Agenda 2025

Our Agenda is Currently Unfolding

DAY 1

Data Centre Innovation & Sustainability

Dates: October 7-8, 2025

Location: The International Centre, Mississauga, Canada

Time (Hrs)

TOPIC

SPEAKERS

10:00 – 10:05

Welcome Address

Setting the Stage: Canada’s Data Centre and Cloud Growth
Speaker:

10:10 – 10:30

Opening Keynote:

Charting the Intelligent Future: Canada’s Vision for AI, Cloud, and Digital Resilience in a Connected World
Focus:
Speaker:
  • Roger Strukhoff

    Chief Research Officer & Editor- in- Chief, International Data Centre Authority

10:35 – 11:00

Panel Discussion :

Powering the Future - Canada’s Data Centre Landscape
Focus:
Speakers:

11:00 – 11:20

Networking Break

11:25 - 11:55

Panel Discussion :

Advancing Critical Infrastructure for Technological Evolution
Focus:
Speakers:

12:00 – 12:25

Tech Spotlight :

Innovations in Liquid and Free-Cooling Solutions for Canadian Data Centres
Focus:
Speakers:

12:30 – 12:55

Industry Spotlight:

Modernizing Government, Banking & Fintech Services through Secure, Sustainable and Scalable Cloud & Data Strategies for Canada
Focus:
Speakers:
  • Alain DeSouza

    VP- Payments Commercialization, JP Morgan & Chase and Co.

  • Suleman Shaikh

    Head -3rd Party Data, Royal Bank of Canada

  • Sumeet Bhatia

    Senior Director, Head of Data Strategy & Enablement, Sun Life

  • Shashin Pandya

    SM/Director - Data Science AML, Toronto-Dominion Bank

    Moderator

13:00 – 13:40

Networking Break & Lunch

13:45 -14:00

Keynote Address:

AI & Machine Learning in Data Centre Optimization.
Focus:
Speaker:

14:05 – 14:20

Special Address:

The Role of Energy Regulation in Enabling Sustainable Data Centre Growth
Focus:
Speaker:

14:25 – 14:50

Industry Roundtable:

Power Sourcing & Sustainability
Focus:
Speakers:

14:50- 15:10

Networking Break

15:10 – 15:30

Executive Dialogue:

Investing in Digital Infrastructure Opportunities in Alberta
Focus:
Speakers:

15:35 – 16:00

Closing Panel Discussion:

Strategic Co-location, Scale, Speed & Sustainability
Focus:
Speakers:

16:00 – 16:15

Closing Remarks & Evening Networking Reception

16:15– 17:00

Networking Break & Exhibition Tour

TIME

TOPIC

10:00AM – 10:05AM

Welcome Address by Vertex Next

Setting the Stage: Canada’s Data Centre and Cloud Growth

10:10AM – 10:30AM

Opening Keynote:--

Charting the Intelligent Future: Canada’s Vision for AI, Cloud, and Digital Resilience in a Connected World
Focus:

10:30AM – 10:55AM

Panel Discussion:

Powering the Future Canada’s Data Centre Landscape
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
Marc Mondesir, Managing Director-Canada, Equinix
René de Vries, Senior Vice President Strategy, Arcadis
Colby Cox, Managing Director – DC Byte
Moderator: James Mackenzie COO, Purecolo

11:00AM – 11:25AM

Panel Discussion:

Advancing Critical Infrastructure for Technological Evolution
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
Michel Chartier, ATD Director, National Market Leader – WSP Global
Juan Orozco, Senior Consultant – Uptime Institute
Pierre Samson, EVP and General Manager, QScale
Moderator - Emma Reese, Research Analyst-Canada and Northwest US, DC Byte

11:30AM – 11:55AM

Tech Spotlight:

Innovations in Liquid & Free Cooling for Canadian Data Centres
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
Bill Henneberry – Core Data Centres
Emma Reese, Research Analyst-Canada and Northwest US, DC Byte

