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The WISe.ART NFT AWARDS 2022 will be announced at the WISekey Davos 2022 Event

to recognize, celebrate, showcase and promote the most outstanding NFT artworks, projects and concepts and to connect their outstanding creativity and artwork with investors, patrons, and collectors from all over the world.

Geneva – May 5th, 2022 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, AI, Blockchain and IoT company, today announced the WISe.ART NFT AWARDS 2022 . Since 2007, WISeKey has been organizing annual gatherings in Davos, fostering the dialogue about the future of technology with industry experts. This year WISekey will present the awards to individuals who have made great impact globally to the development of NFT industry in the past year.

The WISe.ART NFT platform is secured by WISeKey’s various security technologies enabling the authentication of digital identity based NFTs, physical objects as well as digital assets, in a safe end-to-end process. The user is in full control of its WISeID NFT and other NFTs need to request access to its identity information so WISeID NFTs users can decide by themselves what level of information they wish to share, thus keeping full control. The WISeKey approach to the Metaverse has as objective to provide safe infrastructure identity services based on blockchain technologies for a wide range of users, including individuals, corporations and government institutions. As our digital lives become increasingly digitalized, Metaverse will leverage the advantages of the internet to establish a virtual world for its users. Businesses and communities will depend on users’ digital identities to manage assets. As interest in NFTs continues to accelerate, WISeKey is committed to promoting a more environmentally friendly consumption and distribution model.

The 2022 WISe.ART Excellence Awards are:

Mayte Spínola, Artist- Patron and founder of Grupo por Arte y Cultura for her outstanding contribution to Art as Patron and founder of Grupo por Arte y Cultura in 1990, Mayte Spínola has created, together with him, several museums and contemporary art collections such as those of Sofia (Bulgaria), Salta (Argentina), Marmolejo (Jaén), Azuaga (Badajoz), Calviá (Mallorca), Mèrode Palace (Germany), Hoenems Palace (Germany), Gmünd Palace (Austria). She has received several awards and recognitions such as the Golden Keys of Madrid, 1960; First Prize of Watercolor Chateau de Forges, 1959, Tertulia Ilustrada Prize, Madrid, 2007, Bagration Cross, Monarchic Society, Adoptive daughter of Marmolejo… and others.

Gunter Pauli, Director, ZERI and initiator of the blue economy concept for the  first ever-sustainable NFT project using the Porrima.CH solar panels installed in 2010. Using limited resources effectively is the core philosophy underpinning the Porrima, a concept boat centered on environmental research, which aims to show how sustainable technology could revolutionize the shipping industry.Each solar panel is encased in a special cover that protects the panels from sea water. There are 800 panels only – and these are the ones that undertook the world’s first tour around the world using only solar energy. WISeKey and Porrima.CH are seeking to share this incredible solar project with the growing number of sustainability enthusiasts on Web3 as a way to engage with new audiences around renewable energy, environment and tokenization technology.

Fernando Fitz-James, Vice President Fundación Casa de Alba & Duke of Huéscar

Casa de Alba Foundation to begin its digital transformation by bringing prestigious private collections to the field of NFTs presented on the new entrusted WISeKey WISe.ART NFT platform. This new venture from Casa de Alba Foundation will commence with one of Christoph Columbus’s letters, part of the Foundation’s collection appraised at over one hundred million dollars by Christie’s. The Casa de Alba Foundation, based in the Palacio de Liria in Madrid, is the owner of invaluable and best private collections of cultural heritage art, preserved in more than twenty palaces and castles scattered throughout the Spanish geography, some of which are ceded to public institutions for better conservation and use. Throughout history, its prevailing position has allowed Casa de Alba Foundation to interact with the best in the world of Spanish arts and letters.

Andrés Salvador Habsburgo-Lorena The NFT award is is granted to Archduke Andrés Salvador Habsburgo-Lorena in recognition as a scientist to the study of aquaculture in temperate inland waters. With the change of the Water Law of 1972, he was able to establish an astaculture center in Isla Mayor, which has become a total of five today. Rice polyculture has been created and has given jobs to industrial fishermen in the processing of crab from the Marismas. His research will be presented as NFT on WISe.ART and is awarded as a world-renowned thinker, humanist, scientist, aqua-culturist, and is the Chairman of the María Nobrega International Foundation, based in Bagno di Ripoli, Italy, the ITKI Foundation, Austria, and other institutions, and Dean of the Austrian Golden Fleece. The Archduke Andrés Salvador Habsburgo-Lorena and Salm Salm (Persenbourg, Austria, 1936) is Emeritus of the International Order of Saint Hubertus 

Pedro Sandoval, For his contribution to NFTs as a worldwide renowned Artist moving art to the Metaverse. Born in Venezuela in 1968 and currently based in Spain, the name of Pedro Sandoval is currently closely associated with the abstract neo-expressionist movement and is the creator of the PENTA-ABSTRACTIONISM movement worldwide. At the age of six he has won the triennial of contemporary art in the city of Osaka in Japan. The artist has a close relationship with Andy Warhol and also with his friend Gianni Versace. He has also been a disciple of Jesús Soto and has been the favorite artist for years of Sofía Inver, founder of the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art, and of Leo Castelli, one of the best gallery owners. of the world currently the president of the proarte group worldwide. Today the works of Pedro Sandoval can be found in different museums around the world, as well as in large collections such as the White House, the Vatican Museums, the Kennedy family, the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, among others. The only artist in the world who has won the Florence Biennale twice in 2015 and 2019, apart from everything he has been decorated in several countries around the world with different awards and many prizes.

