NamesCon Global 2018 Agenda announced

The agenda for NamesCon Global 2018 in Las Vegas was announced today.

Speakers will be added as they are confirmed. Keynotes will be announced weekly beginning December 2, 2017.

The NamesCon mobile app will be released on January 12, 2018. The app will allow attendees to manage their schedule, access speaker, moderator and sponsor profiles, and connect with other attendees. App download information will be emailed to all registered attendees.

Conference takes place from January 27th to January 31st in Las Vegas at the Tropicana hotel.

Agenda is subject to change.

Saturday, January 27th

12:00pm – 6:00pm
Registration and Name Badge Pick Up
Take advantage of early name badge pick up so you can skip the line on Sunday and head straight into the Tool Talks, workshops, and networking!

Sunday, January 28th
8:00am – 8:00pm
Registration and Name Badge Pick Up
Convention Center Foyer
Collect your name badge for entry to NamesCon – no paper confirmations are required, just your name and/or the e-mail address you used to register.

11:00am – 11:45am
Welcome to NamesCon – Soeren Von Varchmin
Workshop Room
This session kicks off a day of content tailored for those attendees who are new to the NamesCon experience. We’ll talk about what to expect from the week ahead, jump-start your networking with a few icebreakers, explain how to use the conference app, and more.

12:00pm – 5:00pm
Tool Talks
Breakout Stage
Today only! Join us at the breakout stage for an afternoon of fast-paced tool demos, taking place in 20-minute increments. Come and learn which products, services and techniques can improve your business.
detailed tool talk agenda coming soon

12:00pm – 5:00pm
Business Hub
For impromptu round table meetings or a quiet place to set up and work, the Business Hub is open to all attendees.

12:00pm – 12:45pm
Develop a Domain and Sell a Business – Alex Melen, Smartsites
Workshop
Workshop Room
A domain’s value can grow exponentially once it’s developed, ranking on Google, getting traffic, and creating revenue. Learn how to develop and market your domains effectively and efficiently – from choosing the right CMS, to SEO tricks, and winning with paid advertising.

1:00pm – 2:00pm
Lunch Break
The Tropicana offers a variety of casual dining options within an easy 5-minute walk of the convention centre. Don’t go too far afield! We’ll be back with more in one hour.

1:00pm – 2:00pm
Executive Q&A – Richard Lau, ocean.net
VIP Lounge
For NamesCon VIP pass holders: Enjoy a complimentary lunch buffet while taking part in an intimate Q&A with NamesCon’s founder, Richard Lau.

2:00pm -2:45pm
Use Your Blog to Connect with Industry Influencers – Matt Holmes, handshakin.com
Workshop
Workshop Room
How to use social media and a simple personal blog to ignite your personal brand and network.

3:00pm – 3:45pm
Domain Auctions and Brokerage: A Path to Monetizing Your Domains – Monte Cahn, rightofthedot; Jonathan Tenenbaum, namejet
Workshop
Workshop Room
The perfect primer to the live NamesCon Domain Auction on Tuesday afternoon! Join our auction partners to learn the ins and outs of how to select your best names for submission, how to appraise names, and insider tips on how to take part during the live auction event.

4:00pm – 4:45pm
Growth And Market Expansion: Leveraging The DNA – Jothan Frakes, Domain Name Association
Workshop
Workshop Room
Learn all about The Domain Name Association, including the benefits of membership and participation in this dynamic organization.
This session brought to you by The DNA.

5:00pm – 7:00pm
Women In Domaining Dinner
Robert Irvine Public House
Join us at the new Robert Irvine Public House off the Tropicana casino for great conversation, wine, and dinner. Thanks to our generous event sponsors, this event is free but RSVPs are requested as space is limited.
RSVP now.

6:00pm – 7:00pm
VIP Champagne Lounge
VIP Lounge
NamesCon VIP pass holders can enjoy a festive kick-off to the conference with complimentary bubbly and fantastic networking. Join us immediately after for the Opening Reception, accessible directly from the VIP Lounge so you can enter the next party in style.