12:00AM – 12:40PM

Networking Break & Exhibition Tour

12:40PM-12:55PM

Keynote Address:

AI & Machine Learning in Data Centre Optimization.
Focus:
Keynote Speaker: Amanda Trumble, Data Center Segment Lead for the Americas at ABB

13:00PM – 13:25PM

Industry Spotlight:

Modernizing Government, Banking & Fintech Services through Secure, Sustainable, and Scalable Cloud & Data Strategies for Canada
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
Alain Desouza, Vice President Payments Commercialization, JP Morgan & Chase
Hriday Balachandran, CISO and Vice President of Technology, Digital Commerce Bank
Sumeet Bhatia, Senior Director, Head of Data Strategy & Enablement, Sun Life

13:30PM – 13:55PM

Executive Dialogue:

Investing in Canadian Digital Infrastructure Opportunities
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
The Hon. Nate Glubish, Minister of Tech & Innovation, Alberta
Harish Consul, Founder & CEO, Ocgrow Ventures

14:00PM- 14:40PM

Networking Interval & Exhibition Showcase

14:40PM -14:55PM

Special Address:

The Role of Energy Regulation in Enabling Sustainable Data Centre Growth
Focus:
Special Address: Nancy Marconi, COO, Ontario Energy Board

15:00PM – 15:25PM

Panel Discussion:

Power Sourcing & Sustainability
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
Strahan McCarten Senior Vice President, eStruxture
Luaba Kalonji, Founder & CEO, Gloriosa Energy Solution

15:30PM – 15:55PM

Closing Panel Discussion:

Strategic Co-location Scale, Speed & Sustainability-
Focus:
The current panel consists of the following:
Speakers:
John Hiddema, Vice President Electric Utilities, STACK Infrastructure
Andrew Fenton, VP of Sales & Marketing, Telehouse
Mike Lalonde, Co-Founder at PureColo

15:30PM – 15:55PM --

Closing Panel Discussion:

Strategic Co-location Scale, Speed & Sustainability-
Focus:
Speakers:
John Hiddema, Vice President Electric Utilities, STACK Infrastructure
Andrew Fenton, VP of Sales & Marketing, Telehouse
Mike Lalonde, Co-Founder at PureColo

16:00PM – 16:05PM

Closing Remarks & Evening Networking Reception

16:05PM– 16:30PM

Networking Break & Exhibition Tour

DAY 2

Cloud Advancement & Future Technologies

Dates: October 7-8, 2025

Location: The International Centre, Mississauga, Canada

Time (Hrs)

TOPIC

SPEAKERS

10:00 – 10:05

Welcome Back & Recap- Key Takeaways

Welcome Address by

10:10 - 10:25

Opening Keynote:

Digital Infrastructure 2030
Focus:
Keynote Speaker:
  • Joseph Reele

    Vice President - Solution Architects, Schneider Electric

10:30 - 11:00

Fireside Chat:

The Future of Hyperscale
Focus:
Speakers:

11:00 - 11:20

Networking Break

11:25 - 11:40

Keynote Address:

Sovereign AI: The New Frontier for Secure and Strategic Industry Growth
Focus:
Speaker:
  • Krish Banerjee

    Managing Director (Partner) & Canada Lead - Data & AI, Accenture

11:45 - 12:05

Fireside Chat :

Data Centre Real Estate Opportunities Across Canada
Focus:
Speakers:
  • Michael Borron

    Associate VP-Global Data Center Advisory Group, Cushman & Wakefield

  • Dan Jolivet

    Senior Vice President/Area Manager Life Sciences & Technology, EllisDon

  • Samuel Ajithkumar

    Sales Director -Canada, SambaNova.Ai

    Moderator

12:10 - 12:45

Panel Discussion:

State of Digital Communications in Modern World.
Focus:
Speakers:
  • Namir Anani

