Discuss the Future of Computer Gaming
Event hosted and Opening address by Baroness Manzila Uddin - linkedin.com/in/baroness-manzila-uddin-4ba3253
We will explore the future of computer games.
London will be the centre of the gaming world. Some 100,000 visitors and 400 developers will descend on the capital for the London Games Festival to experience the most exciting new games, meet investors who might just fund their great new ideas and to find the next big thing.
Gone are the days where the industry was dismissed as the culturally worthless pursuit of teenage boys in their parents’ basements. Today, gaming brings in more revenue than both the music and film industry, while the UK industry is worth around £7bn each year, according to trade body UK Interactive Entertainment. The London Games Festival has given a huge helping hand along the way. Since 2016, it has helped generate nearly £100m for games businesses that have participated in its programmes, and helped connect more than 5,000 studios with investors.
Among other things, the festival offers the chance for London to show off its booming gaming scene, from the indie games studios springing up around the capital (which these days number in the thousands, including the BAFTA-winning Poncle) to the massive corporations such as Rocksteady – which created the Arkham series – that bring in millions of pounds each year.
Comments -
Professor Yu Xiong- linkedin.com/in/professor-yu-xiong-ceng-phd-181aba1b .
Associate Vice President for External Engagement, University of Surrey;
Associate Dean International(2020-2022), University of Surrey, UK
Director of Surrey Academy for Blockchain and Metaverse. University of Surrey
Director, Surrey Centre for Innovation and Commercialization, University of Surrey, UK
Chair of Advisory Board, All Party Parliamentary Group on Metaverse and Web 3.0 , UK
Director, Maxity. the world's leading charity NFT marketplace, www.maxity.io
Speakers
Swaneet Singh is a Director of Eros Investments Limited. Eros Investments Limited is a holding group with assets in media and entertainment, deep technology, sports, blockchain, digital commerce and gaming. Eros Investments Limited focuses on empowering disruptive entrepreneurs with a focus on technology and creative ventures that evolve culture. The firm has a deep-rooted understanding of intellectual property through its portfolio companies which is a key attribute that shapes the way technology is implemented.
Swaneet Singh comes from a finance and technology background where he started his career at Goldman Sachs International in London where he held a variety of roles at the firm, most recently within the Investment Banking Division, where he took part and was exposed to several high value M&A and Financing transactions within TMT and Healthcare groups.
Swaneet Singh is also the CEO of Xfinite, Xfinite’s media platform, Eros Now is distributed in 150 countries and provides a whole host of Indian language content globally. The platform has over 200m registered users and is focused on growing its userbase via B2C and B2B2C. Eros Now has partnerships with several telecom operators, as well as global players that include Google (Youtube), Roku, Amazon, Apple and Meta.
Swaneet Singh has lived in South East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore), New Zealand, India and the United Kingdom. Swaneet holds a BSc (Hons) from King’s College London.
Ali Hussein is the Chief Executive Officer at Immerso.Immerso is the metaverse & AI business backend by the Eros Investment’s Group. At its core, Immerso is creating
a transmedia entertainment ecosystem with native IP-led content with gaming, generative AI & blockchain as the enablers of scale and growth. In addition, Immerso is also developing large language models with one of the biggest repositories of licensed training data for generative AI with use cases across industry sectors. Innovations in 3D assets, video and cloud infrastructure for generative AI, Virtual and mixed reality is one of the core objectives of this vision. Prior to this Ali was CEO of Eros Now starting in 2018,
South Asia’s premier OTT platform, to lead the brand's vision of becoming consumers' first choice for digital entertainment. He led the platform to a growth of 200Mllion consumers with distribution across 150 countries worldwide. The surge in paid subscribers, technology innovations, and global distribution is a testament to what the team has achieved in the last few years.
Ali has been a senior executive in the Technology, Media and Telecoms businesses for over two decades. Board Advisor to Discovery Networks and various other start-ups in the media
technology vertical. He has also worked with Google/YouTube, where he ran the charter for
Content and Product partnerships in South Asia, Joint Venture between Network 18 and Viacom (Viacom 18), where he led the digital media business across all consumer media brands, and Hungama where he managed the portfolio of distribution and content acquisition globally. Ali's expertise lies in leveraging his deep understanding of the consumer and technology to build scaled enterprises. He is an active contributor and thought leader on global forums and platforms across on deep technology and entertainment.
