Latin America, often through strategic partnerships and acquisitions. These initiatives shaped the development of gaming markets and established scalable frameworks that continue to generate long-term value.
Beyond gaming, Harmen has applied his expertise in strategic investments and venture creation in fintech, an area where his understanding of market dynamics and deal-making has positioned him as a trusted leader. He has also been active in the aviation sector, where his ability to connect capital with innovation has led to ventures that demonstrate his versatility as an investor.
Respected for his global perspective and hands-on leadership style, Harmen continues to bridge industries and regions. His focus remains on strategic investments, venture building, and value creation, applying his deep understanding of global markets to develop businesses that thrive in competitive environments.
Managing Director, ID8 & Venture Partner, Dreamcraft
Jeffrey is a passionate and visionary leader who drives strategic growth, innovation and value creation. As a Venture Partner at Dreamcraft Ventures, Strategic Advisor, and Angel Investor, he leverages his extensive experience and global network to identify, evaluate, and support promising businesses. His education is in economics and journalism, but he has nurtured gaming and fintech startups and scale-ups for more than 20 years.
Throughout his career, Jeffrey has built and launched leading global digital and retail gaming businesses for DraftKings, PokerStars, PartyPoker, bwin, the World Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour & European Poker Tour. He has successfully entered and expanded into new markets, created and executed public policy initiatives and growth marketing strategies, fixed ailing B2B businesses, developed and launched new B2C products and platforms, and managed complex regulatory and operational challenges.
His mission is to contribute to the advancement and transformation of the gaming and fintech industries by supporting and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. Jeffrey says he is always eager to learn, collaborate, and share insights and perspectives with others who share his passion for rabid creative ideation.
Jittinun brings over 20 years of experience in investment banking, specializing in financial advisory, structured finance, and debt capital markets. Prior to joining Token X as CEO, she held key leadership roles at SCB 10X—including Head of Finance & Accounting and Head of Strategic Investment & M&A—and served as Executive Vice President in Credit Product Origination at SCB.
Her deep expertise spans traditional banking and cutting-edge financial innovation, enabling her to deliver optimal, forward-thinking solutions for corporate clients. With a proven track record in fintech investment and strategic deal-making, she is uniquely positioned to bridge conventional finance with the digital asset economy.
Kyle Wiltshire is the founder and CEO of TESTA, a leading provider of crowdsourced QA and performance testing solutions for iGaming operators and providers. With deep roots in the industry, Kyle began his career on the technical side, tackling backend challenges and driving innovation in the Asia market.
His years in Manila were spent honing his expertise in automation, scalability, and delivering exceptional player experiences. In 2023, Kyle launched TESTA. Based in Taipei, the company helps global clients benchmark, localize, and optimize their offerings, empowering them to thrive in competitive markets around the world.
Max Tesla is the CEO and co-founder of Blask, an AI-powered market analytics platform for the iGaming industry. With over 12 years of experience in technology, business growth, and data analytics, he founded Blask to transform how companies access and apply market intelligence.
In just one year since its public launch, Blask has earned three industry awards, secured key partnerships with Sportingtech and BC Game, and is backed by Yolo Investment and Oakvale Capital. Under Max’s leadership, Blask introduced innovative tools like the Blask Index, APS, and CEB, helping operators gain a true competitive advantage in a fast-changing market.
Staffan Lindgren is the Chairman of Pinecone Venture a venture studio focused on building and scaling innovative companies that generate both financial returns and positive societal impact. He is also the founder of NYX Interactive, which later became part of NYX Gaming Group, a leading force in the online gaming industry. Following that success, Staffan has continued to be actively involved in several online gaming ventures, contributing his expertise in innovation, growth, and investment strategy.
With deep experience in evaluating and supporting seed-stage opportunities, Staffan has advised numerous founders and investors on navigating the unique challenges of early-stage funding. His work blends rigorous investment analysis with a commitment to fostering sustainable entrepreneurship.
At this conference, Staffan will share insights on evaluating investments in the seed stage, offering practical frameworks and strategic considerations for both investors and founders.
