H.E. Ambassador Philip Thigo, MBS, is a renowned technology and public policy expert. He is the Special Envoy for Technology for the Republic of Kenya and founding director for Africa at the Thunderbird School for Global Management at Arizona State University In 2018, Apolitical named him one of the World's 100 most influential people in digital government. In 2023, Africa Com listed him among Africa's Top 100 Most Influential Leaders in Technology and Telecommunications. In 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed him to his High-Level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (HLAB). In August 2024, Amb. Thigo was globally recognized by Mozilla under their RISE25 Award as one of five advocates leading the development of artificial intelligence ethically, inclusively, and transparently. On December 12, 2023, during Kenya’s 60th Independence Day Anniversary, he was awarded the Presidential Commendation, Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S), for his distinguished service to the country.

Richard Hechle serves as the Managing Director for Dimension Data’s East and West African operations, where he thrives within a forward-thinking team that continually inspires his innovative spirit. With over 25 years of experience in dynamic, consumer-facing industries, Richard is driven by a passion for developing business solutions that make a meaningful difference in people's lives and empower individuals to achieve their full potential. As a dedicated leader, he champions leading by example and adopts a hands-on approach, which has been instrumental in refining his strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills throughout his career. Richard's commitment to excellence and his ability to inspire those around him make him a pivotal force in his organization’s ongoing success.

Chris Wiggett has 14 years of experience in the area of Data and Analytics and is currently the Head of Data and Analytics at NTT DATA Middle East and Africa. A thought leader in the field of Advanced Analytics, he has presented / participated in numerous public engagements in the AI field, committed to championing the ongoing evolvement and utilization of AI as a technological innovator into the future.

Chris has been in the ICT Channel industry for over 14 years in different technical and commercial roles focused on storage, virtualization, networking , cloud technologies and services. Over the last three years he has shifted attention to the area of Employee Experience and how to create superior experiences for workforces using emerging cloud and A.I. technologies.

I am an entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience in the technology industry, instrumental in the set up and operations of some of the regions inaugural and most visible mobile value added services. Having held key positions, I possess unique insight that marries technology to the marketplace. I began my journey during the Web 1.0 era at the prominent web shop 3 Mice Interactive Media. As the digital landscape evolved into the era of mobile and Web 2.0, I shifted focus to payments, content, platforms and digital distribution, contributing my expertise to notable companies such as Cellulant and Symbiotic. My current role is as a Venture Builder actively identifying opportunities across mobility, telecoms, payments, media, advertising, digital distribution and energy. As a product person I also interface between customer needs discovery and engineering, ensuring that "the portfolio" builds with a purpose and reason that resonates with how the market is evolving. Simultaneously, I am actively exploring the potential of Web 3, an exciting realm that embraces themes such as decentralization, blockchain technology, and token-based economics.