A senior executive in the Technology, Media and Telecoms businesses for over two decades with CXO and Board of Advisory roles across Eros Now, Discovery YouTube, Viacom and other organizations. The breadth of work spans across deep consumer understanding in media, gaming, web3 and Generative AI. An active student of the business and eager to learn & collaborate. Core contributor and thought leader on global forums and platforms across on deep technology and entertainment.
linkedin.com/in/justanotherali
Venkatesh Krishna Murthy, the Founder & CEO of Wharf Street Studios Limited, is recognized as an Innovator in the UK for disruptive projects using emerging technologies such as blockchain, machine learning and virtual reality.Acknowledged with the prestigious Barclays People's Choice Award 2022, the Toycathon Award in 2021 by Ministry of Education in India, Incepted by Nvidia and received a grant from Meta (Facebook), Wharf Street Studios is poised to redefine the gaming landscape, fusing mythology and cultural richness with cutting-edge technology to create captivating experiences.
linkedin.com/in/venkateshtheinnovator
Vikram Seth is Head of Blockchain & Web3 at Shell, where he leads a multi-disciplinary team of technologists to develop new business models and products fit for the future of the energy sector. He has 12+ years experience in the energy industry covering commercial, financial and innovation roles across the energy value chain. Vikram's vision is to leverage emerging technologies for a global transition towards a regenerative economy.
Giselle Stewart OBE - Studio Director, Creative Assembly North- With a background in managing the business of games software development, She has spent the last few years in Corporate Affairs, primarily focused on ensuring the optimal environment for the games industry in enable growth. In her previous role, the company's presence grew to 700 nationally. Based in the NE and passionate about strengthening the region and the broader tech sector, she saw the company's NE headcount grow from 75 to 550.
Passionate about the join-up between education and industry, she is a Visiting Professor in the School of Computing at Newcastle University, sit on the External Advisory Board of Durham University's Computer Science Department and the Employers Steering Group of Next Gen Skills Academy. She was part of the team that set up North East Futures UTC, a regional school focusing on digital and health tech, which I continue to support, as well as being a Trustee of Ponteland Community Primary School.
Ensuring access routes for experts and specialists to the games industry has been something of a priority for me, she has worked to promote understanding of sector needs with the MAC (Migration Advisory Committee), relevant government departments and our trade associations. Fostering partnerships with institutions more broadly was vital to the join-up of the sector.
She is part of the AHRC's Creative Industries Advisory Group and have been on the Boards of TIGA, the games developer's trade association, Ukie, Creative UK and regionally, of DynamoNE and Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI).
Her early career was spent within a studio development team, with Reflections as General Manager in 1996, with a mandate to grow and re-structure the company. She has managed it from an independent studio through the transitions of becoming publisher-owned and integrated, 3 times, via GT Interactive, Infogrames/Atari and finally in 2006, Ubisoft.
linkedin.com/in/giselle-stewart-obe-21905347
Gina Jackson OBE - Helping to solve the talent crisis in the games industry with research, training solutions and deep understanding of the sector. Gina Jackson began working in games in 1992 producing many titles for developers and publishers including Ocean Software before running a publishing studio for Infogrames. A move into business development, first with Nokia in 2000 at the start of the mobile games industry and then to Kuju to sign console deals with Nintendo and Konami saw Gina build on her production expertise. As head of business development, new media she successfully took Eidos’ catalogue online through mobile, set-top boxes and digital distribution for both console and PC including the award winning Tomb Raider and Championship Manager mobile games. Gina now runs her own games consultancy business Blushing Blue with clients including Sony, Powersnooker and Chromativity as well as being Chief Executive of Women in Games Jobs and the organiser of the European Women in Games conference.
linkedin.com/in/gina-jackson-obe
Yogi Velagapudi - With 15 years of dedicated experience in the creation and development of digital assets within the computer gaming industry, he previously held the esteemed position of Vice President at Symbiosys Technologies. During his tenure, he led major projects including the development of key digital solutions for Google Earth and spearheaded innovative gaming enhancements for Rogers, Canada's largest mobile network operator.Currently, as the founder and CEO of Net Business Labs, his visionary leadership is driving groundbreaking contributions to the Metaverse and the development of sophisticated applications tailored for Web3, propelling forward the integration of virtual and augmented realities in everyday tech interactions. Additionally, he has successfully built an OTT platform, produced and directed a Bollywood feature film, and he actively developing a diverse range of other media content, further expanding his expertise into the multimedia and entertainment industries.
linkedin.com/in/yogi-velagapudi-124a7732
Kostyantyn Lobov - Partner at Harbottle & Lewis LLP- advises on all aspects of Intellectual Property, Advertising and Regulatory issues. Being a litigator by background, he can advise at all stages of a dispute – from early stage strategy and negotiations, to litigation in the High Court and beyond.
