Ben Turner co-founded the International Music Summit and leads its overall direction. In 2013, he co-founded AFEM (the Association for Electronic Music), a global not-for-profit trade body designed to preserve, protect and promote electronic music culture. In 2017, he also co-founded The Art of Areté, a wellness platform which is deeply integrated into IMS Ibiza.

Turner is the owner of Graphite Music, a music management and brand services company which specialises in electronic music.

Turner made his name as co-founder of the award-winning electronic magazine Muzik, created the Muzik Awards, and was creative director on DanceStar USA: The American Dance Music Awards. He began his career at the Melody Maker, and has gone on to produce TV shows, books, and documentaries about dance music culture and is a regular in the Billboard Dance Power Player list.

Farah Nanji, known by her artist alias, N1NJA, is a British DJ, producer, TEDx speaker, and podcaster.

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N1NJA paints her canvas through a fusion of ethnic instruments hypnotically looped into ethereal techno, releasing on prestigious imprints such as Mobilee and Sol Selectas, and performances at iconic venues like Destino Pacha.

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She is currently the host of the no.1 podcast series, Mission Makers, featuring thought-provoking interviews with leaders like Deepak Chopra and Carl Cox. Nanji’s speaking impact is amplified by her acclaimed TEDx talk on the transformative potential of neurodiversity. As a frequent moderator at Davos and ambassador at UNESCO, she passionately advocates transformative conversations on a global scale. Nanji is the Curation Manager at IMS.

Katie has held the position of General Manager of International Music Summit for 7 years, collaborating closely with its founding partners and the IMS board to define and deliver its global summit strategy. An elected member of the Executive Board of AFEM: Association for Electronic Music, Katie is a passionate advocate for making the electronic music industry a better place for all.

Before joining IMS, Katie led teams at London agencies in the strategic planning and production of integrated marketing campaigns, specialising in music and live events.

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Nathan, Respect, Tolerance and Inclusion Lead for IMS Dubai, partners with organisations globally to improve and deliver meaningful international respect, safety and inclusion programmes; Nathan leads these efforts for Defected Records, supporting them to deliver hundreds of safe and inclusive events per year; Nathan also leads efforts to develop underrepresented minorities at Microsoft.

He’s on a mission to provide different perspectives to the music industry by providing oversight and new ways of thinking to collectively shake up the industry, improve respect, develop balanced lineups and create safer spaces at live events.

With over a decade of experience working with global household names such as Amazon, Dyson, Sky, Boots and The Warehouse Project. Nathan understands the complexity of delivering across cultures and borders. He also spent several years living and working in the UAE, improving worker welfare and development for a large-scale mega-project.

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Onur Ates, Managing Director Mixmag MENA, has expanded his artistic career as a DJ and music producer by venturing into the media industry, playing an active role in Mixmag's brand activation for Turkey and the MENA region since 2018. Throughout his time at the company, he has served in various roles, including staff writer, clubs
editor, news and online editor, editor-in-chief, and managing director. His responsibilities included driving new revenue models, building international and regional partnerships, and overseeing media collaborations, events, as well as editorial and digital strategy.
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Onur Ates holds a BA in Linguistics from Hacettepe University. During his university years, he not only engaged in language studies across various regions but also stayed attuned to the rapidly changing landscape of electronic music and the media industry.

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Pete Tong is one of the most renowned figures in dance music with a career spanning over 4 decades. Tong has been the voice of dance music, hosting BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix every Friday for over 30 years giving global exposure of dance music to various generations. As a DJ, he has played and toured all over the world headlining shows in almost every corner of the world.

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Next year will mark the 10th year anniversary of his Ibiza Classics project with whom has headlined prestigious arenas in the UK, sold out The O2 multiple times and played for the Kings Coronation to name a few.

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As a global ambassador for dance music, Tong co-founded the International Music Summit. More recently, true to his mission as an ambassador for the youth and dance music, he founded the Pete Tong DJ Academy where the future stars of dance music are nurturing their skills by the hand of Tong and an all-star cast of tutors including Carl Cox, Jamie Jones, Sama' Abdulhadi, TSHA, Nicole Moudaber and Adam Beyer.

Rania El Sadek is an accomplished entrepreneur, consultant, and global connector. In 2012, she founded COPIA, a Dubai-based communication and strategy firm, which expanded internationally in 2017 with the opening of a Toronto office. With a specialization in lifestyle industries, Rania has collaborated with a diverse range of sectors, including music and entertainment, helping high-profile brands and individuals achieve leading market positions.

Born and raised in Sweden, with Egyptian heritage and a British education, Rania has a unique understanding of cultural nuances and global trends. Her extensive experience in the UAE has deeply connected her to the local community, enabling her to stay ahead of emerging trends and positioning her as a trusted advisor and connector in the region. In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Rania serves as the UAE liaison for Soho House’s “Cities WithoutHouses” and co-hosts the newly launched “What’s in Your DM” podcast.

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Roberta has been making her mark in the music industry for over 12 years, with a specialisation in label relations, artist booking, marketing, and partnerships. Her career began with a significant role as Social Media Manager for electronic music icon Carl Cox, where she managed Carl’s personal accounts, Carl Cox @ Space, Intec Digital, as well as Yousef’s CIRCUS Records. From there, Roberta expanded her expertise, working with A-list artists across various genres, including Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Stormzy, and Diplo in her roles as Label Relations Manager at MTV and Senior Music Label Partnerships at Meta.

Always ahead of the curve in digital and tech, Roberta served as Head of Artist Relations for MelodyVR during the pandemic, pioneering ticketed live-stream concerts accessible via VR headsets. She also spearheaded talent booking and relations for the virtual Wireless Festival, the world’s first 360° live streamed music event. Maintaining her deep connection to electronic music, Roberta has been a consultant for Beatport’s creative solutions team since 2019 and took on the role of Project Manager for IMS Ibiza in 2022.

That same year, Roberta transitioned to the Middle East, where she now leads Artist Booking for MAC Global, Sony Masterworks. In this role, she has been instrumental in establishing the drum and bass scene in the region, with notable bookings such as Andy C, Chase and Status, and Goldie. Roberta also curated and programmed Saudi Arabia’s first-ever jazz festival, featuring acclaimed artists like Chaka Khan, Masego, and KOKOROKO in their KSA debuts.

A passionate advocate for women in music, Roberta is the founder of Little Pink Book, a platform dedicated to highlighting inspirational women in the industry. Through panel talks, events, and workshops in the UK and Middle East, Little Pink Book provides resources and access for those aspiring to follow in their footsteps.

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Sofia Ilyas joined Beatport in 2023 as Chief Community Officer, introducing a new community/diversity department to highlight the company's commitment to positive change. Before joining Beatport, Ilyas worked in the music industry, co-managing the record label Erased Tapes for five years and helping kickstart the careers of artists like Nils Frahm and Kiasmos.

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In 2015, Ilyas founded FLOAT, a boutique PR and marketing agency. Through FLOAT, she championed the music of both emerging and well-known electronic artists, organising events such as Sasha at The Barbican.Since 2016, Ilyas has been hosting annual Piano Day events in London (UK) and Melbourne (Australia) under FLOAT. She's known for creating innovative concert experiences. In 2024, her piano event will return to the National Gallery in London.

Timmy Mowafi is a British-born Egyptian entrepreneur, writer, creative director, and co-founder of MO4 Network, a leading Middle Eastern creative agency and media network encompassing 13 influential digital publications including SceneNoise - a pioneering music platform providing the region with news, reviews, features, documentaries and event coverage - a digital space for musicians and fans alike to explore the most innovative sounds emerging from the Arab world.