7:00pm – 11:00pm
Opening Reception
Keynote Hall
Celebrate opening day of NamesCon Global 2018 with live music, cocktails, and networking in a casual atmosphere. Don’t forget to wear your name badge for entry!

Monday, January 29th

8:00am – 6:00pm
Information Desk
Visit the NamesCon information desk for registration, wayfinding, and any other questions you may have for our friendly staff!
Convention Center Foyer

9:00am – 6:00pm
Business Hub
For impromptu round table meetings or a quiet place to set up and work, the Business Hub is open to all attendees.

10:00am – 10:45am
Keynote 1
Keynote
Keynote Hall
Keynote announcements will begin weekly on December 2, 2017.
speaker TBA

11:00am – 6:00pm
Exhibition Hall
Visit 40+ exhibitors in our busy exhibit hall. Don’t forget to use the NamesCon mobile app to check in at exhibitor booths and be entered to win fantastic prizes!

11:00am – 11:45am
Using Survival Psychology to Build a Resilient Brand – Jonathan David Lewis, McKee Wallwork + Co.
Session
Keynote Hall
What do Hillary Clinton, Blockbuster, and survivors of a plane crash all have in common? The world has fundamentally changed. New principles are required for success. Following 10 years of proprietary research, Jonathan provides a how-to guide for navigating uncertain times by correlating survival psychology with modern business, teaching us how to adapt and embrace change.

11:00am – 11:45am
Domain Security 101 – speakerS TBA
Panel
Breakout Stage
Domain security threats continue to evolve and challenge domain owners. Hear from MarkMonitor experts as they discuss measures domain owners can implement to help protect their valuable domain assets.
This session brought to you by MarkMonitor

11:00am – 11:45am
Data Mining For Revenue with Registries and Registrars – Michael Gilmour, Parklogic
Workshop
Workshop Room
There are many opportunities for both registrars and registries to generate additional revenue from more than just selling domain names. Discover how your organisation can unlock hidden value from data that is readily accessible to you. If you are running a registrar or registry then this session is a must attend event for your business.

12:00pm – 12:45pm
DNS, Digital Identity and Blockchain: Ensuring Compliance and Risk Management – Tim Favia, Donuts; Justin Newton, Netki
Fireside Chat
Keynote Hall
Tim Favia, SVP Corporate Development at Donuts will chat with Justin Newton, Founder & CEO of Netki, regarding Netki’s novel leverage of the DNS for Blockchain identity. The two will discuss Donuts.Ventures and its investments in DNS innovation, as well as how Netki’s Digital ID and Wallet Names make blockchains safe and compliant for a broad range of business and personal use cases.

12:00pm – 12:45pm
nTLD Case Studies: Rising Above the Noise
Panel
Breakout Stage
Panelists will discuss examples of successful new TLDs, and how to effectively brand and position your TLD to survive in the crowded domain marketplace.
SPEAKERS TBA
Moderator: Bill Sweetman

12:00pm – 12:45pm
Building Brand Loyalty In the Age Of A Promiscuous Customer – Chris Snook, Launch Haus
Workshop
Workshop Room
Your customer is loyal to their need in the moment and no longer to brand by default. You must build a business model for a promiscuous customer and create complete organizational alignment around how you put your customer in the center of business decision making and investments. Friction is pain. Time is the asset. Experience, trust, and attention are the currencies that giveth and taketh marketshare away.

1:00pm – 2:00pm
Lunch Break
The Tropicana offers a variety of casual dining options within an easy 5-minute walk of the convention centre. Don’t go too far afield! We’ll be back with more in one hour.

1:00pm – 2:00pm
Executive Q&A – Jonathan David Lewis, McKee Wallwork + Co.
VIP Lounge
For NamesCon VIP pass holders: Enjoy a complimentary lunch buffet while taking part in an intimate Q&A with Jonathan David Lewis, partner and strategy director at McKee Wallwork + Company.

2:00pm – 2:45pm
Designing the Web for Millennials – Lisa Box, wp engine
Session
Keynote Hall
Traditionally, websites have kept static homepages or blogrolls across all audiences. Now, Millennials and Gen Z want their habits to be anticipated, with each experience better than the last. This session will use new research from WP Engine & the Center for Generational Kinetics to illustrate how brands need to evolve if they want to survive in today’s competitive market.

