What to expect
Roundtable: A Framework for Innovation (Toronto)
CIOs routinely put innovation high on their list of priorities for both the company and the IT organization, but there is little consensus around a definition of innovation. It means different things to different people – CIOs especially, considering the highly diverse nature or their businesses and organizational structures.
In an effort to bring clarity to this sometimes murky area, The IT Media Group brought together 20 IT executives from the Greater Toronto Area for its Master Series CIO Roundtable “A Framework for Innovation”, which took place in Toronto on April 6, 2017. Sponsor for the session was Salesforce, with Chris Makkreel, Head of Solution Engineering, adding a variety of insights to the discussion. The moderator was John Pickett, VP, Executive Programs, for the IT Media Group.
Roundtable: CIO Essentials for Digital Transformation
On December 9, 2016, 17 IT executives from the Toronto area gathered for another of The IT Media’s Group’s highly regarded Master Series Roundtables, this one entitled “CIO Essentials to Digital Transformation”. This very interactive discussion was moderated by Jeff Ishii, ITMG’s Chief Technologist, and sponsored by Salesforce, represented at the table by Chris Makkreel, Head of Solution Engineering.
Digital Transformation supports the technology innovation agenda of a company’s business strategy. CIOs need to understand the benefits that can be realized for their industry and communicate those benefits effectively to their business partners.
Roundtable: Winning the IT Talent Wars (Calgary)
Despite the economic downturn in the oil patch, managing talent remains very important. Furthermore, as businesses rationalize their cost structures around $50 oil, reducing budgets and innovating are also top concerns. In order to balance these priorities, IT organizations must implement ways to add business value, while managing changing skill sets, vendor relationships, and new application requirements. It is a difficult task for any business.
The IT Media Group’s CIO Master Series Roundtable, ‘Winning the IT Talent Wars’, held October 27, 2016 in Calgary, brought together IT executives from a variety of Calgary-area organizations to explore these issues and many others related to talent management.
The private session was organized by leading Canadian IT events producer The IT Media Group and moderated by its VP Executive Programs, John Pickett. Sponsor for the roundtable was Salesforce, represented at the table by Chris Makkreel, Head of Solution Engineering.
Roundtable: IoT in a Customer-centric World (Toronto)
There’s a lot of talk about the Internet of Things (IoT) these days, but how are companies preparing for it, what are the IoT issues that concern them, and where are they when it comes to putting IoT data to work for the organization? These and several other important questions were discussed at the CIO Master Series Roundtable, IoT in a Customer-centric World, held September 22, 2016 in Toronto, and attended by 15 IT executives from a variety of public- and private-sector organizations in the Greater Toronto Area.
The private session was organized by leading Canadian IT events producer The IT Media Group and moderated by its VP Executive Programs, John Pickett. Sponsor for the roundtable was Salesforce, represented at the table by Chris Makkreel, Head of Solution Engineering.
Roundtable: Winning the IT Talent Wars (Toronto)
On April 28, 2016, The IT Media Group hosted its CIO Master Series roundtable “Winning the IT Talent Wars” in Toronto, attended by 13 IT executives from the private and public sector. John Pickett, IT Media Group VP Executive Programs, moderated the discussion, while Chris Makkreel, Head of Solution Engineering, represented event sponsor Salesforce.
All of the executives at the table acknowledged the challenges they face in attracting and retaining skilled employees, and all shared excellent ideas and insights around dealing with the many issues impacting HR.
The conversation covered a wide range of topics including: finding and developing people with a blend of technical and soft skills; understanding employees and giving them feedback; the importance of training and mentoring; creating a culture in which it is okay to fail;
Roundtable: Priorities for Surviving and Thriving in Lean Times (Calgary)
On April 7, 2016, The IT Media Group travelled to Calgary, where it hosted 13 IT executives, most of them from the oil and gas sector, at its CIO Master Series roundtable, “CIO Priorities to Survive and Thrive in Lean Times”.
John Pickett, IT Media Group VP Executive Programs, moderated the discussion, while Chris Makkreel, Head of Solution Engineering, represented event sponsor Salesforce.
While oil patch IT organizations have often had relatively smooth sailing in the face of Canadian economic downturns, this time around they have been hit hard due to the steep decline in oil prices. This session explored strategies IT leaders are taking to minimize the impact of these sizeable cutbacks.
More Articles...
CIO Roundtables: Value of Participation and Sponsorship
Paul Lewis, CTO, Americas at Hitachi Vantara describes the value of participating in and sponsoring CIO Roundtables.
