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 by Vertex Next
Setting the Stage: Canada’s Data Centre and Cloud Growth
10:10 – 10:30
Opening Keynote:
Charting the Intelligent Future: Canada’s Vision for AI, Cloud, and Digital Resilience in a Connected World
Focus:
- Strengthening sovereign and resilient digital infrastructure
- Scaling AI and cloud for inclusive innovation across sectors
- Advancing sustainable growth and global digital leadership
10:30 – 10:55
Panel Discussion :
Powering the Future Canada’s Data Centre Landscape
Focus:
- Key trends, growth opportunities, and regional developments
- Strategic initiatives, innovations, investments, and sustainability drivers
- Delivering high-impact outcomes across key sectors
Speakers:
- Marc Mondesir
Managing Director-Canada, Equinix
- René de Vries
Senior Vice President Strategy, Arcadis
- Colby Cox
Managing Director – DC Byte
- James MackenzieModerator
COO, Purecolo
11:00 – 11:25
Panel Discussion :
Advancing Critical Infrastructure for Technological Evolution
Focus:
- Building resilient, scalable, and sustainable data centers
- Innovations in power, cooling, automation, and security
- Public-private partnerships: enabling long-term digital transformation
Speakers:
- Michel Chartier
ATD Director, National Market Leader – WSP Global
- Juan Orozco
Senior Consultant Uptime Institute
- Pierre Samson
EVP and General Manager, QScale
- Emma ReeseModerator
Research Analyst-Canada and Northwest US, DC Byte
11:30 – 11:55
Tech Spotlight :
Innovations in Liquid & Free Cooling for Canadian Data Centres
Focus:
- Leveraging Canada’s climate for efficient cooling
- Advancing next-gen cooling technologies for data center optimization
- Enabling cost-effective and scalable cooling solutions
Speakers:
- Bill Henneberry
CTO, Core Data Centres
- Emma Reese
Research Analyst-Canada and Northwest US, DC Byte
12:00 – 12:40
Networking Break & Exhibition Tour
12:40 -12:55
Keynote Address:
AI & Machine Learning in Data Centre Optimization.
Focus:
- How AI and machine learning are leading data centre landscape?
Speakers:
- Amanda Trumble
Data Center Segment Lead for the Americas at ABB
13:00 – 13:25
Industry Spotlight:
Modernizing Government, Banking & Fintech Services through Secure, Sustainable, and Scalable Cloud & Data Strategies for Canada
Focus:
- Driving Cloud Adoption for Service Innovation and Operational Efficiency
- Enhancing Service Delivery through Sustainable and Scalable Infrastructure
- Leveraging AI and Cloud to Accelerate Transformation Across Sectors
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
13:30 – 13:55
Executive Dialogue:
Investing in Canadian Digital Infrastructure Opportunities
Focus:
- Expanding data center infrastructure to support Canada’s digital future
- Encouraging collaboration between government and industry to accelerate development
- Driving economic growth and job creation through strategic investments
Speakers:
- The Hon. Nate Glubish
Minister of Tech & Innovation, Alberta
- Harish Consul
Founder & CEO, Ocgrow Ventures
14:00- 14:40
Networking Interval & Exhibition Showcase
14:40 -14:55
Special Address:
The Role of Energy Regulation in Enabling Sustainable Data Centre Growth
Focus:
- Regulatory support for sustainable energy growth
- Strengthening grid reliability and future readiness
- Enabling innovation through adaptive energy policy
Speakers:
- Nancy MarconiSpecial Address
COO, Ontario Energy Board
15:00 – 15:25
Panel Discussion:
Power Sourcing & Sustainability
Focus:
- Renewable energy integration
- Efficient energy management strategies
- LNG and Hydrogen-based solutions for clean, flexible, and scalable power sourcing
Speakers:
- Strahan McCarten
Senior Vice President, eStruxture
- Luaba Kalonji
Founder & CEO, Gloriosa Energy Solution
15:30 – 15:55
Closing Panel Discussion:
Strategic Co-location Scale, Speed & Sustainability-
Focus:
- Speed to market vs. long-term scalability
- ESG-driven co-location strategies
- Site selection criteria: power, connectivity, regulations
Speakers:
- John Hiddema
Vice President Electric Utilities, STACK Infrastructure
- Andrew Fenton
VP of Sales & Marketing, Telehouse
- Mike Lalonde
Co-Founder at PureColo
16:00 – 16:05
Closing Remarks & Evening Networking Reception
16:05– 16:30
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:
- Strengthening sovereign and resilient digital infrastructure
- Scaling AI and cloud for inclusive innovation across sectors
- Advancing sustainable growth and global digital leadership
10:30AM – 10:55AM
Panel Discussion:
Powering the Future Canada’s Data Centre Landscape
Focus:
- Key trends, growth opportunities, and regional developments
- Strategic initiatives, innovations, investments, and sustainability drivers
- Delivering high-impact outcomes across key sectors
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:
- Building resilient, scalable, and sustainable data centers
- Innovations in power, cooling, automation, and security
- Public-private partnerships: enabling long-term digital transformation
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:
- Leveraging Canada’s climate for efficient cooling
- Advancing next-gen cooling technologies for data center optimization
- Enabling cost-effective and scalable cooling solutions
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:
- How AI and machine learning are leading data centre landscape?
