MARCH 28, 2017 – DOWNTOWN TORONTO
IDC Directions 2017 Canada brings together Canadian ICT partners, vendors, end-users and industry experts to explore the most pervasive and meaningful technology developments and trends currently influencing digital transformation in Canada. Hear from IDC’s brightest local and global analysts regarding emerging market trends, opportunities, areas of risk, and predictions on the vendors, products, and strategies best-positioned for growth in Canada.
Directions 2017 further explores the biggest story of our time: the continuing emergence and evolution of the 3rd Platform and the digital transformation (DX) marketplace. Network and learn with colleagues and potential business partners, and arm yourself with market intelligence and expert guidance that will help you identify and optimize growth opportunities for your organization.
DoubleTree By Hilton
108 Chestnut Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G1R3
All day conference
ITAC/CIOCAN Members – $150 + HST
Non Members – $175 + HST
Topics to be explored include:
Tech Industry Redefined: The Rise of the DX Economy
IDC’s Chief Analyst and SVP, Frank Gens will share IDC’s vision for the DX economy, the “digital native” enterprise, and the changing tech industry landscape. He’ll cover the most important 3rd Platform technologies driving the DX economy, the next technology revolution — the 4th Platform — emerging on the horizon, and the financial impact 3rd (and 4th) Platform technologies and digital transformation will have on the global economy, Canada and every industry.
Driving DX in Canadian Enterprise
Over the past 12-18 months, many organizations have initiated their digital transformation strategies and are already receiving financial and business benefits. But it is a long journey, and most organizations in Canada are still asking key questions. IDC Canada’s GVP of Research, Tony Olvet will in this session draw from recently completed research to discuss where Canadian businesses are on their DX journey, what best practices exist to accelerate digital transformation, and how vendors can support innovation strategies.
Omni-Experience Transformation: Redefining the Customer Experience
Unprecedented digital disruption is forcing organizations that deal with customers and citizens to reevaluate business models, processes, people and technology strategies. As Vice President for IDC Retail Insights, Leslie Hand is ideally positioned to discuss how Omni-Experience transformation will require leadership to explore new business, risk and return metrics, reallocation of funding, and more assertive use of data analytics to provide a compelling and differentiated customer experience.
Cognitive Computing & AI Adoption in Enterprises
Applications based on artificial intelligence, deep learning, and cognitive computing are enhancing and transforming business processes, augmenting knowledge worker skills, and producing recommendations and predictions. Join IDC Canada’s Director of Software Research, Mira Perry to discuss the trends in cognitive/AI systems and discuss the adoption characteristics of enterprises that are using these technologies to create competitive advantage in Canada.
AR/VR & Ambient Computing: Charting the Impact on Business
Augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR), and Ambient Computing technologies are set to change the way humans interact with both the digital and the physical worlds in a profound way, and in the process, will herald massive changes in business. Join IDC Canada’s Research VP for Mobility, JP Bouchard as he explores the current status of the AR/VR and Ambient Computing markets and today’s key players, platforms, technologies, early success stories and expected impact on business.
CIO and ICT Executive Priorities: A Panel Discussion
As IT executives struggle with timely responses to new and escalating requirements for competency and speed in creating digital capabilities, IT organizations are recognizing the urgency for a new IT leadership model. Moderated by ITWC’s Jim Love, our panel of distinguished CIOs will explore how effective leaders are digitally transforming their organizations to create new value with technology. This session will identify the new priorities for business leaders driving digital transformation and what IT industry leaders need to do to make these initiatives a reality inside their organizations.
Moderator Jim Love, CIO & Chief Content Officer, ITWC
Jim Love is an IT leader, consultant, writer and Internet journalist with 35 years’ experience across a variety of business and industry verticals. Jim has worked as an executive and a consultant for many large companies in Canada and internationally. Currently he is the CIO & Chief Content Officer at ITWC – Publisher of CanadianCIO, Computer Dealer News (CDN), Computing Canada, Direction Informatique (DI), ITWorldCanada.com and ITBusiness.ca – and the leading provider of IT related events in Canada.
Dan Donovan
Technology and Cloud Strategy Consultant
Former VP, Technology, Porter Airlines
Dan is an experienced, entrepreneurial Technology leader. He has played CTO-level roles at a number of growth companies, including VC-funded 360incentives.com (now 360 Insights), and most recently, lead the Technology team at Porter Airlines. He is currently consulting with a number of companies, focused on how to effectively develop and deliver software and IT services using cloud infrastructure.”
Steve Heck
Global IT Director, Microsoft IT
In a business that is all about enabling the potential of others through the power of IT, Steve Heck is tasked with driving the effectiveness of the Microsoft IT organization by building a culture of collaboration to deliver business value.
Steve’s efforts proved that IT delivers better results when complementary skills are brought together and focused on creating business value. To scale the impact of this capability, Steve was given a global mandate to drive a culture of collaboration across Microsoft’s corporate and field IT organizations. As an active Board Member of the CIO Association of Canada and President of the Toronto Chapter, Steve facilitates networking & sharing among the IT Leader community and advocates for issues facing IT Executives. He is also Board Member for the Mississauga-Halton Community Care Access Centre.
Samantha Liscio, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Planning & Reporting, eHealth Ontario
Samantha is the SVP of Enterprise Reporting and Planning with eHealth Ontario, the agency accountable for the provincial electronic health record in Ontario. In her role at eHealth she manages stakeholder and clinical engagement across the sector and plans and reports on progress in the delivery of the electronic health record to the clinicians in Ontario.
Prior to joining eHealth, Samantha was a managing director with Accenture, and led the Enterprise Architecture and Application Strategy practice for Health in North America, helping clients address business imperatives of improved agility and customer-centricity while reducing costs. Samantha spent over 12 years in the Ontario Public Service, as both a CIO and as the Corporate Chief Strategist.
Samantha has been a member of the Board of Directors of the CIO Association of Canada and the Institute for Citizen Centred Service, has contributed articles to IT industry publications and has spoken nationally and internationally on topics such as cloud computing, big data and analytics, open data and shared services. She volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors and is the current Board Chair for Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre.
Shawn Slack, MBA Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Shawn Slack is the Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for the City of Mississauga.
Early in his career with the City of Mississauga, he led the vision and plan to provide all City services online. He also oversaw the implementation of the City’s first Customer Service Strategy which transformed customer service across all channels including internet, phone and counters as well as the implementation of 311.
Currently, Shawn is engaged in many great Smart City initiatives guided by the City’s IT Master Plan endorsed by Council in 2015 which focusses on Fostering Open and Accessible Government, Enabling Decisions through Research & Analytics, Creating a Connected & Engaged Workplace and Improving Services through Innovation & Partnerships.
