Announcements
Andrea
Abrams
Phygicode | Founder, CEO &
Chief Metaverse Officer
NEW YORK, USA
Andrea Abrams is a fashion and retail industry veteran and global executive. She is a retail technology and blockchain investor, participating in pre-seed rounds of notable startups for physical and digital commerce. She is the founder, CEO and Chief Metaverse Officer of PHYGICODE. Andrea is also Chief of Strategy at Faith Tribe, a web2 to web3 platform providing physical and digital tools for fashion creators. She is a lead pre-seed investor in wearable NFT marketplace The Dematerialised and in sustainability platform Pool Berlin, among others. She is a Board Advisor at Lukso Blockchain, a Strategic Advisor to web3 investment firm Scytale Ventures and a Non-executive Board Advisor to Threedium, a 3D Engine specializing in the creation and distribution of 3D and AR experiences.
Andrea is featured in the 2022 Women of The Future global book, she is the Davos Blockchain Hub (World Economic Forum) 2022 and 2023 Keynote speaker on NFTs for fashion and was a featured speaker at Vogue Greece’s Change Makers 2022. She is a Threedium Top 50 XR Award recipient, a Mentor at Farfetch Dream Assembly Base Camp 2022 and 2023, a Brytehall’s Bryte Fashion Forces Top 100 (finishing No.1), a Member of 100 Women of Davos, a Metaverse Fashion Week 2023 curator and a Member of the Board of Trustees of Women of The Future Latin America 2023.
Andrea spent a large part of her 25-year career in senior positions with US retail REIT NYSE: GGP – now part of Brookfield Properties (the second largest shopping center owner at the time), where she was involved in launching GGP Ventures/GGP International, with transactions in Turkey, Brazil and Central America. She later founded Abrams Global, an international advisory services firm focused on cross border and omni-chanel strategies for retailers, fashion groups and retail property owners, advising prominent clients such as Saint Laurent, The White Company, Sears, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Cap3000 and American Dream, among others She is also a co-founder of Interconnected LLC, a business accelerator platform connecting best in class businesses with talent and opportunities in retail, fashion and hospitality.
Rubin
Singer
Creative Director and Design Mentor
NEW YORK, USA
American Fashion Designer Rubin Singer was exposed from a young age to refined technique and elegant design. Rubin is a third-generation couturier, whose family heritage in fashion shaped who he is today.
Growing up in Paris, Rubin’s career reached new heights after moving to New York and becoming an Associate Designer at Oscar de la Renta and Head Designer of three Bill Blass licensees. Since launching the Rubin Singer brand in 2007, Rubin has created over 90 Women’s couture and ready-to-wear clothing collections. Rubin has worked with, and created for, an extensive list of renowned artists, including Shakira, Man, Jennifer Lopez, CardiB, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Glenn Close, Mariah Carey, Kate Walsh and Alicia Keys, among others. He has created many iconic fashion moments, such as Beyoncé’s Super Bowl costume. Rubin joined Phygicode to lend his expertise in Physical Fashion Design and Creative Direction.
Wahid Chammas
DAOs for Fashion, Global Retail Tech Infrastructure
LONDON, UK
Wahid is Chairman of Faith Tribe, a multi-platform solution built with the latest blockchain, Web3 and NFT technologies as the first fully decentralized and community-owned ecosystem for the collaborative creation of fashion items. Wahid joins Phygicode to lend his expertise in DAOs for Fashion & Global Retail Tech Infrastructure.
Wahid is also the Founder & CIO of TyreGate Capital Holdings, LTD, and a longtime investor in fashion through VC firm The Luxury Fund, of which he is a shareholder and Managing Partner. Both portfolios consist of significant fashion and fashion-tech investments.
Wahid was previously a Managing Director & Portfolio Manager at Janus Capital Group and a VP & Equity Securities Analyst at Goldman Sachs.