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:
- Driving Cloud Adoption for Service Innovation and Operational Efficiency
- Enhancing Service Delivery through Sustainable and Scalable Infrastructure
- Leveraging AI and Cloud to Accelerate Transformation Across Sectors
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:
- Expanding data center infrastructure to support Canada’s digital future
- Encouraging collaboration between government and industry to accelerate development
- Driving economic growth and job creation through strategic investments
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:
- Regulatory support for sustainable energy growth
- Strengthening grid reliability and future readiness
- Enabling innovation through adaptive energy policy
Special Address: Nancy Marconi, COO, Ontario Energy Board
15:00PM – 15:25PM
Panel Discussion:
Power Sourcing & Sustainability
Focus:
- Renewable energy integration
- Efficient energy management strategies
- LNG and Hydrogen-based solutions for clean, flexible, and scalable power sourcing
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:
- Speed to market vs. long-term scalability
- ESG-driven co-location strategies
- Site selection criteria: power, connectivity, regulations
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:
- Speed to market vs. long-term scalability
- ESG-driven co-location strategies
- Site selection criteria: power, connectivity, regulations
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 – 10:10
Welcome Back & Day One Recap-Key Takeaways
Focus:
- Highlighted innovations in data center sustainability and efficiency.
- Discussed AI, cloud, and regulatory trends shaping Canada’s digital future.
- Showcased key industry collaborations and investment opportunities.
Welcome Address by
- Andrew Watts
Chief Growth Officer, Vertex Next
10:10 - 10:25
Opening Keynote:
Digital Infrastructure 2030
Focus:
- Trends shaping the next decade of data digital infrastructure
- Rise of AI-driven automation for smarter, more efficient infrastructure management.
- Shift toward sovereign and compliant cloud ecosystems to meet regional regulations
10:30 - 10:55
Fireside Chat:
The Future of Hyperscale
Focus:
- Designing the next generation of hyperscale data centres
- Hyperscale as the Backbone of AI and Emerging Workloads
- Innovating Site Selection: Power, Policy, and Proximity
- Evolving Architectures for Hybrid, Multi-Cloud, and Edge Integration
Speakers:
- Sean Maskell
President & General Manager, Cologix
- Dave Misra
Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Galaxy Data Centers
11:00 - 11:15
Keynote Address:
Sovereign AI: The New Frontier for Secure and Strategic Industry Growth
Focus:
- Ensuring compliance with Canadian data residency and privacy laws.
- Strengthening public trust through transparent cloud governance.
- Leveraging sovereignty as a competitive differentiator in global markets.
Speakers:
- Krish Banerjee
Managing Director, Accenture Canada
11:15 - 12:00
Networking Break & Exhibition Tour
12:00 - 12:25
Panel Discussion:
Data Centre Real Estate Opportunities Across Canada
Focus:
- Emerging Markets: Exploring Untapped Locations for Future Builds
- Adapting Real Estate Strategies to Support Hyperscale and Edge Growth
- Aligning Infrastructure Development with Sustainability and Community Needs
Speakers:
- Michael Borron
Associate Vice President, Global Data Center Advisory, Cushman & Wakefield
12:30 - 12:55
Fireside Chat:
State of Digital Communications in Modern World.
Focus:
- Stakeholders as a foundational infrastructure for many digital communication tools.
- Supporting digital growth with more efficient and resilient infrastructure.
- Enhancing data center connectivity through IXPs.
Speakers:
- Namir Anani
President & CEO of Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)
- Rohin Bansal
Head Data Governance and Enablement at TELUS
13:00 - 13:25
Industry Spotlight:
Enabling Healthcare & Education with Next-Gen Infrastructure
Focus:
- AI, cloud, and data centres as digital backbones
- (AI/ML) in enhancing operational efficiency and smart transformation within infrastructure-heavy sectors like healthcare, education, and beyond.
Speakers:
- Eric Simard
Head of Data Strategy & Operations, Novartis
- Bernie Oegema
Director, Data Centre Market Development, Siemens
- Lindsay RinguetteModerator
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, ISA Cybersecurity
13:30 – 14:30
Networking Lunch & Exhibition Showcase
14:30 - 14:55
Panel Discussion:
Fortifying the Data Fortress
Focus:
- Building Zero Trust Architectures for Next-Gen Data Centers
- Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Evolving Cyber Threats
- Integrating Physical and Digital Security for End-to-End Protection
Speakers:
- Katherine Isaac
VP of Customer Success, Flare
- Kevin Dawson
President & CEO, ISA Cybersecurity
15:00 – 15:25
Fireside Chat:
Transforming Canada’s Digital Infrastructure through innovations.
Focus:
- Transforming data centre management through resource optimization, and AI integration.
- Adopting Next-Generation Technologies to Modernize Core Infrastructure
- Fostering Innovation through Cross-Sector Collaboration and Investment
- Building Smarter, Greener, and More Resilient Digital Ecosystems
Speakers:
- Sarah Willock
Vice President of Technology at The Coca-Cola.
- Daniel Sax
Founder and CEO, The Canadian Space Mining Corporation
15:30 – 15:55
Closing Keynote:
Policy & Regulation- Navigating Local Demands Globally
Focus:
- Balancing Global Standards with Regional Compliance Requirements
- Adapting Infrastructure Strategies to Evolving Regulatory Landscape
- Collaborating Across Borders to Enable Scalable and Secure Growth
Speakers:
- The Hon. Stephen Crawford
Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, Gouvernement de l’Ontario