Agenda

Christine is a distinguished Intellectual Property Attorney and Partner at Von Seidels, one of Africa's leading IP law firms, where she has been specialising in brand related IP issues for almost 20 years. Her work involves advisory, strategic, contractual and regulatory IP work for both start-ups and multinationals in the transformative tech space. She is renowned for her counsel regarding the legal aspects surrounding trademarks, branding, domain names, copyright, advertising standards, unfair competition, consumer protection, data privacy, social media, screen-tech and ecommerce.

Christine currently chairs the Global Governance Sub-committee of the International Trademark Association’s Internet Committee. The International Trademark Association is a global community of brand owners and brand-IP professionals across 165 countries dedicated to supporting professionals in this field and promoting trademarks and complementary intellectual property via advocacy work, educational programmes and legal resources.

Christine's dedication to the field is reflected in her numerous accolades. She has been recognized in the Mail & Guardian’s list of “Top 200 Young South Africans” and has been featured annually in Managing IP’s “IP Stars” list for over a decade. She has also been listed among this publication’s “Top 250 Women in IP” for several years and has been acknowledged as a leading lawyer in intellectual property by various other legal rankings and publications. Most recently, she was listed as a “Global Leader” by World Trademark Review and one of Women’s IP World Annual’s "Top 100 Influential Women Leaders in IP Law and Innovation”.

Christine is a past president and former board member of Brightest Young Minds (BYM), a youth led organisation founded to create a platform that identified and showcased new and diverse South African entrepreneurial talent to fast-track their development for the benefit of the African continent. She is also a current board member of Invia, a contemplative community that supports personal growth through numerous individual programmes and community-driven philanthropy.

Christine's contributions to the field of IP law, particularly in the digital realm and ever-evolving IP landscape, alongside her passion for human development and social justice, make her an invaluable voice in the discussion about digital trust and misinformation. 

Lori S. Schulman is Senior Director for Internet Policy for the International Trademark Association (INTA) where she is responsible for managing the association’s various Internet policy and advocacy initiatives and serving as liaison to INTA’s Internet and Data Protection Committees.  She is INTA’s representative to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Internet Governance Forum (IGF), World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) other Internet policy bodies.  Lori has a varied background in general corporate and intellectual property law and has managed the trademark portfolios of Fortune 100 companies and major nonprofit organizations.  Ms. Schulman is a former INTA board member and former advisor to the Public Interest Registry (PIR), the operator of the .org top level domain. She has served as a High Level Facilitator for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and is the immediate past president  of the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) of ICANN.  Ms. Schulman speaks frequently on digital policy, data and domain names.

Prosus is a global consumer internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world, operating across transformative sectors including e-commerce, fintech, food delivery, and education technology. A subsidiary of Naspers, Prosus powers leading digital platforms across emerging markets, with significant investments in companies such as Tencent and operations spanning India, Brazil, China, and beyond.

As Group IP Lead at Prosus, Tara spearheads the organization's comprehensive intellectual property strategy across its global portfolio. Her responsibilities encompass IP risk management, asset protection and enforcement, policy and best-practice, oversight of the group's online brand protection program and M&A support. Tara provides strategic support to Prosus’ broader digital and regulatory initiatives, collaborating on critical areas including intellectual property rights and AI governance frameworks.

With over 25 years of experience across all fields of intellectual property law, Tara is an expert in digital asset protection, online enforcement, and IP strategy. Her credentials include Intellectual Property Practitioner (SAIPPL), Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) certification, and Cyber Security Risk Management (Harvard).

Her extensive expertise positions her at the forefront of emerging IP challenges in the rapidly evolving technology landscape. Tara regularly speaks on the topic of the intersection of AI and IP and is passionate about IP and emerging technologies and recently spoke at the 2024 IGF in Saudi Arabia on the topic of DNS abuse.

Mike is a leader, entrepreneur, and AI strategist with a powerful track record of advancing inclusive innovation across Africa and the Global South. As the founder and CEO of Nubi AI, he leads one of the continent’s most dynamic artificial intelligence ventures, recognized for harnessing large language models and cutting-edge technologies to solve critical challenges in healthcare, education, financial inclusion, and governance. His work has been featured on CNN’s Inside Africa and acknowledged by platforms such as the Clinton Global Initiative.

With a rare blend of technical depth and socio-economic insight, Mike has advised governments, multinational corporations, and startups on AI adoption, digital transformation, and ethical innovation. Drawing from a background in engineering and public policy, he bridges the gap between complex technologies and real-world impact—particularly in underserved communities.

Mike is also the co-founder of Igwele and founder of Ubuma Leadership, through which he has empowered thousands of young Africans with skills for the future, mentoring over 280 emerging leaders. His early leadership of Africa’s largest youth organization, spanning 38 countries, demonstrated his talent for technology-driven problem-solving at scale. A youth minister and published poet, Mike brings a deeply human lens to innovation. His influence has extended to global policy and sustainability spaces. He has addressed the UN Global Compact, served as a mentor to youth-led enterprises and multinationals in the Young SDG Innovators Programme (YSIP). He currently serves as Senior Vice-President for the Future of Africa Committee within the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's Now Generation Network.

Mike’s past corporate work includes leading the African expansion of Vitality Health International (Discovery Health) and co-developing the world’s first malaria insurance product—a testament to his ability to blend health, data science, and financial innovation. His AI ventures and policy contributions continue to position him as a leading voice on responsible AI development and adoption in the Global South, advocating for inclusive frameworks that centre ethics, equity, and opportunity.