Shaping the Future of Marketing with AI & Power the Next Era of Customer Experience
Speakers: Wael Elfakharany, Adobe & Marissa Dacay, Adobe
Learn how human-centred AI brings creativity, marketing, and AI together to create exceptional customer experiences at scale. We’ll discuss major innovations, including the evolution to agentic AI to empower marketer workflows and enable brands to exceed customer expectations.
How AI Is Redefining the Way Organisations Approach Marketing, Creativity, and Customer Engagement
Speakers: Luc Dammann, Adobe & Steve Plimsoll, Humain
Hear from Humain about how they are improving collaboration between creative and marketing teams, leveraging AI innovation to scale content creation and campaign activation—and unlocking a new era of personalization.
The Rise of Agentic Workflows with IBM
Speakers: Ashley Chang, Adobe & Jay Trestain, IBM & Amr Almasri, AWS
Dive into how AI is evolving marketing roles, workflows, and outcomes. Together we’ll share real-world examples of agent strategy, adoption and offer insights to building your own journey for AI maturity.
Real-World Insights: How Leading Brands are Rolling Out AI
Speakers: Hamza Naqshbandi, Adobe & Abe Dev, Riyadh Air
Hear from our event hosts and a series of customer speakers as they share real-world insights and key takeaways from the day. This interactive session invites audience perspectives to spark fresh ideas and inspire AI innovation.
See Adobe AI in Action
AI in Content Creation: Scale at Speed Without Compromising Quality.
Explore end-to-end content creation with Adobe GenStudio for Performance Marketing, Firefly Services and Adobe Express. Learn how these solutions work together to streamline and accelerate content creation and production workflows across marketing and creative teams.
Breakout Session 2
Learn how to make AI work for you
Orchestrating Enterprise Transformation with AI
Globant, Adobe and Saudi Tourism Authority share strategies for using AI to align marketing with the broader enterprise—integrating sales, service, and operations to deliver connected, data-driven customer experiences at scale.
See Adobe AI in Action
Agentic in Action: Unlocking AI-powered Marketing Agility
See how AI agents are streamlining key marketing workflows, to automate tasks, unlock real-time insights, and empower teams to move with more precision than ever before. (Agent Orchestrator, Data Insights Agent, LLM Optimizer, sneak peek Brand Concierge)
Breakout Session 2
Learn how to make AI work for you
Five Pillars for Successful AI Adoption
Join Publicis and Adobe to learn proven adoption strategies focused on human-centred transformation. Drive stronger results and lay the groundwork for your operational success with AI.
Wael Elfakharany is a seasoned technology executive and board member with more than three decades of leadership across the digital, finance, and tech industries.
As Director for the Middle East at Adobe, he drives regional strategy and helps organisations harness Adobe’s creative, marketing, and document-cloud solutions to accelerate digital transformation and customer engagement.
Before joining Adobe, Wael served as CEO of Edenred Middle East, where he empowered over two million UAE cardholders with innovative fintech services. His career also includes senior roles at Google, Google X, Careem, IBM, and Oracle, where he built high-performing teams and scaled cutting-edge digital initiatives.
A sought-after speaker, mentor, and investor, Wael is known for his strategic vision, operational excellence, and passion for making technology accessible to all.
Ashley Penn leads Digital and Demand Marketing for Adobe’s Enterprise business, driving the adoption of Adobe technology internally to orchestrate “stand out” digital experiences for customers, and achieve business growth goals. She has a deep passion for aligning strategy, process, and people to data and technology capabilities, and defining repeatable Marketing + Sales formulas for driving revenue outcomes. Over the last 15 years, Ashley has led analytics, technology, and performance teams as a consultant and in-house marketer, and enjoys the dynamism of working at the intersection of creativity, marketing, and data/AI. She’s based in San Francisco and enjoys hiking excursions with her pup, cooking projects, and travel to new places.
Hamza is Adobe’s Strategic Value Director for the Middle East, where he works with C-level leaders and senior decision-makers to unlock the full potential of Adobe’s cutting edge solutions. With more than 20 years of experience at the crossroads of technology, consulting, and market strategy, he helps organizations navigate digital disruption, accelerate growth, and build stronger customer connections.
