Curated Conversations

Decoding Cryptocurrency & Blockchain Technology - With Neoflow Asset Management Chief Investment Officer, Tobias Young

Cryptocurrency adoption rates are surging, with Chainanalysis reporting a 2300% increase in adoption rates since Q3 of 2019. To better understand the nuances of this multi-trillion dollar market, Rohma Theunissen caught up with Tobias Young, Chief Investment Officer at Neoflow Asset Management and former member of the Global Blockchain Council, to talk about cryptocurrency, how it works, the recent market crash and the potential it holds in the future.Hosted by: Rohma Theunissen About Tobias YoungTobias is an accomplished and experienced professional with over 20 years’ experience in financial markets and trading. His financial markets experience spans asset classes including; Equities, Metals, Energy and FX, dealing with all categories of market participants including Banks, Hedge Funds, Trading Houses, Producers, Hedgers and Arbitragers. He has worked under the regulatory auspices of the FCA, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, FRSA and SCA amongst others.Initially, he started his career in London and since 2009 has been based in Dubai, UAE. Prior to Joining NeoFlow Asset Management, he was the Head of Product Development and Strategy for the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX) whom he joined in 2015, taking overall responsibility for the development of derivative contracts in Equities, Metals, Energy and FX. Prior to this Tobias built up a wealth of experience in the Energy markets whilst working at Daman Quattro Ltd and BNP Paribas in London. Earlier in his career he was notable by his ability to be flexible, gaining experience in Equities and Metals working at financial luminaries such as; Société Générale, Bank of America and Natixis. Of note from his time at Société Générale, is that he held the distinction of being the ‘Youngest Market Maker’ in London.  Through Tobias’ work with the DGCX, he became a member of the Global Blockchain Council, an initiative of the Prime Minister of Dubai’s Office, and sat on numerous working groups. Previously, the DGCX lead on Blockchain investigation and integration as well as Digital Assets, this has allowed him to seamlessly move from traditional finance into digital finance, where he now sits as the Chief Investment Officer of NeoFlow Asset Management.Through his work within the different financial market sectors Tobias has built up an innate understanding of how particular markets work and interact. During his career he has maintained a firm grasp of economics and economic scenarios enabling him to move diligently and effectively when needed within trading and regulatory environments. 

8 Point Roadmap For Designing Iconic Human Experiences - With Tim Kobe

Having helped craft the brand experience that enabled Apple to grow from $2 billion company to a $3 trillion one,  Tim Kobe is a visionary designer who continues to transform the realm of brand experiences through a focus on human outcome.  Rohma Theunissen sat down with the designer himself, to find out the cornerstones of his methodology, and how designers and brands can apply them to maximize their Return on Experience (ROX).Hosted by: Rohma TheunissenAbout Tim KobeTim Kobe is a globally recognized designer, thought leader, keynote speaker, and author. Tim is the founder and CEO of Eight Inc. and Chairman of X8 Ventures. Sometimes called “Apple’s best-kept secret,” Tim wrote the white paper for Apple retail and worked directly with Steve Jobs during his second period as CEO at Apple. Today Eight Inc. is one of the most progressive strategic design firms working employing leading designers and strategists working across 11 offices including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Tokyo, Istanbul, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. 8 is helping to transform organizations to be relevant in the world's most highly competitive environments by looking at the design factors that drive successful human interactions. 8 has received international design awards and has been published in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Why Return On Experience Is The New ROI - With Eight Inc Founder & CEO, Tim Kobe

Return on Experience (ROX), is the new ROI, but what exactly is ROX and how do we effectively implement it? To better understand the concept Rohma Theunissen caught up with Tim Kobe, Founder & CEO of Eight Inc, Chairman of X8 Ventures, and the man behind Apple’s iconic store experience to talk about his game-changing book, Return on Experience. In an exclusive interview, Tim breaks down the importance of human experience design, its key components, the significance of ROX, how its measured, and just why human outcome needs to be at the heart of every brand’s strategy.Hosted by: Rohma TheunissenAbout Tim KobeTim Kobe is a globally recognized designer, thought leader, keynote speaker, and author. Tim is the founder and CEO of Eight Inc. and Chairman of X8 Ventures. Sometimes called “Apple’s best-kept secret,” Tim wrote the white paper for Apple retail and worked directly with Steve Jobs during his second period as CEO at Apple. Today Eight Inc. is one of the most progressive strategic design firms working employing leading designers and strategists working across 11 offices including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Tokyo, Istanbul, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. 8 is helping to transform organizations to be relevant in the world's most highly competitive environments by looking at the design factors that drive successful human interactions. 8 has received international design awards and has been published in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

