In a world defined by rapid technological disruption, economic volatility, and global uncertainty, optimism is a strategic advantage. Technology is no longer just transforming industries—it’s creating entirely new markets, new leadership models, and unprecedented opportunities for those bold enough to seize them.
Stay ahead of the curve with the University of Waterloo’s Tech Horizons Executive Forum, brought to you by WatSPEED and hosted by CIBC. This exclusive, one-day event brings together global leaders, innovators, and policymakers to explore how technology and human ingenuity are driving resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.
Through inspiring keynotes, thought-provoking panels, and interactive sessions with economic visionaries, technology pioneers, and business strategists, Tech Horizons delivers a new playbook for modern leadership—one that transforms uncertainty into opportunity and insights into action.
You’ll also hear directly from some of the brightest minds at the University of Waterloo as they reveal how cutting-edge research is shaping the future of business, technology, and innovation.
Key themes
- Technology as a driver of strategic growth: How can leaders harness emerging technologies—not just to navigate uncertainty, but to unlock growth, enter new markets, and future-proof their organizations?
- Lessons in reinvention: What can we learn from industries that faced massive disruption and came back stronger? Explore how agility, reinvention, and customer-centric strategies can drive resilience across sectors.
- Competing globally and the innovation imperative: As global competition accelerates, Canada’s competitiveness hinges on bold leadership—scaling innovation, investing in talent, forging global partnerships, and adopting new tech.
Join us in Toronto for the executive event of the year
| Date | November 10, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time |
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET |
| Location |
CIBC Square |
Featured speakers
Frank Baylis
Executive Chairman of the Board, Baylis Medical Technologies
Christian Exshaw
Group Head, CIBC Capital Markets
Linda Hasenfratz
CEO and Executive Chair, Linamar
Durga Kota
Chief Technology Officer, Americas Region, Fujitsu North America, Inc.
Rex Lee
CITO, Canadian Tire Corporation
Matt Lyteson
CIO, Technology Platforms, IBM
Farhan Thawar
VP and Head of Engineering, Shopify
Host sponsor
Signature partner
Presenting partner
Event and speaking partners
It was a privilege to have attended the recent Tech Horizon Executive Forum. It was an enlightening and thought-provoking event that reflected upon the current state of the Canadian AI landscape.
Wow – what an incredible day! The room was filled with engaging and transformative conversations as we explored the future of technology and leadership at the Tech Horizons Executive Forum.
We attend a lot of events like this, and it’s often the same basic messages repeated. This one stood out — it was truly different. The depth of information shared, the relevance and application to real-world challenges, and the strategic, high-calibre expertise offered actionable insights. It was a refreshing and valuable experience, at a much higher level than the norm.
Past Tech Horizons speakers include:
Bruce Flatt
CEO, Brookfield Asset Management
Claudette McGowan
CEO, Protexxa Inc.
Dave McKay
President, RBC
Jodie Wallis
Global Chief Analytics Officer, Manulife
John Weigelt
Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Canada
Kim Watson
Former President and Managing Director, Wipro Solutions Canada Limited
Manav Gupta
Vice-President, Technical Sales and CTO, IBM Canada
Mellody Hobson
Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments
Michael Chui
Senior Fellow, McKinsey and Company
Nicole Janssen
Co-founder and Co-CEO, AltaML
Sam Altman
CEO, OpenAI
Victor Dodig
President and CEO, CIBC
Past Tech Horizons partners include:
Thank you for convening such an excellent and essential discussion. Panellists provided important context on the use of AI and digital transformation across the economy.
Such an honour to be a part of this outstanding event with an incredible line-up of speakers! I strongly suggest signing up for the next one!
It was a pleasure partnering with Tech Horizons this year. The program was outstanding, filled with world-class industry and thought leaders... Congratulations to the entire WatSPEED team. You created a must-attend event.
You won't want to miss this award-winning executive event
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)