Kostyantyn has worked extensively with clients in the video game and esports sectors, and co-chairs the Firm’s Interactive Entertainment group. His wider client base includes brand owners, production companies and various members of the creative industries, tech start-ups, importers and distributors. They range in size from SMEs to multinational corporations with large in-house legal teams. A significant part of Kostyantyn’s practice involves co-ordinating advice for projects spanning multiple jurisdictions.
He also advises on the practical application of advertising codes, and investigations by regulators such as the ASA, CMA and Trading Standards.
linkedin.com/in/kostya-l-91683b26
Chris James - CEO at Steel Media Pocket Gamer - Publishing entrepreneur with a strong background in both editorial and commercial activities in print, online and mobile. The vast majority of experience has been focused in the games, football and consumer technology spheres in a career spanning over 25 years.
Originally a journalist and editor at Future Publishing for leading games and technology titles such as PC Format, PC Gamer and Broadband World writing articles and running teams, this graduated into a broader role of creative and commercial oversight as creative director at Future Plus and JPP, producing projects for companies like Sony Pictures, BT, Blockbuster Movies and Virgin.
Most recent years have been focused on founding and running the leading media and events company Steel Media Ltd (as Managing Director), publishing world-leading b2b and consumer websites for the mobile and broader games industry (such as pocketgamer.biz. pocketgamer.com, thevirtualreport.biz, blockchaingamer.biz and beyondgames.biz), creating projects for leading companies (e.g. Microsoft, Nokia, EE, Samsung) as well as the PG Connects series of global conferences (www.pgconnects.com), the www.MobileGamesAwards.com and numerous other events designed to connect, support and celebrate the growth of the industry.
Alongside this I have a side business, running the leading fantasy football advice site www.FantasyFootballScout.co.uk, which serves millions of fans as well as working directly with the Premier League, UEFA, Bundesliga, Sky and many others in the space.
Most recently, I have also begun to make angel investments in the games and technology space.
Specialties: Media, Games, Football, contract publishing, publishing, editing, writing, ad sales, online ad sales, project management, business development, brand expansion, presentingspeaking.
Tim Scott - Director of Public Policy, UK and Middle East - for Roblox. Previously he was Head of Policy and Public Affairs for Ukie, the UK Interactive Entertainment Association, having previously been Programme Director for Tech and Creative Industries at London First, responsible for policy development for the sector.
Prior to this he was Senior Policy Adviser for Future Technologies in the Digital Economy Unit, leading on the development of Internet of Things policy and in particular its application in health and social care, establishing the TestBed programme with NHS England and Innovate UK. Between 2013 and 2015 I was Head of Sector for Technology, Telecoms and Media in the Partnerships team of the Cabinet Office where I was responsible for a number of key relationships between the Prime Minister, Deputy PM and industry. In this role he led and delivered a number of collaborative projects between business and Government covering issues such as Digital Skills, Family Friendly policies, and flooding, providing dedicated account management support for key organisations in those sectors working with the centre of Government.
Prior to this I spent 5 years in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport where I led on Creative Industries policy, providing policy direction and sponsorship of the sector as well as leading the development and implementation of the High End TV, Animation and Video Games tax breaks. I also led on the development and implementation of the plans for the UK's commemoration of the centenary of the First World War.
Sam Collins- Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Ukie-Ukie is the trade association for games and interactive entertainment in the UK. We are a not-for-profit and represent businesses of all sizes from small start-ups to large multinational developers, publishers and service companies, working across online, mobile apps, consoles, PC, esports, VR and AR. Everything we do helps to support, grow and promote our members' businesses and the wider UK games and interactive entertainment industry by making sure we have the right economic, cultural, political and social environment needed for businesses to thrive.
linkedin.com/in/sam-collins-8599114
Tommy Thompson - Expert in AI for Video Games- He has worked as a consultant in artificial intelligence technologies through 'AI and Games' with a primary focus on the video games industry. We work to identify appropriate tools and techniques to address requirements in varying capacities and can work with clients in implementing desired solutions. His consultancy is tied into the ongoing YouTube series of the same name: dedicated to increasing awareness of AI research and development within games.
He contribute to and support a myriad of industry and academic events in AI for games. Most notably as one of the AI summit advisors for the Game Developers Conference (GDC). Plus in his capacity as a public speaker, he engage with audiences on a myriad of platforms explaining the intricacies of AI within the games field.