5 Things To Consider When Launching An NFT Collection - With Rami Kadi

 With NFTs being the biggest buzzword of 2022 thus far, Rohma Theunissen caught up with Rami Kadi, the visionary Lebanese-American couturier on the verge of launching his first NFT collection, to find out the key things that brands and individuals need to consider before diving into the realm of NFTs. NOTE: This episode was recorded virtually as Rohma was in Dubai and Rami was in Beirut – so there are a few glitches in sound but we think that makes the conversation even more authentic!Hosted by: Rohma TheunissenAbout Rami KadiA Lebanese-American fashion designer and creative mind, Rami Kadi is rapidly gaining international recognition. At the early age of 25, in May 2011, Rami started paving his professional designer career, with the launch of his own showroom and opening of his first atelier in the heart of Beirut. A place for him to present his Couture creations and to craft unique pieces attracting a wide range of international clientele including royalty.With a solid commitment and incredible aspiration, it was only natural that, in 2014, he started showcasing his collections in the capital of luxury and glamour, Paris, during the city’s official fashion weeks. While maintaining extraordinary craftsmanship, he held his debut Fashion Show during Paris fashion week in January 2019. Along the same vein, Rami Kadi pioneered the environmentally-conscious fashion cyber-show in 2020, which was the first in the Middle East and that served as an expression of keeping abreast with technological advances and the idea of universal connectivity that these advances enable. This show reflected Kadi's mission to reduce the overall carbon footprint that fashion contributes to.Recognized for his strong commitment to environmental causes within the field of sustainable fashion, Rami Kadi was designated the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Fashion in West Asia as of September 2020.Rami Kadi owns and manages his couture house from Beirut, Lebanon, designing evening and bridal couture dresses and operating his label worldwide. Today, his glamorous impact appeals to celebrities on the red carpet and international press, evidently portrayed by taking over the 72nd & 74th editions of the Cannes Film Festival, in addition to the 76th, 77th, & 78th editions of the Venice Film Festival, and becoming the name to wear for internationally recognized stars on the red carpets as claimed by prestigious world-known press organizations. Rami Kadi is a contemporary Couturier passionate about modern tailoring. He stands out with his distinctive creations and nouvelle couture, as he includes technology and innovation in his work.  He leaves a unique mark in his masterpieces, offering a kaleidoscopic explosion of colors and sparkles, high finish, and definite impact. Being hip and young, he embraces embroidery as the essence of his creations. Through his collections, he pays tribute to “hand-made” work, the art he is particularly fond of. His masterpieces were worthy of global press recognition as Kadi was mentioned in the top leading international fashion and style magazines.

Disrupting Boundaries: Couture & NFTs - With Lebanese Couturier, Rami Kadi

With the global market for NFTs surpassing $41 billion in 2021, digital collectibles are becoming the most sought-after “it” items in the fashion industry. Rohma Theunissen caught up with Rami Kadi, the pioneering Beirut-based couturier who is set to become the first Middle Eastern designer to create and sell an NFT collection. In this exclusive interview, Rami reveals the algorithmic design process behind his SS22 couture collection, how and why he created his first-ever NFT collection, the potential of blockchain technology, and why dressing people the metaverse is the next frontier of fashion.NOTE: This episode was recorded virtually as Rohma was in Dubai and Rami was in Beirut – so there are a few glitches in sound but we think that makes the conversation even more authentic!Hosted by: Rohma TheunissenAbout Rami KadiA Lebanese-American fashion designer and creative mind, Rami Kadi is rapidly gaining international recognition. At the early age of 25, in May 2011, Rami started paving his professional designer career, with the launch of his own showroom and opening of his first atelier in the heart of Beirut. A place for him to present his Couture creations and to craft unique pieces attracting a wide range of international clientele including royalty.With a solid commitment and incredible aspiration, it was only natural that, in 2014, he started showcasing his collections in the capital of luxury and glamour, Paris, during the city’s official fashion weeks. While maintaining extraordinary craftsmanship, he held his debut Fashion Show during Paris fashion week in January 2019. Along the same vein, Rami Kadi pioneered the environmentally-conscious fashion cyber-show in 2020, which was the first in the Middle East and that served as an expression of keeping abreast with technological advances and the idea of universal connectivity that these advances enable. This show reflected Kadi's mission to reduce the overall carbon footprint that fashion contributes to.Recognized for his strong commitment to environmental causes within the field of sustainable fashion, Rami Kadi was designated the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Fashion in West Asia as of September 2020.Rami Kadi owns and manages his couture house from Beirut, Lebanon, designing evening and bridal couture dresses and operating his label worldwide. Today, his glamorous impact appeals to celebrities on the red carpet and international press, evidently portrayed by taking over the 72nd & 74th editions of the Cannes Film Festival, in addition to the 76th, 77th, & 78th editions of the Venice Film Festival, and becoming the name to wear for internationally recognized stars on the red carpets as claimed by prestigious world-known press organizations. Rami Kadi is a contemporary Couturier passionate about modern tailoring. He stands out with his distinctive creations and nouvelle couture, as he includes technology and innovation in his work.  He leaves a unique mark in his masterpieces, offering a kaleidoscopic explosion of colors and sparkles, high finish, and definite impact. Being hip and young, he embraces embroidery as the essence of his creations. Through his collections, he pays tribute to “hand-made” work, the art he is particularly fond of. His masterpieces were worthy of global press recognition as Kadi was mentioned in the top leading international fashion and style magazines.