Welby Altidor

Welby Altidor is a visionary reshaping immersive entertainment. At Cirque du Soleil, he contributed to 22 shows, including “Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico” and “Michael Jackson ONE” as Creative Director. At NEON, he leads bold projects like “Avatar: The Experience,” captivating over 2.5 million visitors. 

As NEON’s Group Chief Creative and Innovation Officer, Welby steers ambitious ventures like Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, the largest digital immersive experience at Resorts World Sentosa. His influence spans creative direction and business strategy, seamlessly blending art and commerce. On the Science Centre Singapore board, he bridges creative and scientific communication. 

Author of “Creative Courage: Leveraging Imagination, Collaboration, and Innovation to Create Success Beyond Your Wildest Dreams,” Welby transforms storytelling through technology and creativity, ensuring unforgettable experiences. He aims to inspire everyone to embrace their creativity, driving collective innovation. 

Jillian Austin

With more than 15 years of experience, Jillian Austin spearheads innovative collaborations and partnerships with brands to create extraordinary experiences for a variety of consumer demographics. In this pivotal role, Austin works closely with brands’ intellectual property, creatively integrate it into AREA15’s physical spaces and digital properties. AREA15 offers something unlike any other destination, a platform of unique spaces where brands can build transformational experiences such as interactive installations, immersive exhibits, product showcases and much more. 

Austin brings a unique blend of creative vision and strategic thinking, essential for crafting partnerships that redefine the standard brand interaction. She previously served on the senior leadership team in business development, production, experiential marketing and strategic partnership roles with esteemed companies such as ESPN, Lyft and TAO Group, just to name a few. In addition, she has more than 15 years of experience in entertainment for live theater, film/TV and event production – both in front of and behind the scenes – for brands such as ABC, Dick Clark Productions, Insomniac Events, Saban, HBO, Amazon, Google and Caesars Entertainment. Austin earned her bachelor’s degree in communication and film/video from Grand Valley State University. 

Tom Burton

Tom is a multi-award-winning Commissioner, Creative, Executive Producer, and Industry Leader with 20+ years of experience at the intersection of technology, creativity, and innovation. He has worked pan sector and with global technology leaders and cultural organisations. Delivered large scale live experiences to ground-breaking immersive content. Founded theatre companies, to internal innovation teams. He is currently Head of Interactive at BBC Studios and a consultant in Creative R&D advising and mentoring major cultural funders and policy makers. 

Marie Côté

Nina Diamond

Sarah Di Leo

Sarah co-leads a global, multidisciplinary digital experience design & production studio creating unique experiences at the intersection of architecture, design & technology at Gensler, the world’s largest design firm.  

Throughout her career she has produced innovative immersive experiences, virtual & augmented reality, feature films, documentaries and commercials, and has worked in partnership with global brands in telecom, fashion, CPG, transit, automotive, education and social good.  

Work that she has been fortunate to produce has been shortlisted for and won awards including Cannes Lions, Webbys, Imagens & Emmys; screened at Davos, Aspen Ideas Festival & Sundance; sold to Amazon & Sony for global distribution; and received critical acclaim from Roger Ebert, Leonard Maltin, The LA Times, Variety, Adweek, Ad Age & The NY Times.  

Giulia Ferrari

Giulia Ferrari is Corporate Strategy Manager of Balich Wonder Studio, working side by side with the CEO of the Group to develop and implement Group strategies of organic and inorganic growth, integration plans with Banijay Group after the recent acquisition (2023) and overall ESG program.  

Graduated in International Management, she is passionate for any kind of live entertainment and she has worked in media, fashion and design multinationals before joining Balich Wonder Studio in 2017.  

Elisha Karmitz

Elisha Karmitz is CEO of the MK2 group which he co-manages with his brother Nathanaël Karmitz, Chairman of the Management Board. He joined the company in 2006 as publishing director of the free magazine TROISCOULEURS. He was appointed CEO in 2016. In 2012, he founded MK2 Agency, an agency specializing in communication and events which would become MK2+ in 2019. He created mk2 VR in 2016, the first permanent location dedicated to virtual reality in Europe.

Elisha Karmitz is also co-producer of documentaries and feature films such as Juste la fin du monde by Xavier Dolan (2016), Grand Prix du Festival de Cannes 2017, Julie (in 12 chapters) by Joachim Trier (2021), Prix d’ female performance at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival or Simple like Sylvain by Monia Chokri (2023), César for best foreign film in 2024.

In 2010, Elisha and Nathanaël Karmitz launched the Paradiso brand as a laboratory to reinvent the cinema experience. They then created the Cinéma Paradiso events in 2013 and 2015 under the nave of the Grand Palais, then in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 in the square courtyard of the Louvre museum. As an extension, Elisha and Nathanaël Karmitz are opening Hotel Paradiso in 2021, the first cinema-hotel, a unique concept in the world.

Aaron Matys

Aaron Matys is a freelance production strategist who specializes in developing interactive experiences. He has collaborated with innovative companies such as AKQA, R/GA, Droga5, and Apple. With his unique perspective, vast network of references, and partners, Aaron expands creative opportunities and ensures effective outcomes are achieved for his partners

Sundar Raman

Sundar Raman is a Creative Engineer. He is currently Director of Technology at the Museum of the Future in Dubai. Sundar’s background spans alternative energy, community radio, permaculture, wired and mobile Internet telephony, open-source advocacy, social gaming, and interactive experience design. Sundar believes that technology is a facilitator for art and user experience, and that technology should be easy, fun, and approachable for everyone.

Philippe Rivière

Philippe was deputy development manager and head of digital services and communication at Paris Musées until June 2020. He now manages the foundation’s digital strategy. Beyond elaborating strategy, he also leads the design and implementation of various digital resources and contributes to the setting up of national and international partnerships. 

Rhonda Rubinstein

Rhonda Rubinstein is the Creative Director of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. At the Academy—a purpose-based museum and research institution renowned for its aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and architecture—she orchestrates how ideas and information converge in the public experience as exhibitions, environmental graphics, and print, digital and interactive communications. She co-founded the BigPicture Natural World Photography initiative, an acclaimed international competition focused on wildlife and conservation photography, currently in its 11th year. Her most recent book on photography, Seeing It All: Women Photographers Expose Our Planet, was released last fall. 

Arnold van de Water

Arnold van de Water is a specialist in immersive experiences (IX) and a partner at Factorr.nl, an agency dedicated to the design, production, and global distribution of IX since 2005. Prior to this, for over two decades, Arnold has made significant contributions as a promoter and producer in live entertainment and touring exhibitions. Currently, Arnold holds the role of General Director at Concrete Culture, a foundation that gives arts, culture and technology a permanent place in urban developments, and is an initiator of the Rotterdam IX Lab Katoenhuis and the Brainport’s Immersive Experience District Koelhuis Eindhoven.