Before his current role, he operated my own indie game development company (Table Flip Games), and had a career in games development and AI within academia. Over 10 years he taught and lead computer science and games development programmes at universities across the UK. In addition, his career as a researcher led to over 50 peer-reviewed publications in areas of artificial and computational intelligence for games, general intelligence, procedural content generation and games studies.
Robbie Cochrane - Founder at Neolyfe & Futech Labs- Education
- Bachelor's Degree in English and Journalism (University of Lincoln)
- Master's Degree in Scriptwriting (Leicester DMU).
- Post Graduate Certificate in Education (University of Nottingham)
Work
[Sep 2023 - Present] Founder - Neolyfe: business development, team-building, leadership, strategic partnerships, tokenomics, White Paper co-creator, product director.
[Sep 2023 - Present] Co-Founder: Futech Labs: client relationships, project management, software development, business administration, stakeholder relations.
[Jan 2021 - Sep 2023] Founder - Cryptoverse: Metaverse world builder, economy designer, litepaper creator, team formation, product director.
[Jan 2019 - Sep 2023] Co-Founder - ChainGuardians: Led a team working towards delivering blockchain games and establishing blockchain superhero IP. The role incorporated all facets of business operations, including: business development & strategic partnerships, marketing & communications strategy, user acquisition & retention, as well as overseeing aspects of game design and tokenomics.
[2019-2022] Board Member - Decentraland University: Responsibilities included consulting upon the deployment of educational content within the University as well as supporting communications.
[2018-2019] Communications - AIAS (Start-up): a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency payment facilitator. My role was to manage incoming and outgoing communications; as well as consulting on marketing endeavours and business development.
[2016-2017] Researcher - Self: Cryptocurrency & Blockchain: research and investment.
linkedin.com/in/robbie-cochrane-b015ab91
Melissa Phillips- Games Leadership Academy- She is the Director of the Games Leadership Network & Academy (www.gamesleadership.com), a non-profit organisation that aims to promote and improve leadership skills in the games industry by offering free personal development and 1-1 coaching sessions.
Find out more at:
www.gamesleadership.com
Jaime Valls- Jaime Valls Vigil- Senior Game Designer at Aardman -worked on several games for various platforms, PS4, Xbox one, Steam, Mobile and VR. Jaime is a game designer, professor and producer. He has passion for video games and a high awareness of player behaviours which allows him to foresee issues at the idea stage. His skills allow him to develop and understand all phases in the creation of games. He prepares high quality Game Design Documents needed for the programmers and artists. IHe understand Game balancing, combat systems, metrics, game economy, monetisation, interfaces, cameras and controls.
The knowledge that he bring to game design is a solid understanding of animation fundamentals and visual narrative, giving a more impressive experience for the players.
He has a range of experience in different areas including high and low polygon modelling, UVs, bump, specular, normal, lighting and rendering. He is confident using multiple software packages such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, 3D Studio Max, Sculptris, Zbrush, Blender, Photoshop, Gimp, Fusion, Premiere, After Effects, Sony Vegas.
Haroon Rashid -Founder at SPACE-iZ- SPACE-iZ is a Decentralised Economic System (DES) of apps designed as an equitable and fairer alternative to current service platforms such as food delivery, ride hailing and property rental, all powered by a single wallet and incorporating cryptocurrency transactions for added security and efficiency.
linkedin.com/in/haroon-rashid-6909831b2
Jerreau H. Winning Marketing Manager & DEI Chair | Ensemble Awards 2024 | The Game Awards Future Class 2023 -Content Creator and Copywriter with over 5 years of experience gained in the software sector. Driven to help companies grow their online presence through transformative multimedia and marketing strategy and passionate about improving diversity and inclusion of underrepresented groups in the games and wider entertainment industry. linkedin.com/in/jerreau
Andre ‘Ems’ Phillip - design | Founder @moonboistudios | Creative Director @moonboiuniverse | https://discord.gg/WkX4VYzte3 | SuperteamUK | Hackathon -linkedin.com/in/andre-p-5855b291
Organiser
Balbir Judge - 07575434666- Venture Capitalist , Real World Asset Specialist - Early Stage Investor Work Venture & Mutual Funds. - Social Media Influencer/ Business Development of Voice of Crypto.🌱 🎭 Community Builder - linkedin.com/inbalbir-judge-msc-pgce-fe-ba-hons-a94030162