Prior to Adobe, he held senior leadership roles at International Data Corporation (IDC), including Vice President of Consulting & Custom Solutions for the Middle East, Türkiye & Africa, and General Manager for Saudi Arabia & Bahrain. In these roles, he advised governments, Fortune 500s, and regional enterprises on shaping national ICT agendas, driving enterprise-scale transformation, and enabling public-private partnerships aligned with national transformation initiatives such as the Saudi Vision 2030.
Passionate about translating insight into impact, Hamza thrives at the intersection of emerging technologies, business strategy, and customer-centric innovation - empowering enterprises to lead in a digital-first world.
Edd Atcheson is Head of Innovation in the Middle East, helping companies transform into experience businesses and creating the space and support for innovation. Before joining Adobe, he led 14 digital transformations at a global and local level for NatWest, Virgin Atlantic, American Express, GSK, Unilever, Volvo and many more brands. He brings real world experience to help Adobe customers create and sustain an experience business and, if they transform themselves, innovate.
Carlos Ignacio Rojas Durán is a senior marketing, data, and digital
experience executive with more than 15 years of experience leading
large-scale MarTech, personalization, and customer experience
transformations for global brands.
He is currently Adobe Studio Managing Director EMEA at Globant,
where he leads the Adobe Studio across Europe, Middle East, and
Africa, helping organizations design and scale end-to-end digital
experience platforms based on Adobe Experience Cloud (AEP, RTCDP,
AEM, AJO, Workfront, DAM, and personalization solutions).
Previously, Carlos founded and led EY X.LAB, EY Spain’s MarTech and
Hyper-Personalization practice, building multidisciplinary teams and
delivering strategic programs for clients across retail, banking,
consumer goods, healthcare, sports, and entertainment. His work
focuses on moving organizations from “Next Best Product” to “Next
Best Conversation”, combining data, AI, content, and operating model
transformation.
Carlos specializes in hyper-personalization at scale, customer data
platforms, content supply chain transformation, AI-driven marketing
operations, and experience-led growth models. He works closely with
C-level stakeholders (CMO, CDO, CIO, CXO) to connect technology
investments with measurable business outcomes.
He is a frequent speaker and moderator at marketing and customer
experience events and regularly publishes thought leadership on
personalization, customer experience, and data-driven growth.
Aakanksha Mishra, known to many as Aki, is a Partner Strategy and Enablement Leader at Adobe, driving the growth of the company’s partner ecosystem across the Middle East and Africa. She leads strategic initiatives focused on enablement, co-innovation, and go-to-market acceleration with global and regional partners. With a background spanning digital experience platforms, alliances, and business transformation, Aakanksha is passionate about empowering partners to deliver impactful, customer-centric outcomes.
Luc Dammann is President of EMEA at Adobe. Prior to this, he was Vice President & Managing Director, Western Europe at Adobe, covering France, Iberica, Italy, Benelux and the Nordics. His core mission is to accelerate Adobe's growth across Europe, Middle East and Africa and to reinforce Adobe's leadership as a catalyst for digital experience transformation for enterprise businesses.
Luc has 20 years of experience in technology, primarily in software. He joined Adobe in 2016 from HP/Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, spending ten years as Vice President in charge of the Software Division for France and was a member of the Executive Committee. Previously, he held various management and sales positions in France and Europe, both for large software companies and start-ups (HP Software, Peregrine Systems, ATG, PeopleSoft, Vantive), in areas ranging from CRM, to eCommerce, IT Management and BigData.
Luc holds an MBA in Marketing from Laval University in Quebec, and a BA in Finance from Audencia Nantes Business School
Elie leads digital strategy across businesses and products, building defensible advantage through customer experience, AI, and martech. Originally a software engineer and data scientist, he brings 20+ years of technical and strategic experience.
Elie's career has spanned executive roles across strategy, product management, software, and data engineering with a proven track record building data and martech practices across finance, government, destination marketing, and retail.
Elie holds an Executive Master in Digital Transformation & Innovation Leadership from IE Business School and a Bachelor's in Computer Science from AUB, alongside certifications in data engineering, AI product management, and martech.