2:00pm – 2:45pm
Easily Putting Your Domain to Work Using Domain Connect
Panel
Breakout Stage
Domain Connect is a new open standard making it easy for consumers to configure a domain’s DNS to work with services enabled through different providers. The standard is already supported by many major services and registrars and is rapidly growing. This panel will provide an opportunity to learn about the protocol, hear from the several of the Service Providers and DNS Providers about their experiences, and learn what it takes to get involved.
Speakers TBA
Moderator: Bill Sweetman
This session brought to you by Domain Connect.

2:00pm – 2:45pm – Darpan Munjal, Squadhelp
How to Crowdsource Your Next Domain Name
Workshop
Workshop Room
Session description coming soon.

3:00pm – 3:45pm
The Effects of Cryptocurrency on Domain Trading – Jackson Elsegood, escrow.com
Session
Keynote Hall
Session description coming soon.

3:00pm – 3:45pm
Navigating the World of geoTLDs
Panel
Breakout Stage
Geographic TLDs, in the form of city, region or country-specific codes, are well established but often misunderstood. Our panel discusses the benefits and downsides of investing in geoTLDs, and assesses the market and viability of these types of domain names.
speakers TBA
Moderator: Bill Sweetman

3:00pm – 3:45pm
How Do You Move From Domainer to Cryptopunk? – Chris Jensen and John Lyotier, Rightmesh
Workshop
Workshop Room
There are many parallels between the world of Domaining and the Blockchain and Crypto worlds. This interactive workshop will explore ways to make the transition, applying the hard won lessons of the domain industry towards these new opportunities.

4:00pm – 4:45pm
Keynote 2
Keynote
Keynote Hall
Keynotes will be announced weekly beginning December 2, 2017.
Speaker TBA

5:00pm – 6:00pm
Startup Alley
Exhibition Hall
Join us at the Startup Alley exhibit kiosks in the Exhibition Hall for networking and an open bar for happy hour. This is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new connections, and get a personal introduction to the startups and small businesses exhibiting at NamesCon.

6:30pm – 10:30pm
WaterNight Charity Gala
Havana Club at the Tropicana
Every year, the NamesCon community gathers for WaterNight – a gala extravaganza where 100% of the proceeds are used to bring clean water as well as hygiene and sanitation training to families in rural Uganda through WaterSchool.
This year, join us for a red carpet evening of fine dining, silent auctions with fabulous prizes, live music and a celebrity magician! Help us continue the WaterNight tradition of giving back in a whole new way.
Formal/black tie attire encouraged. Tickets for this event will be released January 2, 2018.

Tuesday, January 30th

8:00am – 6:00pm
Information Desk
Visit the NamesCon Information Desk for registration, wayfinding, and any other questions you may have for our friendly staff.
Convention Center Foyer

9:00am – 6:00pm
Business Hub
For impromptu roundtable meetings or a quiet place to set up and work, the Business Hub is open to all attendees.

10:00am – 10:45am
Keynote 3
Keynote
Keynote Hall
Keynotes will be announced weekly beginning December 2, 2017.
Speaker tba

11:00am – 4:00pm
Exhibit Hall
Visit more than 40 exhibitors in our busy exhibit hall, and don’t forget to use the NamesCon mobile app to check in at exhibitor booths and be entered to win fantastic prizes!

11:00am – 11:45am
GoDaddy Presents
Session
Keynote Hall
Session description coming soon.
Speaker tba
This session is brought to you by GoDaddy.

11:00am – 11:45am
Find Inspiration With Innovative Domain Search Tools
Panel
Breakout Stage
Learn about innovative name search technologies that can help you explore creative (and available) name possibilities for both your business and its partner domain name.
speakers tba
Moderator: Derek Newman

11:00am – 11:45am
How to Obtain a Registry/Registrar License in China
Workshop
Workshop Room
Session description coming soon.
speakers tba

12:00pm – 12:45pm
Negotiation Strategies in Business – Daliah SapeR, Saper Law
Session
Keynote Hall
As a transactional lawyer and litigator, Daliah regularly negotiates on behalf of her clients. However, most business negotiations take place before lawyers are involved. In this seminar, Daliah explains how to successfully negotiate your business deals.