Michael Charlton, Independent
Mike Charlton is a British business leader with more than 30 years’ experience building betting, gaming and lottery businesses across Asia-Pacific — from founding Ladbrokes’ first Asia office to leading Entain’s Asia-Pacific growth strategy for over a decade.
Across his career, Mike has taken products from concept to multi-million-dollar revenue and built government relationships at ministerial level in some of the region’s most complex regulatory markets — including projects spanning China, Vietnam, India, France, Russia, the Philippines, Japan and the USA. He served concurrently as Director across four Entain Group subsidiaries, combining commercial delivery with governance oversight throughout a career spent navigating the fast-changing world of Asian gaming regulation.
Since stepping down from Entain in 2025, Mike has relocated to Cambodia and now works as an independent strategic advisor, helping emerging technology and regulated-market businesses navigate commercial strategy, market entry and growth across the region.
A fluent traveller of the region’s boardrooms as much as its back-alleys, Mike holds Chinese language qualifications, a China Permanent Resident’s Card, and driving licences across three countries — proof that he doesn’t just talk about market entry, he lives it. Away from the desk, he’s a keen golfer (and former Chairman of the Beijing Golfers Club) and a long-distance trekker, always chasing the next challenging route, on the course or off it.
Mike brings three decades of frontline experience building betting and gaming businesses in some of the world’s toughest, most rewarding markets — insight shaped as much by boardrooms as by the ground-level realities of doing business across Asia.
Luís Mesquita de Melo, Partner, J.A. Pinto Ribeiro & Associados
Luis has a wealth of over 23 years of experience during which he assumed a broad range of legal roles, extending from teaching law to advisory positions at Governments highest level, senior corporate executive positions and private practice. He was Executive Vice-President, General Counsel and Joint Company Secretary for Sands China Ltd. with a leading role in the development of the Las Vegas Sands Corp Group business opening the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel and the Four Seasons Macau, successfully listing Sands China Ltd in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and obtaining financing for the Group’s business in Macau in excess of USD$ 5 billion. He was a Government Lawyer for Macau Legislative Modernization Commission, legal Advisor to the President of the Macau Legislative Assembly and for the Minister of Economy of Portugal. As senior Executive with Sands China, for over five years, he developed an unique set of skills in all matters related to Gaming & Hospitality, Corporate, Banking & Finance and Listing Rules.
He was a Partner of MdME, a Macau based law firm, where he developed the firm’s Gaming & Hospitality practice providing services and advising gaming operators, gaming promoters, gaming equipment manufacturers at all levels of the gaming industry market in Macau and regionally in other jurisdictions.
He was Chief Legal Counsel for NagaCorp (HKEx 3918).
NagaCorp Ltd. is the largest hotel, gaming and leisure operator in Cambodia, and the Company has been listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Stock Exchange”) since 2006. In fact, NagaCorp became the first company with operations in Cambodia to become a public listed entity, as well as the first gaming-related company traded on the Stock Exchange. Its flagship, NagaWorld, is Phnom Penh’s only integrated hotel-casino entertainment complex, under a 70-year casino licence that will run till 2065, as well as a 41-year monopoly within a 200km radius of Phnom Penh that expires in 2035.
Chief Legal Officer for Asian Coast Development Ltd.
Asian Coast Development (Canada) Ltd. (ACDL) is an international development company specializing in integrated resort destinations. ACDL, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Ho Tram Project Company Ltd, is the developer of the Ho Tram Strip, a group of integrated resorts to be located on more than 400 acres of land and more than two kilometers of pristine beach in Ho Tram, and approved in an Investment Certificate issued by the Government of Vietnam.
The Ho Tram Strip will ultimately comprise:
The Grand – Ho Tram Strip, our 1,100 room integrated resort
The Bluffs, our Greg Norman designed Championship golf course
General Counsel for Hoiana South Development Ltd. (“HASD”)
Hoiana Resort & Golf is Vietnam’s premier US $4 billion, 985-hectare luxury beach integrated resort standing as one of the largest integrated destination casinos in Southeast Asia. Operating under a foreigner-only gaming framework, the property features a major gaming floor with 140 tables, nearly 300 electronic machines [asgam], and an ultra-exclusive high-roller VIP Sky Casino. Its operational Phase 1 boasts over 1,200 luxury hotel keys [asgam], an award-winning Robert Trent Jones Jr. links golf course, and more than 20 dining venues along a 4-kilometer beachfront. Backed by international investors.