Past Attendees
ADP - VP Architecture & Infrastructure
AESO - VP, Information Technology
Agnico Eagle Mines - VP, IT
Agrium - Global Mgr., IT Security
Agrium - Senior Director IT Shared Services
Aimia - SVP & Global CIO
Ainsworth Engineered - Director IT
Air Canada Vacations - Director IT
Alberta Energy Regulator - Director, Office of the CIO
Anthem Properties - VP IS
AON Risk Solutions Canada - Head of IT
Aviva Canada - VP, Architecture & Strategy
Bank of America Merrill Lynch - CTO
BC Ferry Services - VP & CIO
Bell Business Markets - Director, Strategy & Planning
Bell Canada - National Director, Digital Transformation
Bellatrix Exploration - Director, Information Technology
Bentall Kennedy - VP IT
Black Press - CTO
BlackBerry - VP Corporate IT
BMO Financial Group - Head of Services Delivery
Bombardier Aerospace - CISO
Bonavista Petroleum - Head of IT
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP - Global CIO
Bow Valley College - Director, IT Services
Bridgewater Bank - Head of IT
BuildDirect - VP IT
Bulk Barn - Head, IT
Burnco - CIO
Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec - VP, IT Planning, Architecture, Governance, Operations
Calfrac Well Services - Head of IT
Canada Mortgage and Housing - VP, Information & Technology
Canadian Depository for Securities - CIO
Canadian Direct Insurance - CTO
Canadian Payments Association - VP & CIO
Canucks Sports - Head of IT
Capgemini - Service Delivery Director
CAPREIT - CIO
Cardel Homes - VP MIS
Cargojet - CIO
CCS Corp. - VP IT
CDSPI - Board Director
Centerra Gold - Director IT & Comm
CIBC - Senior Director, Infrastructure Planning & Engineering
CIBC - SVP & CIO, Retail and Business Banking Technology
CIBC Mellon - AVP, Enterprise Architecture
CIBC Mellon - SVP & CIO
Cineplex Entertainment - CTO
City of Brampton - Senior Manager, IT Architecture & Planning
City of Richmond Hill - CIO
City of Toronto - Director of Strategic Planning & Architecture
CN Rail Service - Chief Information Security Officer
Coast Capital Savings - VP Technology
Concordia University - AVP & CIO
Crescent Point Energy - Head of IT
Dairy Farmers of Ontario - Head of IT and Administration
Dale Parizeau Morris Mackenzie - VP, IT
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP - Director, Information Technology
DealerTrack Canada - Director, Technology
Defence Construction Canada - Corporate Manager, IT
Deloitte - Director, Risk Advisory
Dentons - Canada CIO
Devon Energy - Director, Integrated Business Services
Direct Cash - VP IT & Security
Dynamic Tire Corp - CIO
D+H Partnership - VP, Head of Canadian Mortgage Technology
eHealth - EVP, Technology
eHealth Ontario - VP, IT Systems & Services
Encana - Director, InfoSec
Enbridge Inc. - VP, Technology and Information Services
Enerflex - CIO
Enerplus - VP. IS
ENMAX - VP, IT & PMO
Equity Financial Trust - VP, IT
Essential Energy Services - Director, IT
Expedia Cruise Ship Centers - VP IS
FGL Sports - VP, Information Technology
Finastra - SVP, Head Technology Managed Services
Fix Auto Canada - COO & SVP
Flightnetwork.com - CIO
Freedom Mobile - Head, Customer Applications, Experience, & Strategy
FT Services - CIO
FundServ - CIO
Genus Capital Management - CTO
Genworth Financial Inc. - VP IT
Golder Associates - CTO
Gran Tierra Energy - Director IT
Grant Thornton LLP - CIO
Greenwin Inc - VP, Information Technology
Groupe Dynamite - Director, IT
GSK Canada - IT Director
GTAA - Acting CIO
H&R Block Canada - VP IT
Haventree Bank - VP, Technology
Hewitt Equipment Ltd. - VP & CIO
Hitachi Vantara - GVP & Global CTO
Home Trust Company - CIO
Home Trust Company - CTO
Home Trust Company - VP & CISO
Horizon North Logistics - CIO
IBM Canada - Associate Partner, Payments Industry
Indigo Books and Music - CIO
ivari - SVP & CIO
JP Morgan Chase Canada - Executive Director, Information Risk Management
Keyera Energy - Director, Information Technology
KnowledgeOne - CIO
LaFarge Canada - Director, IT
Landmark Cinemas Canada - VP, IT
LCBO - Director, Applications Systems
LCBO - SVP & CIO
Leisureworld Senior Care Corp - VP IS
Lightstream Resources - Head, Information Services
London Drugs - GM IT
Loto-Quebec - Corporate Director, InfoSec
Magna International Inc - VP & Global Leader, IT (CIO)
Manulife - Global Head of Private Markets & Real Estate Technology
March Networks - VP Professional Services & CIO
MaRS Discovery District - Managing Director, Fintech and Commerce
McCain Foods Limited - Manager InfoSec
McInnis Cement - Director of Information Technology
Medical Pharmacies Group - VP, Information Technology
MEG Energy - Manager, Information Technology Solutions & Services
MMM Group - CIO
Montreal Police Service - CIO
Morguard Investments - CIO
Moulding & Millwork - CIO
National Bank of Canada - Information Security Officer
National Capital Commission - Chief, IT infrastructure & Support Services
NHL Players' Association - Head, Security & Technology
Northbridge Financial Corp - CIO
OEC Group Canada - Vice President, Information Technology and Client solutions
Oildex - VP, Architecture & Infrastructure
Olympia Financial Group - CIO
