CORE TEAM
Josh Mclean "Icebagz"
CEO - Founder
Life long entrepreneur turned full time crypto degen in 2018. 15 years experience in managing and scaling teams.
Cedric Guerin
Creative Director
Creative technologist with over 15 years of big ad agency and digital media experience creating campaigns, branding, and experiences for the likes of Alienware, BMW, Burger King, Patron, Hertz and many more.
Alvin Lubkin
Developer
Software Engineer, blockchain enthusiast and entrepreneur. Omnichain and smart contract specialist.
Garrett Bamman
Product Manager
Also knowns as the Supervisor of Morale; a former finance professional that pivoted to cryptocurrency full-time in 2020. Combining his passion for tailored product management and production Garret keeps the supplies moving to meet to the markets needs.
Justyn Byrd
Operations Coordinator
The resident night owl, has been in the crypto space since 2015. Moving on from being a Bitcoin maximalist, he embraced the world of DeFi and NFTs in 2020. At Kanpai Pandas, he's known for driving innovative ideas and building strong community ties. His skills with AI tools and in photo/video editing play a key role in enhancing the team's projects and strategies.
ADVISORS
STEVE ESPINOSA
Steve Espinosa is the former senior Tech Advisor and Deputy Chief Digital Officer at The White House, and now an advisor and stakeholder in the Kanpai Pandas. Steve served in the Obama and Trump administrations as a non-political appointee. Furthermore, Steve was a former Googler, sold a couple of start-ups, and is part of Forbes 30 under 30.
In addition to his impressive background, Steve Espinosa has made significant contributions to the tech industry. He is well-known for his expertise in digital strategy, product development, and marketing, and has worked with a wide range of clients across different sectors, from small startups to multinational corporations. During his time at The White House, Steve played a critical role in shaping the government's digital presence and implementing cutting-edge technologies to improve efficiency and transparency. He has also been recognized for his philanthropic work, supporting various causes and initiatives that promote education, diversity, and inclusion in the tech industry.
"As a long standing participant in the growing technology space, I found the Kanpai Pandas to be extremely intriguing. The future possibilities and potential the Kanpai Pandas have in this industry are really limitless and I wanted to be a part of it. Looking forward to contributing my expertise — Steve Espinosa"
STEVE COHEN
Steve is a ‘Partner and Agent’ in the Motion Picture Talent Department and Head of the Atlanta office at UTA (United Talent Agency) , one of the largest talent agencies in Hollywood. UTA has more than 5,000 clients, including numerous A-list names.
Steve’s extensive background in the entertainment and talent industry, we believe he will be an integral part of our corporate strategy moving forward. As we develop the Kanpai Pandas brand, we want to explore the full scope of the entertainment industry — music, sports, film, television, brand marketing, and fine arts. By onboarding Steve Cohen, we believe we’ve given ourselves the best chance to explore all aspects of the entertainment industry.
"When I heard about Kanpai Pandas, I was blown away. This project is a perfect disruptor in events and entertainment. Having worked with several performing artists I can’t wait to see who we can get on board — Steve Cohen"
TRAVIS REGO
Travis is the Director of Customer Development at MGM Resorts International. With over 20 years of experiences, he is a seasoned professional with a proven track record of success in the hospitality industry.
As the Director, he is responsible for driving revenue growth and enhancing the overall customer experience at the company's numerous properties. Travis has a deep understanding of the needs and desires of modern travelers, and he uses this knowledge to create innovative and engaging marketing strategies that connect with guests on a personal level.
Travis has helped position MGM Resorts as a leader in the hospitality industry, providing guests with unparalleled service, luxury amenities, and unforgettable experiences. His passion for customer service and his commitment to excellence make him a valuable asset to the MGM Resorts team, and we are proud to have him as part of the Kanpai Pandas
MALKI KAWA
Malki Kawa is the Founder and CEO of First Round Management and is responsible for managing and directing the careers of over 200 professional athletes in football, baseball, mixed martial arts, wrestling, racing and eSports. He launched his sports business career in 2005 when he became a licensed NFL agent.
Known for his extensive roster of A-list clients including NFL linebacker Darius Leonard and tight end David Njoku and UFC champion Jon Jones, Malki is respected in the sports industry for negotiating among the most valuable multi-year, multinational eight figure contracts in the game, including the unprecedented and historic fighter trade deal between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the ONE Championship mixed martial arts promotions.
Before pursuing sports management, Kawa worked in the finance and real estate sector in a business alongside his brother, Abe.Malki is based in Miami, Florida where the First Round Management headquarters is based and where he resides with his wife, daughter and newborn son.
ABE KAWA
Abe Kawa is Vice President of First Round Management and is responsible for managing and directing the careers of the agency’s mixed martial arts and professional wrestling clients, as well as overseeing day-to-day operations, staff, budgets, and business development.
Kawa’s adept navigation of athlete career paths across and throughout the vast and varied network of mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions. Over the years, he has helped FRM earn the highest rank in all of combat sports among top agencies around the world.
He has successfully grown domestic fighters and has imported aspiring talents from overseas to not only fight, but win in the Dana White Contender Series, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Professional Fighters Association (PFL) and Bellator, to name a few.
MALKI “PRIMO” KAWA
Malki “Primo” Kawa is the Chief Operations Officer at First Round Management and is responsible for oversight of finances, influencers and athlete marketing/ onboarding, athletics, brand extension monetization and vertical integration of FRM's brand and business extensions.
Malki “Primo” Kawa was hired in 2021 as Director of Operations and was promoted to COO a year later, following the successful launch of BRKRZ, one of the agency’s media outlets with sports memorabilia at its focus.
Prior to FRM, he worked as Operations Manager for the Victoria’s Secret franchise, where he oversaw day-to-day logistics, Marketing, inventory supply chain, workforce management, product control, ultimately handling a volume of over 600,000 units per store for all retail locations across Southern Florida.
ALEX MININGHAM
Alex currently serves as a General Partner at Ascensive Assets, a crypto native seed-stage venture fund. Prior to moving into venture, Alex spent 12 years as a serial entrepreneur building successful data-driven technology startups across a variety of industries such as higher education, travel, and beverage alcohol. Alex was a recipient of Business Observer Magazine’s 40 under 40 award and successfully negotiated 5 acquisitions over the course of his career as a founder.
As an active investor and participant across the entire web3 ecosystem for the past 6 years, Alex brings along a wealth of knowledge to Kanpai Labs in the form of business strategy, operations, and early-stage fundraising.
Brett Beller
Founded the alcohol delivery company Drizly in 2013, which acquired by Uber in 2021. Lawyer with eight years experience in the Crypto Space, with specialty in securities laws, crypto entity structure and tokens and corporate law.
Paul Chianese
Paul is currently Co-founder and Head of Product at Kick.com, the world’s fastest growing live streaming platform. Since inception (Jan 2023), Kick has amassed over 4M users and over $10M in subscription revenue and is quickly challenging the titans of the streaming world.