12:00pm – 12:45pm
Top 5 Priorities the ICA Should Set for the Upcoming UDRP Reform
Panel
Breakout Stage
Session description coming soon.
SpeakerS TBA
This session brought to you by the ICA.

12:00pm – 12:45pm
Investing in New Digital Assets – Mano Samy, ENSListing.com
Workshop
Workshop Room
Session description coming soon.

1:00pm – 2:00pm
The Tropicana offers a variety of casual dining options within an easy 5-minute walk of the convention centre. Don’t go too far afield! We’ll be back with more in one hour.
Lunch Break

1:00pm – 2:00pm
Executive Q&A
VIP Lounge
For NamesCon VIP pass holders: Enjoy a complimentary lunch buffet while taking part in an intimate and interactive Q&A session.
SPEAKER TBA

2:00pm – 2:45pm
Turning Up The Heat on Record Domain Sales – Richard Lau with Drew Rosener and Sharjil Saleem
Fireside Chat
Keynote Hall
Richard Lau sits down with leading brokers Andrew Rosener and Sharjil Saleem to discuss the hottest domain name sales of late, and how they were involved.

3:00pm – 3:45pm
Mastering Aftermarket Appraisals
Panel
Breakout Stage
Join some of the domain industry’s top brokers for insight on how to appraise and evaluate domain names to sell or purchase. Stay for an interactive Q&A, where we’ll put the panel to the test and have them assess your very own domain names!
SPEAKERS TBA
Moderator: Derek Newman

3:00pm – 4:00pm
Startup Alley
Exhibition Hall
Join us at the Startup Alley kiosks in the Exhibition Hall for networking and an open bar for happy hour! This is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new connections, and get a personal introduction to the startups and small businesses exhibiting at NamesCon.

3:30pm – 4:00pm
Escrow.com Domain Awards
Keynote Hall
Details coming soon.
This session is brought to you by Escrow.com

4:00pm – 7:00pm
Domain Auction
Keynote Hall
Don’t miss the annual NamesCon Premium Domain Auction, an exciting event where live bids will compete with online bidding from around the world! Pre-bidding and post extended auction will be hosted by our partner NameJet.
We are pleased to announce that once again Monte Cahn and World Champion Live Auctioneer Wayne Wheat will conduct the live auction event. Food and beverages will be served. Preferred seating and service will be available for NamesCon VIP pass holders.

9:00pm – 1:00am
Closing Party
Ling Ling Lounge, Hakkasan Nightclub
Join us for a night of cocktails and networking in the ultra-exclusive Ling Ling Lounge, just across the walkway at the MGM Grand Casino.
Keep your clothes smart and casual. Drinks are on us!

Wednesday, January 31st

10:00am – 4:00pm
Information Desk
Visit the NamesCon Information desk for registration, wayfinding, or any other questions you may have for our friendly staff! Shipping assistance may be coordinated at the FedEx Centre.
Convention Center Foyer

9:00am – 2:00pm
Business Hub
For impromptu roundtable meetings or a quiet place to set up and work, the Business Hub is open to all attendees.

11:00am – 2:00pm
Exhibit Hall
Join us for a final day in the bustling Exhibit Hall – check in with any exhibitors you haven’t had a chance to meet, challenge colleagues to one of the games, or have that final meeting in one of the lounges.

11:00am – 12:45pm
Roundtable Keynote Brunch
Close out the conference on a high note! Get your fill of brunch and inspiration before you head off to your next adventure.
Speakers TBA
Keynote
Keynote Hall

2:00pm – 5:00pm
NamesCon Unconference
Keynote Hall
What’s an Unconference? It’s pretty simple: We provide the forum and the moderator, but you decide the content. We’ll be following the World Café method, where each table in the keynote hall will be dedicated to a certain topic, as decided upon by Unconference attendees. Did we miss any topics that you feel need discussing before NamesCon Global closes? Or want to carry on the conversation about something you discovered during one of the sessions? Here’s your chance!
Moderator: Bill Sweetman