Mons. Lucio Adrián Ruiz , For his leadership addressing numerous conferences, seminars and articles on The Church in the Digital Age and the Metaverse. Head Office of the Vatican Internet Service, Direction of Telecommunication, Vatican. IT-Assessor of the Argentine Episcopal Conference; Executive Secretary of the System Office of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) Bogota  IT-Assessor of the Argentine Episcopal Conference; Executive Secretary of the System Office of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) Bogota and Technical Coordinator of the Digital Network of the Church in Latin America (RIIAL). Systems Manager for the Congregation for the Clergy and collaborator of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. University professor in the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome in Digital Technologies; Visiting Professor of Teleformation at the Pontifical Gregorian University; and Visiting Professor in Meta-languages of communication in the Instituto Teológico Pastoral, (ITEPAL), Colombia. In June 2015, when the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See was created, he was appointed as Secretary of this Roman Dicastery and Technical Coordinator of the Digital Network of the Church in Latin America (RIIAL). Systems Manager for the Congregation for the Clergy and collaborator of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Juan Carlos Sainz-Borgo is Professor and Dean at University for Peace (UPEACE). He is also Associate Professor of International Law at the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas since 1998. Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Washington College of Law at the American University in Washington DC (2008-2009) Professor of Humanitarian International Law at the Universidad Sergio Arboleda (2009-2014), Universidad Javeriana and Universidad El Rosario in Colombia. He is also Professor at the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Madrid since 2009. He was Jurist to the Regional Delegation of Venezuela and the Caribbean of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). He served as member of the Venezuelan Foreign Service between 1991-1999 and Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Academy. Juan Carlos Sainz-Borgo has a Law Degree, Master in International Law and Doctorate (Cum Laude) from the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas and a Master Degree from Oxford University, UK. He has published four books on international law and international relations and a numerous articles in different publications in the field.

Wang Wei,  China Metaverse , Founding Chairman of China Mergers and Acquisitions Association (CMAA) . Wang Wei is the Founding Chairman of China Mergers and Acquisitions Association (CMAA) and serves as the Chairman of China M&A Group.  During his career, Mr. Wang has organized and supervised IPO underwritings of over 40 Chinese companies in domestic and overseas markets, and has provided guidance and advisory services on restructuring, financing, and M&A activities to many other leading companies in China. He has worked for a number of international corporations, including Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, the World Bank in Washington D.C. and the Chase Bank in New York.  He serves as economic advisor in several ministerial and provincial governments in China, as well as independent director for several public companies.

Mr. Wang received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and master’s degree in finance in China, and a Ph.D. in economics from Fordham University in the United States. He has authored several books and journal articles, and is a frequent lecturer at universities in China, including CEIBS and Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. Mr. Wang has received several awards including: “Top Five Chinese Investment Bankers” by Talents magazine, “The Most Influential Independent Director” by Directors & Boards magazine, and “The Most Influential Investment Banker” by China Finance Network.  He received the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from The M&A Advisor in New York, the 2013 Social Innovator Award from The Wall Street Journal, and the 2015 IFFM Financial Literacy Award. Mr. Wang has been a member of Shanghai Stock Exchange Corporate Governance Advisory Committee since 2007. He founded the Chinese Museum of Finance (Group) in 2010, an organization that currently runs 6 museums in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Suzhou.   He was elected Chairman of Asia Mergers & Acquisitions Association (AMAA) and Co-chairman of International Federation of Finance Museums (IFFM) in November 2015. In January 2017, he became a director of the Board of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), founded by 25 countries. Juan Antonio March Pujol, President Fundacion Onuart for his cintribution to NFT for Humanitarian causes. – 2019 President Fundacion Onuart – 2013 – 2019 Member of The International Advisory Board of Abertis – 2011 Partner of Council at ECIJA Law Firm – 2007 – 2011 Ambassador of Spain in the Russian Federation – 2007 – 2011 Ambassador of Spain in Turkmenistan – 2007 – 2011 Ambassador of Spain in Uzbekistan – 2007 – 2011 Ambassador of Spain in Belarus – 2007 – 2011 Ambassador of Spain in Armenia – 2004 – 2007 Ambassador of Spain to the U.N. in Geneva – 2004 – 2007 Ambassador of Spain to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva – 2007 – 2007 President of the Disarmament Conference in Geneva – 2007- 2007 Chairman of the Council of the International Migration Organization in Geneva – 2006- 2007 Chairman of the Finance Committee of the World Trade Organization (WTO) – 2001– 2004 Political Counselor at the Spanish Embassy in Mexico – 1996 – 2001 Political Counselor at the Spanish Embassy in the United Kingdom (UK) – 1995 Representative of Spain in the Development Assistance Committee of the Iberoamerican Conference.

About WISeKey

WISeKey (NASDAQ: WKEY; SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems for people and objects using Blockchain, AI and IoT respecting the Human as the Fulcrum of the Internet. WISeKey microprocessors secure the pervasive computing shaping today’s Internet of Everything. WISeKey IoT has an install base of over 1.6 billion microchips in virtually all IoT sectors (connected cars, smart cities, drones, agricultural sensors, anti-counterfeiting, smart lighting, servers, computers, mobile phones, crypto tokens etc.). WISeKey is uniquely positioned to be at the edge of IoT as our semiconductors produce a huge amount of Big Data that, when analyzed with Artificial Intelligence (AI), can help industrial applications to predict the failure of their equipment before it happens.

Our technology is Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey’s Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust (“RoT”) provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com.

Press and investor contacts:
WISeKey International Holding Ltd
Company Contact:  Carlos Moreira
Chairman & CEO
Tel: +41 22 594 3000
info@wisekey.com        
WISeKey Investor Relations (US)
Contact:  Lena Cati
The Equity Group Inc.
Tel: +1 212 836-9611
lcati@equityny.com

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