OMERS - EVP, Data & Technology
OMERS - SVP IT
Ontario Pension Board - CTO
Ontario Trillium Foundation - CIO
Osum Oil Sands Corp - Manager, IS
Ottawa Police Service - CIO
Pacific Western Transportation - CIO
Packers Plus - Global IT Director
Pason Systems - Manager, Digital Communications & Corporate IT
Patient News - CTO
Peel District School Board - CIO
Pengrowth Corp - Director IS
Penn West Exploration - Snr. Manager, IT Operations
Peterson Investment Group - Head of IT
PFB Corp. - CIO
Pizza Pizza - CIO & VP, IT
Precision Drilling - VP, IT
Precision Drilling - Director, IT Infrastructure & Security
PSP Investments - Snr. Director, Internal Audit & Business Infosec
Public Works and Government Services Canada - Director, IT Security Directorate
PwC - Managing Director, Real Estate Technology Advisory
Qantas - Global CIO
Queen's University - Director, Information Technology
RBC Royal Bank - Head of Application Security, Data Protection & Security Consulting
Regal Lifestyle Communities - CIO
Revera Inc. - CIO
Revera Inc. - Security Architect
Ricoh Canada - VP,IT
RioCan Property Services - VP IT
Roche - Head of IT Americas – Operations
Rogers Communications - SVP, Customer Experience IT
ROM - CIO
Russel Metals - VP,IS
Scotiabank - Head, Systems Architecture & Platform Modernization
Scotiabank - VP - International Systems Technology
Scotiabank - Head, System Architecture & Platform Modernization
Scotiabank - Global Head, GBM Compliance & Transformation
Sears Canada - Divisional VP, Information Technology Services
Secure Energy Services - GM, IT
Shaw - Head, Customer Applications, Experience, & Strategy
Shaw Communications - VP, Technology Operations
Shaw Communications - Director, Risk Management
SMART Technologies - Director, IS Corporate Services
Smartcentres - Director IS, IT
SmartOne Solutions - President & CIO
Societe de Transport de Montreal - Division Head - Security and Compliance
Street Capital Financial - CIO
Sun Life Financial - AVP, Data & Business Intelligence Services
Sun Life Financial - VP Application Ops & Services
Suncor Energy Inc. - Director, Application Portfolio Optimization, I&PM, Business Services
Symcor - CTO, VP Technology Services
Talisman Energy - SVP IT & Business Services
TD Bank - Enterprise Architect
Teknion - SVP, CIO
TELUS - Chief Security Architect
Tervita Corporation - VP, Information Technology
The Hudsons Bay Company - VP Technology
The Hudson's Bay Company - SVP & CIO
The Source - VP, Information Technology
TMX Group - CISO & Global Head of Infrastructure Services
Toromont Industries - VP & CIO
Toronto District School Board - Chief Technology Officer
Toronto Hospital for Sick Children - Director of Technology
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) - Chief Enterprise Architect
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) - CIO
Toyota Canada - National Manager, IS
Transamerica Life Canada - CIO
Trican Well Services Ltd. - Director, Business Information Systems
Tridel Corporation - CIO
Trillium Health Partners - IT Director, Applications & Clinical Informatics
UFA Cooperative - VP & CIO
University of Calgary - Executive Director, Development Services
University of Ottawa - CIO
University of Ottawa - Senior Director IT Services & Infrastructure
University of Toronto - Director, Centre for Management & Technology
University of Waterloo - Director, Technology Entrepreneurship
Vancity - VP Technology & Solutions
Viterra - Director Enterprise Technology
Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company - Director of Innovation Outpost
World Health - Director IT
Wolseley Canada - CIO & COO
Yellow Pages Group - Director - Enterprise Data Management
York Region District School Board - CIO
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Fear is normal and something we all experience, but if we don’t stand up to fearful thoughts on repeat, we become paralyzed by fear. In this article, I want to talk about what fear is, why it stops us from taking action—especially at work—and how to flip fear on its head so we can move forward instead of feeling stuck.
If you ever get a chance, I HIGHLY recommend talking to people.
I didn’t go to Vegas looking for the next big thing. I went as a Canadian media delegate to attend 
I recently had the opportunity to participate at 
At 
The manufacturing world is putting on a new face, and the makeover it is receiving from powerful new technologies has the potential to help Canada reaffirm its position as one of the world’s leading manufacturing nations and win back work that has migrated to low-cost countries.
The challenge for CIOs is that IT has long been the neglected child of the Canadian oil and gas industry, not much understood or valued by senior management and left out in the cold with respect to corporate strategy. Now CIOs must find a way of making their voices heard in order to ensure that their companies take the right steps along their digital journey, and they must change the corporate perception of IT from cost centre to cost reducer and revenue generator.