    President & CEO, Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)

  • Rohin Bansal

    Director-Data Governance and Enablement, TELUS

  • Venu Gudipati

    Managing Director -Cloud Data & AI, PwC

  • James Wallace

    Vice President of Technology, Bede Gaming

  • Vera Cvetkovic

    Head Marketing Operation, Data & Analytics, Canada Post

    Moderator

12:45 – 13:20

Networking Break & Lunch

13:25 - 13:50

Industry Spotlight:

Enabling Healthcare & Education with Next-Gen Infrastructure
Focus:
Speakers:
  • Eric Simard

    Head of Data Strategy & Operations, Novartis

  • Daniel Gruner

    CTO -SciNet High Performance Computing Consortium, University of Toronto.

  • Bernie Oegema

    Director, Data Centre Market Development, Siemens

  • Lindsay Ringuette

    Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, ISA Cybersecurity

    Moderator

13:55 - 14:20

Panel Discussion :

Fortifying the Data Fortress
Focus:
Speakers:

14:25 – 14:50

Fireside Chat:

Transforming Canada’s Digital Infrastructure through Innovations.
Focus:
Speakers:
  • Daniel Sax

    Founder and CEO, The Canadian Space Mining Corporation

  • Benjamin Bergen

    President, Council of Canadian Innovators

  • Vikram Chadalawada

    Director IT Strategy, Innovations and Digital Transformation, University of Toronto

  • April Currey

    Vice President, Business Development STACK Infrastructure.

    Moderator

14:50 -15:10

Networking Break

15:15 – 15:25

Rapid-Fire Q&A

15:30 – 15:55

Closing Address:

Data Centers in Non-Traditional Environments: Regulations, Needs and Applications
Focus:
Speaker:
  • Aaron Amorim

    Chief Software Architect-Data Communication Systems, Hitachi Rail

16:00 – 16:05

Closing Remarks & Final Networking Session

16:05 – 17:00

Networking Break & Exhibition Tour

Scroll to Top

François Guay: A visionary leader in Canadian

cybersecurity François Guay is the visionary founder of the Canadian Cybersecurity Network (CCN), Canada’s largest cybersecurity community, bringing together more than 45,000 members and reaching over one million and a half Canadians through its extended network of companies, universities, professional associations, and government partners. Under his leadership, CCN has become the nation’s go-to hub for collaboration, innovation, and trusted insight in cybersecurity. François is also the driving force behind Launch Delta, Canada’s first dedicated cybersecurity marketplace which recently launched, designed to connect buyers and providers of cybersecurity solutions in a fair, transparent, and community-driven environment. This bold initiative complements his creation of Canadian Cybersecurity Jobs, the country’s only dedicated job portal for cybersecurity talent, offered free to all Canadian employers to break down barriers for SMEs and students entering the field. As the editor and publisher of CCN’s national reports, including State of Cybersecurity in Canada, CyberTowns, the Canadian Cybersecurity Talent Report, and upcoming deep dives into Operational Technology and Healthcare, François has cemented his reputation as one of Canada’s leading voices on the country’s digital resilience. His reports provide actionable insights that shape strategies for businesses, policymakers, and educators nationwide. Through CyberVoices, a thought leadership program he spearheaded, François has brought Canadian perspectives into the national spotlight, with articles from diverse experts appearing in the Financial Post and leading publications across the country. Beyond building platforms and thought leadership, François is a retained recruiter, trusted advisor, and global keynote speaker, known for his ability to connect people, ideas, and opportunities. He is committed to mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity leaders and ensuring Canada remains globally competitive in the race for cyber innovation. When not driving Canada’s cybersecurity ecosystem forward, François embraces adventure, whether cycling, canoeing, or trekking across Canada’s vast landscapes. His passion for exploration mirrors his lifelong mission: empowering communities, businesses, and individuals to build a safer, stronger digital future for all Canadians.

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