Thursday, March 30 12:50 PM - 2:00 PM Track IV: Broadband Games Expand – From the Casual to the Massively Multiplayer Universe Casual games are now big business. With all the major players from AOL, Yahoo and Microsoft right in the middle of the action, this sector, along with already dominant Massively Multiplayer Game world, make broadband gaming in general the hot topic in the world of entertainment and the games industry. And with the expansion of the games industry reaching into all demographic sectors, from kids to hard core gamers and now with women, seniors and teens being drawn further into games, whether through the expansion of PC and broadband, portable players and mobile devices, through interactive TV or simply through the greatness of the new consoles, the casual gaming experience, facilitated by the downloading opportunity on all platforms is driving a formidable marketplace. What will this market look like in the future? How will the games played evolve? What will the growth from simple to sophisticated game and game player look like? We are just at the start of a new phenomenon. Ralph Rivera, VP & GM, AOL Games David Laux, Global Executive, Games & Interactive Entertainment, IBM Scott Cohen, President, Game Trust, Inc. Cam Daly, Director, Shockwave.com Game Studio, AtomShockwave Andrew Sispoidis, co-founder, IGA WorldGroup Kenneth LeDrew, Director, eCommerce, Sulake Corporation Ltd Matthew Bromberg, President and Chief Operating Officer, Major League Gaming Inc., Moderator Ralph Rivera, VP & GM, AOL Games, America Online, Inc.: As Vice President and General Manager of AOL Games, Ralph Rivera is responsible for all programming and business strategy for AOL Games, which provides content, services, and marketing for Web, PC, and console games for AOL members and game fans on the Web. Under Mr. Rivera’s direction, AOL Games continues to offer new initiatives that bring AOL members exclusive content and maximize their overall gaming experience while delivering valuable promotional and marketing benefits to game industry partners. Throughout his career, Mr. Rivera has focused on the intersection of technology and media. Prior to his position at AOL Games, he held executive and staff positions at America Online’s Moviefone, Pearson, Simon & Schuster, Deloitte & Touche, and IBM. He earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia College and an M.B.A. degree from New York University. Consistently ranked among the leading online gaming sites, AOL Games offers online games, exclusive demos of the hottest video games, comprehensive video games information including cheats, tips and reviews, and exclusive original streaming video programming. According to comScore Media Metrix, nearly 9 million game fans visit AOL Games and spend an average of 267 minutes per visitor each month, making games the second most popular activity on AOL behind email/instant messaging based on time spent per account. Scott Cohen, President, Game Trust Inc.: Scott Cohen is President of Game Trust, a leading developer and provider of Internet gaming software, technology, and online computer games. Game Trust has developed infrastructure for online and wireless casual games incorporating a community and commerce platform with over 35 game titles, supporting tournaments, subscriptions and virtual merchandise sales. The Game Trust platform reaches 50 million players each month, and is licensed by leading Internet portals and game developers worldwide. Major clients include Shockwave, MoneyGaming.com, MiniClip, Boomtown, and MTV games, among others, who rely on Game Trust to improve game play and increase revenues. Cohen joined Game Trust in April of 2004, bringing with him over 25 years of expertise in strategic development and deal-making, having been an integral part of the success of several Internet companies. For these enterprises, Cohen built sales and client service organizations to support accelerated growth and market dominance. His career exhibits leadership in business in the United States and Europe, and performance in both corporate and entrepreneurial environments. As a co-founder and senior level executive, Cohen was critical to the success of two IPO's over the past seven years: LivePerson (LPSN on NASDAQ) and 24/7 Media (TFSM on NASDAQ). Matthew Bromberg is Chairman and CEO Of Davidson Media Holdings, LLC( DMH), an investment and advisory firm dedicated to online games and games-related media. He currently sits on the advisory boards of X-Fire and Major League Gaming. Prior to founding DMH, Mr. Bromberg was General Manager of AOL Games, responsible for all gaming related activities across AOL. Previously, Mr. Bromberg was General Manager of Moviefone and Publisher and GM of CMP’s Techweb. He holds a law degree from Harvard, and began his career working for Steven Brill at American Lawyer Media, LP, where he was the Deputy Publisher of The American Lawyer magazine group and Director of Sales and Marketing for Lexis Counsel Connect. Cam Daly is Director of the Shockwave.com Game Studio, the internal branch of Atom Entertainment responsible for creating new game content. While at Atom Entertainment, Daly produced the Keyhole Digital Rights Management system and more than 150 of the games now available at Shockwave.com. Prior to Atom, he worked on projects ranging from the NASCAR Racing series for Papyrus Racing Games to the Petronas Towers Oil & Gas Museum in Kuala Lumpur. He earned his masters degree in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT with an internship in the Simulation Lab at Charles Stark Draper Laboratories. Kenneth LeDrew, Director, eCommerce, Sulake Corporation Ltd.: Mr. Kenneth LeDrew (34) is the eCommerce Director of Sulake Corporation, an interactive entertainment company based in Helsinki, Finland (www.sulake.com). Sulake specializes in developing and operating online communities and casual multiplayer online games. Currently Sulake employs around 230 people and it has offices in 17 countries. Sulake’s top brand franchise is Habbo Hotel. It is an online game environment, a virtual hangout designed for teens. The users create their own character, room and virtual world by interacting and playing with others. Sulake has localized Habbo Hotel communities currently in 18 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the USA. In 2006 Habbo will launch in China and Russia and selected other markets. To date, over 46 million Habbo characters have been created, with over 5,4 million unique users visiting Habbo Hotel each month. Mr. LeDrew joined Sulake in August 2004. Since joining Sulake, Mr. LeDrew and his team have developed an incredibly sophisticated and dynamic eCommerce infrastructure particularly suited to its customer demographic and product portfolio. Sulake’s global payment network currently spans 30 countries and includes online, offline and telco payment methods. Its mobile payment network supports direct Mobile Operator billing in 25 countries. Sulake is constantly expanding and developing its payment network so that it is scaleable, flexible, usable and profitable. Sulake was recently awarded "Best eCommerce Company" at SIME (Scandinavian Interactive Media & Entertainment Awards) in Stockholm out of 32 entrants and 4 finalists from around the world. The jury was looking for a company with an excellent customer proposition, a site with great user-experience and a management understanding how to win market-shares online. Prior to joining Sulake, LeDrew worked in the Telecomms and Software industries in Europe and America and practiced law privately in Canada. LeDrew holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree from Dahousie University, an LL.B. from the University of New Brunswisk and an LL.M in Intellectual Property Law from the Faculty of Law at Stockholm University. Mr. LeDrew is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Law Societies of Newfoundland and Alberta and the Association of Finnish Lawyers.