11:00 - 12:30   Bahrain Standard Time (UTC+3.00)

[Panel] The Domain Name Industry in the Gulf Region

This panel will discuss the domain name industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It will feature ccTLD registries, ASCII and Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), and domain name registrars who operate in the GCC. It will talk about the growth of the industry, and the potential that lies ahead. It will also talk about the uptake of IDNs, and future plans. Finally, registrars will share perspectives on what they believe could further grow in the industry in light of the digital transformation push there.

Moderator:  Ali Almeshal | Vice-Chair, APRALO

Panelists:

• Sami Mohamed Ali | Quality of Service Expert, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Kingdom of Bahrain
• Selina Bieber | Vice President, International Markets, GoDaddy
• Wahid Aziz | CEO, Tasjeel.AE
• Charles Shaban | Senior Consultant, Middle East and North Africa and Internet Policy, International Trademark Association (INTA)
• Hesham Alhammad | Director, Saudi Network Information Center (SaudiNIC), Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST)