8:15 a.m.
Shuttle to Kanata North Campus
Departs from the . Please be present at the location 15 minutes before the departure.
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Industry Day Program
Director, Innovation and Partnerships | uOttawa Kanata North Campus, University of Ottawa
Industry Day agenda
8:30 a.m.
Registration
Registration and check-in for Industry Day participants.
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9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Welcome remarks from community and institutional leaders to open PST 2026 Industry Day and set the stage for a full day of discussion on privacy, security, trust, innovation, and Canada’s cyber resilience agenda.
- Dr. Vio Onut Industry Day Co-Chair — Associate Partner, Cyber Strategy and Risk, IBM, Canada
- Dr. Guy-Vincent Jourdan Industry Day Co-Chair — Professor, University of Ottawa, Canada
- Sean D. Geddes Director, Innovation and Partnerships, University of Ottawa Kanata North Campus
- Dr. Alexandre Poulain Interim Associate Vice-President, Innovation, Partnerships & Entrepreneurship, and Full Professor of Biology, University of Ottawa
- Tom West Director General, Information Assurance Futures, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Panel
Cybersecurity in the Age of AI-Driven Threats (Frontier Models)
Frontier AI models are reshaping both the threat landscape and the defensive toolkit for cybersecurity teams. This panel will explore how generative AI, autonomous agents, secure software development, data protection, and AI governance are changing cyber risk, and how organizations can prepare for faster-moving attacks while building trustworthy, resilient digital systems.
Panelists
- Simon Llewellyn Director of Cyber Security Guidance, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
- Peter Smetny STVP & Field CTO, Systems Engineering, Fortinet
- Jeff Williams Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Contrast Security
- Esha Mallya VP of Security and CISO, Fullscript
Moderator
- Khaled Hawasli Data & Application Security Consulting, Associate Partner, IBM Canada
10:30 a.m.
10:40 a.m.
Networking Break
A short break for networking, informal discussion, and transition between sessions.
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10:40 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
Industry Spotlight
Securing the Frontier: Building Enterprise Cyber Resilience in the Age of Agentic AI and Large-Scale Frontier Models. This session explores the cybersecurity implications of frontier AI and highlights key strategies for strengthening organizational resilience.
- Peter Smetny STVP & Field CTO, Systems Engineering, Fortinet
11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
Research and Innovation Spotlight
A fast-paced showcase of leading Canadian cybersecurity, privacy, policy, and technology research. Researchers will present concise perspectives on their programs, emerging findings, and opportunities for collaboration between academia, industry, and government.
- Dr. Lionel Briand Professor of Software Engineering, University of Ottawa; Lero Centre – Research Ireland; Director of Lero
- Dr. Leah West Associate Professor, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University; Co-Director, Canadian Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence; Senior Fellow, CIGI
11:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
Panel
Canada First: Defending the Digital Frontline
Canada’s digital security depends on trusted collaboration across government, defence, telecommunications, research, finance, nuclear, and critical infrastructure communities. This panel will examine how Canada can strengthen national cyber readiness, protect essential services, and align public- and private-sector capabilities against an increasingly complex threat environment.
Panelists
- Gary Miller Vice President, Cybersecurity Programs and Services, CANARIE
- Simon Llewellyn Director of Cyber Security Guidance, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
- Daniel Blanc CEO, Wisdom GS; Director-General, INCYBER Forum Canada, Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst
- Ashif Chakkantakath Senior OT Cybersecurity Architect, Siemens
Moderator
- Parul Khanna Global Data Security Leader, WSP
12:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
Lunch Break
Lunch and informal discussions.
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1:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
Panel
Quantum Implications for Cybersecurity
Quantum technologies are moving from theory toward operational impact, with major implications for cryptography, identity, data protection, and long-term national security. This session will explore post-quantum cryptography, quantum-safe migration, governance, policy, and Canada’s opportunity to lead in building trusted, future-ready digital infrastructure.
Panelists
- Dr. Walid Rjaibi IBM Distinguished Engineer and Chief Architect for Quantum Safe, IBM Research
- Dr. Atty Mashatan Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair, and Founding Director, Cybersecurity Research Lab, Toronto Metropolitan University
- Andrea Simpson Senior Director of Cryptographic Research, Engagement & Standards, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
Moderator
- Victoria McGlone VP Partnerships, DataStealth
2:30 p.m.
3:15 p.m.
Break
Networking and transition break.
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3:15 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
Rotating Working Groups
B2B Working Groups: Industry and Researchers (3rd Floor)
Parallel small-group working sessions will bring together industry leaders, researchers, funders, and public-sector stakeholders to identify practical collaboration opportunities. Discussions will focus on critical infrastructure cybersecurity, quantum governance and policy, funding pathways, talent and workforce development, and the shift from competition to collaboration in Canada’s AI and digital infrastructure ecosystem. We will also include informal demonstrations at the Smart Connected Vehicles Innovation Centre highlighting applied research, connected systems, and opportunities for industry-academic collaboration.
Station 1: From Competition to Collaboration: Building the Future of AI and Digital Infrastructure
- Mark Wolff Chief Technology Officer, CANARIE
- Michel-Ange Zamor Chief Technology Officer, Stratos Cyber Inc
- Sean D. Geddes Director, Innovation and Partnerships, University of Ottawa Kanata North Campus
Station 2: Funding Opportunities
- Dr. Steve Mohr Manager, Research and Technology Partnerships Directorate, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Dr. Randy Ringuette Business Development & Commercialization Manager, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)
- Dr. Chris Lannon Director, Strategic Partnerships, Mitacs
Station 3: Informal Demonstrations
- Dr. Burak Kantarci Professor and University Research Chair in AI-Enabled Secure Networking for Smart Critical Infrastructures; Founding Director, Smart Connected Vehicles Innovation Centre, University of Ottawa
3:30 p.m.
Shuttle to Kanata North Campus
Departs from the . Please be present at the location 15 minutes before the departure.
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4:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks & Reception
Closing reception and networking opportunity for speakers, participants, sponsors, researchers, and partners.
- Dr. Ali Ghorbani General Co-Chair — Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity & Founding Director of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity, University of New Brunswick, Canada
- Dr. Paria Shirani General Co-Chair — Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa, Canada
6:30 p.m.
Return Downtown
Shuttle buses will be provided for return transportation downtown. Please be present at the location 15 minutes before the departure.
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