FutureIT | Toronto

Conference agenda details for FutureIT Toronto event

To create the most influential programs, FutureIT partners with award-winning editorial teams and an advisory council of leading IT executives.

You'll learn from the best experts on stage and in the audience as they share their successes and challenges faced in digital businesses around cloud, AI and security.

All times listed on the agenda are Eastern Standard Time.

Tuesday, September 26

10:00am - 10:30am

Check-in and Badge Pick up

10:30am - 10:40am

Welcome Remarks

Are you ready for something new? It’s time to kick-off FutureIT Toronto while we set the stage for the day ahead.

Lee Rennick - Executive Director at CIO Communities

Lee Rennick, Executive Director, CIO Communities

Allice Shandler - Events Director at IDC Canada

Allice Shandler, Events Director, IDC Canada

10:40am -11:10am

Generative AI – Preparing for the Long-Term Impact

Generative AI has the potential to transform entire industries. To gain a competitive edge, business leaders need to create a clear and compelling generative AI strategy today. This session will review the leading use cases, approaches to building an enterprise solution, data architecture, technology stack and survey insights on the business benefits and challenges for generative AI. It will also provide guidance to the technology buyer on how to embrace generative AI responsibly to maximize ROI and reimagine businesses.

Ritu Jyoti - Group Vice President, Worldwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation Research at IDC

Ritu Jyoti, GVP, Worldwide Artificial Intelligence and Automation Research Practice, Global AI Research Lead, IDC

11:10am - 11:30am

Driving Innovation and Customer Experiences with Cloud and AI

In this keynote presentation, leaders from Bell’s Cloud and AI department will discuss; lessons learned on how Cloud transformation can drive innovation, use cases in leveraging AI to improve customer experiences (CX) & best practices in optimizing cloud transformation across enterprise organizations.

Dean Clark - National Director and Practice Lead, Cloud at Bell

Dean Clark, National Director and Practice Lead, Cloud, Bell

Jeff Kurys - Director, Artificial Intelligence at Bell Canada

Jeff Kurys, Director, Artificial Intelligence, Bell Canada

Moderated by:

Lee Rennick, Executive Director, CIO Communities

11:30am - 11:50am

AI & Digital Humans: A New Frontier of Innovation

Digital humans combine real-time rendering and generative AI systems to create new immersive and interactive experiences. They offer new possibilities for accessibility, customer engagement, and personalization. Join us in this session to learn about the impact of GenAI and digital humans, some real-world examples, as well as a discussion on some of the considerations for managing and using the data that powers these new systems and the impact they have on cloud strategies.

James Scott, Field CTO, Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies - Provides customers with the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology

11:50am - 12:15pm

Unleashing the Power of Generative AI for Business Transformation

As the power of AI continues to grow, organizations are seeking ways to harness its potential while maintaining alignment with their overall strategy, ensuring business performance, and prioritizing governance and security. In this session, we will explore the art of generative AI and its profound impact on business transformation. Join our expert panelists as they delve into the strategies, challenges, and successes of leveraging GenAI to drive business outcomes across diverse industries. They will share insights on establishing clear accountability, maintaining security and regulatory compliance, and fostering a culture of transparency within their organizations. Discover how CIOs are shaping the future by balancing innovation and responsibility, paving the way for a harmonious coexistence between technology and human ingenuity.

Marcin Bogobowicz - EVP, Technology Services and Operations at Klick Health

Marcin Bogobowicz, EVP, Technology Services and Operations, Klick Health

Tom Barker - VP of Engineering at Thrillworks

Tom Barker, VP of Engineering, Thrillworks

Moderated by:

Lee Rennick, Executive Director, CIO Communities

12:15pm - 12:30pm

Future of Cloud, GenAI, and Leadership Lightning Insights

Join us for a series of five-minute market insights geared to solving your biggest challenges from Elastic and Equinix.
Unlocking the Generative AI promise for Business presented by Elastic.
Optimize your spend through a digital infrastructure strategy presented by Equinix.

Equinix - world’s digital infrastructure company

12:30pm - 1:35pm

Networking Lunch

Pull up a chair and enjoy lunch with your new contacts, meet our sponsors and learn how their solutions can help you overcome your latest challenges.

1:35pm - 2:00pm

Securing the Future: Managing Cyber Risks in the Age of GenAI

GenAI lives in the cloud and Cloudflare protects many of the leading companies in the generative AI space from attack. Every day a staggering amount of traffic flows across the Cloudflare network destined for these companies and this provides a unique vantage point when it comes to observing global cyber threats in this era of AI. This presentation offers insights into how AI is being used as both an attack vector and a powerful defense mechanism. We’ll delve into how companies can enable employees to use AI safely, leverage AI for growth, and utilize AI to enhance cybersecurity. Drawing on Cloudflare’s experience, this talk will include an up-to-date look at the threat landscape and include actionable strategies for managing cyber risks in this rapidly evolving field.