Awards and Recognitions
Chambers and Partners Asia 2014, General Business Law (Band 2): Luis Mesquita de Melo is widely recognised as “a true gaming specialist.” He brings to his work the especially notable advantage of having been an executive with a major gaming operator, giving him valuable insights into that business and the associated financial, regulatory and hospitality spheres.
Chambers and Partners, Asia-Pacific Region, Gaming & Gambling 2014 (Band 1): Luis Mesquita de Melo is considered one of the best gaming lawyers in Macau. Peers say: “He’s very strong in this area,” and praise his experience gained as a result of being former in-house counsel at Sands China. He has recently been advising clients outside of Macau, including those in Vietnam.
Chambers and Partners, Gaming & Gambling Global-wide (Band 3): Macau-based Luis Mesquita de Melo of MdME is well known for his gaming work and is described by peers as “an excellent lawyer.” He has over two decades of experience and has previously worked as general counsel for a gaming operator in Macau, working on its IPO and establishment of a resort in Macau.
Other Activities
Katrina Nepomuceno, Special Counsel, Gruba Law
Katrina de Lima Nepomuceno is Special Counsel at Gruba Law and has over two decades of experience in the Philippine gaming industry. She has worked extensively with key government institutions and regulators, including the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), and the Philippine Congress. Combining deep regulatory experience with expertise in corporate strategy and high-stakes M&A transactions, she offers practical insights into the legal, regulatory, and commercial considerations essential to succeeding in the Philippine gaming market.
Atty. Nepomuceno is a seasoned legal professional with over 25 years of experience in corporate law and regulatory compliance, and is a member of the Philippine Bar. She is widely recognised as one of the few legal practitioners in Southeast Asia with deep specialisation in gaming law. covering both land-based and internet gaming operations.
She previously served as Vice President for Legal, Corporate Secretary, and Compliance Officer of Leisure and Resorts World Corporation (now DigiPlus Interactive Corp.), a publicly listed gaming and leisure conglomerate in the Philippines. She also served as President of its subsidiary. AB Leisure Global. Inc. In these roles. she led corporate legal strategy. advised on regulatory compliance. and oversaw high-stakes negotiations involving mergers. acquisitions. and joint ventures. Her work regularly interfaced with key government regulators such as PAGCOR. CEZA, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), DENR, DAR, and the Philippine Reclamation Authority, as well as the Philippine Congress.
Atty. Nepomuceno was instrumental in crafting internet gaming policies for the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) and served for nearly two (2) decades as legal counsel to First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation, a pioneer in Philippine online gaming licensing. Her contribution to the evolution of gaming regulation in the region has been recognised through speaking engagements at international gaming conferences in Macau. Singapore. the United States, and Europe.
In addition to her work in the gaming sector. Atty. Nepomuceno provides strategic legal counsel to local governments and has led key development projects. She advised the City of Bacolod on the Php2.1Billion Bacolod Super City Project, a major public-private partnership. She currently advises on the city’s flagship housing initiative, the Yuhum Housing Project, under the national 4PH program. Her government relations practice includes extensive experience in legislative engagement and multi-agency coordination.
David Carruthers, Principal & CEO, David Carruthers Consulting
David Carruthers: A Driven Leader, Accomplished Entrepreneur, and Transformative Business Consultant.
David Carruthers is a seasoned executive with an exceptional track record of success as a CEO, entrepreneur, and business consultant. His unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with his dynamic leadership style and proven ability to navigate complex challenges, has propelled him to the forefront of the business world.
A champion of innovation and transformation, a master of business strategy, he navigates global challenges with confidence, has a proven track record of accomplishment, a true visionary leader with a passion for excellence.
David’s boundless energy, proven ability to succeed, self-discipline, and infectious sense of humour set him apart. His unwavering commitment to excellence and his ability to inspire and motivate teams have earned him the respect and admiration of his peers.