Anya
Ayoung-Chee
Purpose-driven Metaverse
MARAVAL, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Anya Ayoung-Chee is a fashion designer and social entrepreneur. She is the founder of WYLDFLWR, a festival wear brand and mission-driven technology community, which is pioneering the NFT and digital fashion space for Caribbean creatives. Anya joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in Purpose-driven Metaverse.
After competing in the 2008 Miss Universe pageant for her native Trinidad and Tobago, during which she had the opportunity to design portions of her wardrobe, she became an inspiration to young fashion designers by winning season 9 of the popular US television series, Project Runway. Following that, she launched her eponymous womenswear line. In recent years, Anya has become a leader of social activism in the Caribbean and is a co-founder and Director of The Together WI Foundation.
Carol Hilsum
Global Digital Commerce and Innovation
LONDON, UK
Carol is the Senior Director of Product Innovation at Farfetch, where she creates new products and experiences focused on future-gazing use cases. She is an experienced product commerce and CRM executive. Carol joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in Global Digital Commerce & Innovation.
Prior to Farfetch, Carol spent many years in the fashion industry in senior roles, building products and running growth strategies for companies like Net-a-Porter and Topshop. She is an advisor to early-stage venture capital firm Lyra Ventures and to virtual goods marketplace The Dematerialised. She is an Investment Forum Member at DeFINE Network EU and a Mentor at Outlier Ventures’ Base Camp accelerator program.
Rigo Lora
Fashion & Entertainment Partnerships
MIAMI, USA
Rigo is a global fashion executive, co-founder of fashion and lifestyle incubator Interconnected LLC, and a sought-after advisor to prominent fashion and lifestyle brands, having previously spent a decade at fashion brand Dsquared2, where he launched their US business (taking it to a wholesale operation of over 50 prestigious points of sale). While expanding Dsquared2’s operations, he established the brand’s cultural influence via coveted strategic partnerships. Rigo joins Phygicode to lend his expertise in the area of Fashion & Entertainment Partnerships.
Rigo is also known in fashion and hospitality circles for his extensive network and curation of top events and activations, including charitable organizations such as the CFDA Love Ball and Vienna’s Life Ball.
Teddy Pahagbia
AR/VR/XR & Metaverse Infrastructure
PARIS, FRANCE
Teddy is the founder of BLVCK PiXEL, a digital innovation consultancy focused on emerging technologies such as AR, VR, XR, blockchain, AI and advanced data management systems for the creation of customized digital strategy and experiential solutions, working within a variety of industries such as retail, fashion, luxury, hospitality, entertainment, education, real estate and non-profit organizations. Teddy joins Phygicode to lend his expertise in the areas of AR/VR/XR & Metaverse Infrastructure.
Teddy, aka “Mr. Metaverse”, was named one of the Top 30 most influential people in the Metaverse by Redwrite. He is the founder of SPKTQLR, the brand. He is the founder and co-host of “The Metaverse Show”.
Roman Ryabokon
Virtual Goods Design
PAPHOS, CYPRUS
Roman is the co-founder of Virtual Rags, a digital fashion studio focused on 3D, AR, VR and digital design technologies for the fashion and retail industries. Roman joins Phygicode to lend his expertise in Virtual Goods Design.
Roman specializes in digital textiles, motion design and avatar creation. He has worked with brands such as Telfar, GOAT, Vogue Italia, Coperni, MCQ, Axel Arigato, Rebecca Minkoff, among others.
From digital patterns to the creation of full collections, Roman and the Virtual Rags team work to create entire 3D narratives of digital-only product as well as digital twins of physical collections.
Jenny Han
한지혜
Asia Brand Partnerships
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Jenny is a US and S.Korea retail expert, retail market analyst and GTM strategist for shopping center merchandising. Having spent over a decade in Seoul in various senior positions at Lotte Asset Development Co. Ltd., Jenny is a renowned market entry strategist in South East Asia, with extensive experience in South Korea, Indonesia and India. She is also a sought-after brand advisor to Korean fashion brands. Jenny joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in Asia Brand Partnerships.
