Eman Pulis, Founder and CEO, SiGMA Group (SiGMA Asia Focus organizer)
The Daily Download: What can we expect from SiGMA Asia Focus?
Eman Pulis: We’re incredibly excited to explore this new vertical. We have jumped straight in and launched two new virtual conferences; SiGMA Asia Focus and SiGMA Deep Tech.
There is a huge appetite for business in Asia – the time feels right to explore this region, especially as it has started to emerge from the current pandemic. The gaming and tech landscape has changed drastically over the last few months and we believe it’s important to help shape the conversation, to engage with the industry and to bring both established and emerging markets closer.
SiGMA Deep Tech is all about the tech, designed to engage CTOs, coders and developers in a purely tech-focused agenda – bringing crucial cutting-edge tech to the industry.
We have a solid line-up of speakers on board, including PAGCOR CEO and chairperson, Andrea Domingo, Jesper Svensson, Eric Bergman, Alexandre Dreyfus, Junior Minister for Financial Services and Digital Economy, Hon. Clayton Bartolo, Brock Pierce, Ben Goertzel, Mati Greenspan, Tone Vays, The Moon Carl and Tim Draper amongst others.
We hope the digital conference will help the industry to stand together, and to stay informed and connected at a time when working together has never been more important.
DD: What have been the biggest challenges in moving from a land-based event to digital?
EP: While it’s great to bring a different dimension to our conferences, the digital event can never entirely capture the spirit of a land-based event. There is a palpable level of excitement and energy on the expo floor, the diversity of the crowd and the buzz is what makes networking so good at our events.
Which is why we’re looking forward to SIGMA Europe, which is set to go ahead in Malta this November and to SiGMA Asia, which will launch in Manila in May 2021. Rather than move we have diversified – the digital conference offers a much-needed platform for a post-pandemic conversation, bringing added value to our holistic vision.
DD: What are your thoughts on how the industry has responded to the COVID challenge?
EP: It has been a difficult time for many, which is why this digital event is so crucial. Standing together and moving forward in unison is essential, and while the industry has shown that it is resilient in the face of challenges – even thriving in some quarters – there are a number of important conversations still to be had. We hope this event will answer a few of those questions.
DD: What opportunities can the gaming industry take from these past few months?
EP: I think this crisis has offered this sector a valuable opportunity to pause, take stock and reassess the way forward. The players who went into lockdown will not be the same as the ones who come out. This is a good time to take a good look at the way we work, both on a micro and macro level, and a valuable opportunity to learn new skills and explore new verticals.