Joh Engates - Field Chief Technology Officer at Cloudflare

John Engates, Field Chief Technology Officer, Cloudflare

Cloudflare - security, performance, and reliability company on a mission to help build a better Internet

Building and Implementing a Successful Cloud Right Strategy

The previous decision between public and private clouds has changed. Today many CIOs and IT Executives are implementing a Hybrid Multi-Cloud Strategy, join Nutanix Principal Cloud Architect, Joe Garvey, for a session on how to select and implement a Cloud Right Strategy.

Joe Garvey - Principal Architect at Nutanix

Joe Garvey, Principal Architect, Nutanix

Nutanix - makes infrastructure invisible, elevating IT to focus on the applications and services that power their business

2:05pm - 2:30pm

Exploring Private Cloud Deployment with the Okta Identity Cloud Platform

With the Okta Customer Identity cloud, you can deploy to the cloud, your way. For many enterprises, Okta’s public cloud deployment option delivers exactly what they need: a convenient, extensible, scalable, secure, and reliable Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) service to keep customer applications up and running. But sometimes when it comes to more complex development processes, region-specific regulatory hurdles, and high-performance needs — you may need something more. Join this session to understand what the Customer Identity Cloud platform with a private cloud deployment is, why it might work for your application and how it has benefited other Customer Identity Cloud customers.

Usman Khalid - Manager and Technical Account Management, Customer Success Management at Okta

Usman Khalid, Manager, Technical Account Management, Customer Success Management, Okta

Luis Santos, CIAM Specialist, Okta

Okta - leading independent identity provider

It’s Time to Rewrite the Script on Incident Response

We’ve seen this movie before. Ransomware strikes. The business goes dark. Yes, there is a Disaster Recovery plan, but it’s stored online and the servers can’t be accessed. Email is down and phones are dead. How long can your business survive? Having a plan is only part of the story. Putting it into practical application is another. In this session, we’ll share where we see companies missing the mark and discuss strategies that will help you rewrite the ending on this doomsday disaster scenario.

Harry Zarek - President & CEO at Compugen, Inc

Harry Zarek, President & CEO, Compugen

Compugen - Canada's only privately-owned and operated Technology Ally.

2:30pm - 2:50pm

Networking Break

Enjoy coffee and snacks in our exhibit area. Remember to visit our sponsors booth and learn how their solutions can help you overcome your latest challenges.

2:50pm - 3:35pm

Hosted Discussion Groups

Join in on one of our thematic table topics such as Emerging Technologies and Cost Efficiencies in Multi-Cloud Deployments, hosted by industry experts, and have a deep dive discussion with fellow peers and professionals.

Arista Networks - an industry leader in data-driven, client to cloud networking, campus and routing environments

3:35pm - 4:05pm

Navigating the Waves of Change: Leadership Strategies for an AI-Powered Future

As technology continues to disrupt industries and redefine business strategies, CIOs and technology leaders are facing the constant challenge of staying ahead of the curve. Visionary leadership has been a driving force behind harnessing innovation to create transformative change. Join us for a dynamic panel discussion that unearths leadership lessons to explore the emergence of tech innovation from the past and provides a roadmap for navigating the ever-changing waves of tech innovation. Discover how to transform challenges into opportunities and lead your organization towards a prosperous AI-powered future.

Jassi Kaur - Director of Information Technology & Security at Bulk Barn Foods Limited

Jassi Kaur, Director of Information Technology & Security, Bulk Barn Foods Limited

John Comacchio - Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Teknion Corporation

John Comacchio, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Teknion Corporation

Adam Ennamli - Chief Risk Officer at General Bank of Canada

Adam Ennamli, Chief Risk Officer, General Bank of Canada

Moderated by:

Michael Hainsworth - professional moderator for IDC and CIO events.

Michael Hainsworth, Contributing Editor, IDC & CIO, Foundry, formerly IDG Communications Inc.

4:05pm - 4:25pm

Optimizing your Digital Business with Cloud and GenAI

The closing keynote provides prescriptive insights as to how Canadian organizations can better optimize their digital business by leveraging transformative technologies such as cloud, automation and GenAI. Megha Kumar will share insights from her latest research on how these technologies can help optimize operations and be leveraged for a competitive edge. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a comprehensive view of the technological landscape that will shape the success of your organization in the digital age.

Megha Kumar - Research Vice President, Software and Cloud Services at IDC Canada

Megha Kumar, Research Vice President, Software and Cloud Services, IDC Canada

4:30pm - 5:00pm

Networking Reception

Wrap up the day with refreshments while making those final connections as part of your event experience.