Prior to her time in Seoul, Jenny spent a large part of her career in New York with US Department Store Macy’s Inc., focusing on promotional retail events, national marketing initiatives and in-store customer activations. Jenny is also a certified Platform Strategist versed on platform development for market disruption.
Julien Paredes
Virtual World Partnerships
MARSEILLES, FRANCE
Julien is the Metaverse Partnerships Manager at Boson Protocol, working with brands to explore the sale of physical products as NFTs in Metaverse activities. He is a strategic advisor to startups in the fields of blockchain, DeFi, NFTs and gaming, including Play-to-Earn. Julien joins Phygicode to lend his expertise in Virtual World Partnerships.
Prior to Boson Protocol, Julien co-founded PULS Impact, a non-profit organization using gaming (with notable partners including RIOT Games) for NGO fundraising.
In addition to his work in technology, Julien spent over a decade working for NGOs, also acting as a citizen lobbyist at the EU Parliament and the French Assembly.
Carol Murphy
NFT Art with Purpose
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Carol Murphy is the co-founder of Web3Sisters and a former ad agency executive at DDB, Saatchi & Saatchi and Ogilvy. Throughout her advertising career, Carol has focused on understanding human behavior and the effect of art and visual communication in various aspects of society. Combining her knowledge of visual arts and her passion for Web3 technology, Carol co-founded Web3Sisters to connect artists with opportunities, and to promote emerging artists via training and financial sponsorships. Carol joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in NFT Art with Purpose.
Carol is also a partner in Surfergirl Inc., a NY-based, women-owned marketing agency and art gallery committed to making art more accessible and supporting the careers of female artists. Earlier in her career, Carol worked on brand strategies and ad campaigns for clients, such as P&G, VW, Clorox and Chandon.
Meryem Birsöz
Brand Partnerships
LOS ANGELES, USA
Meryem is the founder of MOSHIQA, a luxury pet lifestyle brand and membership community, and a favorite of A-list celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, John Legend and Paris Hilton.
Meryem combined her experience in international fashion manufacturing and marketing with her passion for animals to create a global brand that celebrates pet lovers and their pets. She has mastered the art of community building around shared values, having partnered with global brands such as Four Seasons Hotels, Warner Brothers, Christian Cowan, Belmond Hotel Splendido, among others. Meryem joins Phygicode to lend her Brand Partnership skills to the Metaverse.
Prior to founding MOSHIQA, Meryem worked for notable retail brands on an international operational scope.
Cass Spencer
Visual Communications and Branding
BROOKLYN, USA
Cass is a creative leader with extensive experience in digital, video, experiential and print design across numerous platforms, including brand, social content, events and product, receiving award-winning recognition from London to New York. He is the founder and creative director of creative agency Foreign Studio. Cass joins Phygicode to lend his expertise in Visual Communication & Branding.
Prior to focusing on Foreign Studio, Cass spent almost two decades with prominent media companies, including 6 years as Creative Director at Fairchild Media (FMG), working across all FMG’s brands: WWD, Footwear News and Beauty Inc. His prior lead roles in art and creative direction include top publishing companies such as Conde Nast, Hearst, Time Inc., and Rodale, inspiring multi-disciplinary teams across design, photo, fashion, digital and video.
Leila Hurstel
NFTs for Membership Organizations
LONDON, UK
Leila is the co-founder of blockchain FinTech platform OnAndCo, COO of Metaverse real state agency Verse Estate Metaverse, and co-founder of The Women Club, a think tank bringing together highly skilled female founders from around the globe through an NFT Club. Leila joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in the area of NFTs for Membership Organizations.
Leila’s accomplishments are heightened by the fact that she has launched these initiatives while studying Economics and Business at University College in London and joining the Algorithmic Trader Program at Alphachain Capital. She is also a volunteer for the WomenTech Network, a community that promotes gender diversity in technology.
Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro
Phygicode | Head of Production
at Phygicode Lab
Lisbon, Portugal
Dr. Giovanna G. Casimiro is an experienced Metaverse and XR producer. Her global exposure and comprehensive experience over a decade in the field have led her to serve as a mentor at MIT during their Hacking Arts 2016-2018, and as a Senior Professor at SENAC University Centre, a renowned public federal University in Brazil. Giovanna has served as a faculty member at Institute Francais de La Mode and was a Metaverse Producer at Decentraland Foundation between 2021 and 2023, where she served as Head of Metaverse Fashion Week since its launch in 2022, helping bring the world of fashion experiences to the metaverse.
Giovanna has developed independent projects in Asia, Europe and North America with international institutions sponsoring grants for artists, such as Kultur Kontact, Asian Cultural Center and Historic Boston Association. She received a PhD at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of Sao Paulo.
Giovanna was named one of the Most Influential Women in Crypto by CryptoNewsZ and is a Threedium Top 50 XR Award recipient. She was a featured speaker at Vogue Greece’s Change Makers 2022, she is a Mentor at Farfetch Dream Assembly Base Camp 2022 and 2023 and a Brytehall’s Bryte Fashion Forces 2022 Top 100.
Giovanna joined Phygicode in 2022 to lend her expertise in XR and production and was appointed Head of Production for Phygicode Lab in 2023.
Aline d’Ambricourt
Entrepreneur, Artist, Futurist
Zug, Switzerland
Aline is an entrepreneur, artist, futurist, panelist and women empowerment advocate. She launched GEM-XR Ltd, a 360° Web3 Metaverse as a Service experience for luxury brands, creatives and businesses. Aline is an ex-professional musician and the author, artistic director and producer of the first film documentary “Scarlatti the timeless”. She co-founded the family-brand Camille Louise Jewelry and holds a GIA diploma. Her blockchain and NFT journey started in 2021 with the creation of the first Swiss jewelry NFT and a “crypto jewelry” engraved with a QR code in 18K gold, including an NFT of digital art. She is an Artist-in-Residence on the Superworld NFT marketplace. She is a proud member of 100 women Davos, Top 333 Linkedin Creators and Ambassador of the NFTs and DAO communities, AllStarsWomen, and Cryptogodesses. She joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in Metaverse as a Service.
Camille Merré
Entrepreneur, Artist, XR Expert
Zug, Switzerland
Camille is an entrepreneur, artist and XR expert. Prior to her Web3 work, Camille worked in public relations, marketing, social media and community management within the luxury sector, having worked for Cartier, Hermès, Shamballa Jewels, S.I.H.H (Watches & Wonders) and Baselword. She is a Top 25 Women in the Metaverse and received the award for Outstanding Student of the Year and the CMI Student Excellence Award at Regents University in London, where she focused her Master’s thesis on “How AR enhances the consumer experience within the luxury sector and the Metaverse”. She is a member of 100 women Davos and AllStarsWomen & Cryptogodesses DAOs. She co-founded the family-brand Camille Louise Jewelery, pioneering NFT jewelry design. She is an Artist-in-Residence at Superworld. She joins Phygicode to lend her expertise in Phygital Jewelry Design, marketing and distribution strategies.
Mike Charalambous
Co-founder and CEO of Threedium
London, UK
Mike is co-founder and CEO of Threedium, a 3D engine enabling the digitization of physical products that can be sold as 3D NFTs and fulfilled in their physical form or in the Metaverse as digital goods. He is a passionate entrepreneur with international experience in the launching and developmental growth of new innovative businesses. He has worked with startups and multinational companies globally in many varying sectors, including fashion, retail, food and beverage, tourism and telecommunications. Mike joins Phygicode to help envision and shape the future of 3D Internet & Commerce.