Steve is a globally recognized expert in AI, digital transformation, and disruptive innovation, with over 25 years at the forefront of technology, advising governments, Fortune 500s, and leading global brands. Now Chief Strategy Officer and acting CMO at HUMAIN, he’s previously held roles of Global Chief Analytics Officer for HSBC, Head of Strategy & Operations for Saudi Arabia’s National Center of AI (SDAIA) and regional Senior Partner for both EY and PwC.
Plus, ex-WPP & Publicis CTO Ad Tech / Mar Tech veteran. Widely regarded as the “imagineer” who bridges vision and execution, with a relentless drive to redefine what’s possible.
Amr Masri, as the Country Leader of Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Saudi Arabia, is driving the company's mission to accelerate digital transformation across the Kingdom. His leadership is instrumental in advancing AWS's commitment to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, as he enables organizations across all sectors – from government institutions and enterprises to emerging startups – to harness the power of cloud technology for innovation and growth. Under his direction, AWS is focused on three key priorities: expanding cloud adoption, nurturing digital talent, and strengthening the nation's technological foundation.
Prior to assuming his role at AWS in January 2024, Amr built a distinguished career in technology leadership through advancement at leading global tech companies. As a Director at Genesys, he demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing regional operations and fostering strategic client partnerships. His foundation in technical operations and service delivery was established during his tenure at Interactive Intelligence, where he held various leadership positions.
Amr's distinctive blend of technical expertise, business insight, and comprehensive understanding of the Saudi market positions him ideally to lead AWS's expansion and influence in Saudi Arabia's dynamic digital ecosystem.
Abe Dev is Vice President of Digital, Technology and Innovation at Riyadh Air, where he leads end‑to‑end technology strategy for a digitally native airline. Since 2022, he has overseen the design, sourcing, and execution of the digital roadmap, building industry‑leading capabilities and an ecosystem that elevates guest and employee experiences while delivering measurable business outcomes. Previously, Abe directed digital channels and advanced analytics across Etihad Airways’ operations and contributed to the Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Terminal program, following seven years at Qantas in strategic and operational technology roles spanning commercial, customer experience, cargo, and airport operations. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Business Systems from Monash University and has served on SITA’s Customer Advisory Group, Board Council, and Board Nomination Committee. Abe is an active member of the Australian Computer Society and professional bodies including ITIL, PMI, and SAFe Agile.
Arjun Dutta leads the Travel and Hospitality business for Publicis Sapient in MENA, partnering with iconic giga-projects such as Diriyah Gate and New Murabba to redefine the future of tourism and urban experiences. He helps organizations navigate the complexities of AI adoption and other disruptive technologies like Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), enabling them to deliver hyper-personalized, secure, and connected customer journeys. With a strong consulting background, Arjun has guided global enterprises through digital disruption, building propositions that harness emerging technologies for competitive advantage. His portfolio also includes work with NEOM and previous engagements with leading brands such as Kuoni, HotelBeds Group, Heathrow, Carnival Cruises, Collinson, and Miral.
Arjun believes AI and decentralized identity will be the cornerstones of next-generation travel and hospitality ecosystems—creating frictionless, immersive experiences that empower customers and transform destinations across Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Tareq is a Technical Account Director and digital customer experience leader with a strong track record in enabling enterprise organisations to scale and operationalise AI-driven content supply chains. His expertise spans content velocity, generative AI, unified customer experiences, and the governance of complex, multi-solution digital architectures. Tareq works closely with executive and technical leaders to translate innovation into measurable business outcomes, ensuring platform resilience, adoption, and long-term value realisation from Adobe’s ecosystem.
Sonia Ruparelia is a digital customer experience and enterprise technology consultant with a strong track record of helping global organisations transform how they design, deliver, and scale personalised experiences. Her expertise spans content supply chains, customer data platforms, AI-driven personalisation, and the orchestration of complex, multi-solution customer experience management delivery.
A trusted advisor, Sonia partners closely with senior executives and technical stakeholders to translate strategic vision into practical, measurable outcomes. Known for bridging business ambition with platform capability, she focuses on driving adoption, operational excellence, and long-term value from enterprise technology investments, enabling organisations to move faster while maintaining governance, resilience, and customer trust.
