Toronto’s Conference for Marketing Leaders

"Conversations Drive Decisions"
Blake Smith
Head of Mid Market Sales, Canada

The Business of Influence: Humanizing B2B
Sean McConnell
Sr. National Agency Development Lead, Canada

"Understanding Consumer Intent"
Alyza Keshavjee
Head of Consumer Insights & Executive Experiences

Meet Alyza: a team-building, strategy-shaping, insight-monetizing powerhouse. Right now, she's leading the charge at Google’s Canada Insights Team, turning consumer data into C-suite gold. With a Harvard MBA, stints at BCG and Manulife, Alyza is in the business of helping marketers understand the why before the what.

Driving Business Outcomes on TikTok
Speaker Bio: Nik Djukic Walker
Executive Director - Global Business Solutions

Nik Djukic-Walker is a seasoned leader in the digital media industry with over 17 years of experience driving digital innovation and excellence. Throughout his career, Nik has held pivotal roles across leading tech platforms and premium publishers, consistently helping businesses navigate the evolving digital landscape.

Panel: The Future of Digital Advertising: Choice and Control
Ana Tomas
Senior Marketing Manager

Marketing leader Ana Tomas has over a decade of experience managing top Canadian brands. Currently at Google, she helps businesses adopt AI-powered ad solutions, and previously led many of Canada’s most beloved brands at Johnson & Johnson. Passionate about education, Ana teaches at her alma mater York University's Schulich School of Business and serves on the Salvation Army National Advisory Board and the Digital Marketing Sector Council.

"The Alchemy of Effectiveness: A Focus on Canada"
Paul Tedesco
Volunteer Chair, Marketing Effectiveness Council

Paul has over 25 years of experience in building some of Canada's leading CRM, digital, data, and analytics agencies. With a focus on guiding customers through their journey to engagement and conversion, Paul leverages his extensive expertise in data-driven marketing and sales enablement. He has worked across both B2B and B2C sectors on high-profile accounts including VW, Samsung, Kraft, ScotiaBank, and McDonald's. In addition to his professional work, Paul is the Volunteer Chair of the Marketing Effectiveness Council and the author of the Focus on Canada report. He also teaches Data and Analytics at both the Schulich School of Business and The DeGroote School of Business as part of their MBA and EMBA programs.

"Values Marketing to a Society Divided"
Speaker Bio: Jessica Fralick

Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Reputation

Jessica is a Senior Vice President and Canadian head of Corporate Affairs for Zeno Group - a global integrated communications agency. She is an award winning strategist and communicator who has helped some of the worlds biggest brands mitigate the risks of marketing including adidas, Dove, Tylenol, Crest, Molson, WestJet, IKEA, and Kraft Heinz among others.

The New Rules of Marketing —Unlocking The Secret Framework That Top Brands Use to Drive Growth in an Over-Saturated World
Speaker Bio: Charlie Grinnell
Co-CEO

Charlie Grinnell has led digital at brands like Red Bull, Aritzia, and Arc'teryx. Nowadays he's the Co-CEO of marketing research startup, RightMetric—where he helps marketers unlock growth with audience, competitor, and content insights.

Adapting to the AI-Driven Search Revolution
Basil Hatto
SVP Product

Basil Hatto currently serves as NP Digital’s Senior Vice President of Product and Growth at NP Digital, where he spearheads agile product innovation using data and analytics to identify areas of monetization for Canadian clients. With over two decades of diverse leadership experience across media, startups, agencies, and tech organizations, Hatto has developed a distinctive approach to growth marketing, leveraging data science to uncover focus areas that fuel upward growth and revenue for Canadian brands. Prior to NP Digital, Hatto held key positions such as VP of Data Science, Audience & Analytics at Postmedia and SVP of Product and Strategy at iProspect.

Panel: The Future of Digital Advertising: Choice and Control

Vince Simone

Head of DSP Sales

Vince Simone is the Head of DSP Sales at Yahoo where he works closely with Canada's top agencies and brands, helping them achieve their marketing goals. A seasoned advertising professional with over 25 years of experience, Vince has a strong background in programmatic advertising, spending the last 11 years at Yahoo Canada. In this role, Vince helps promote Yahoo's advanced programmatic advertising platform, offering comprehensive tools and solutions that cover the entire programmatic process—from planning and insights to buying, optimization, and measurement.

Thriving in the Comment Section: Mastering Social Media Engagement in a Complex Atmosphere
Speaker Bio: Jake MacDonald
Social Media Advisor

When Jake MacDonald jumped from journalism to marketing, he thought social media management was something you did off the side of your desk. That all changed when he started working for Trailer Park Boys, where he managed an unruly social media following in the millions. He now works for the Government of Nova Scotia, where he does the same job using far fewer swear words.

Email Marketing: Foundations, Compliance, and Strategy to Perform

Geoffrey Blanc

General Manager

With 18 years of expertise in digital transformation, Geoffrey has mastered everything from e-commerce to ERP implementation. Now, as General Manager of Cyberimpact, he drives the email marketing platform's growth through strategic vision and hands-on leadership.

From Legal Headache to Marketing Edge: Rethinking Privacy Compliance
Speaker Bio: Maxime Bellemard
Account Executive

From Legal Headache to Marketing Edge: Rethinking Privacy Compliance
Speaker Bio: Maxime Bellemard
Account Executive

Maxime is Account Executive for Axeptio in Canada. With an initial background in web development, he has a strong passion for digital technologies. Over the past three years, he has focused on marketing solutions, allowing him to combine innovation, strategy, and regulatory compliance to help businesses achieve sustainable growth.

Maximize Your Social Media Impact: The Power of Benchmarks
Mutesi Ntazinda
Senior Director, Digital Marketing and Strategy at Zavy (a DCM Company)

Mutesi specializes in client-centric strategies that connect products with people. She leads Zavy’s expansion into North America, bringing over a decade of experience in marketing at Pinterest, LinkedIn, and social analytics platforms.

"Overcome the Scarcity of Earned Media: How to Make the Most of a Great Story"

Speaker Bio: Lana Rogers

CEO

Leading with signature drive and all heart, Lana Rogers has been immersed in the marketing and public relations industry for almost two decades. As the Founder of Gentle Lion Communications, Lana is known for redefining the communications model and bids farewell to formalities and best-kept industry secrets. Lana works closely with a number of Canada’s top unorthodox brands to achieve autonomy, self-reliance and significant brand recognition.

Build Your Legacy
Driscoll Reid
Chief Creative Officer

Driscoll Reid is a visionary creative leader with over twenty years of experience spanning both agency and client roles. Currently serving as Chief Creative Officer at Cossette, he has cultivated a distinguished career with key positions at Airbnb, Wieden+Kennedy in Portland and Tokyo, TBWA Chiat/Day, and Sid Lee. Known for his innovative approach, Driscoll has collaborated with major brands like Apple and Doordash, guiding diverse client portfolios towards impactful creative solutions.

Once the Ink Dries: Activating Partnerships for Community Impact
Speaker Bio: Nithya Ramachandran

President & CSO

Nithya is President & CSO at T1, a full-stack sponsorship marketing agency, where she leads with a focus on collaboration, community impact, and strategic growth. With a passion for supporting equity-deserving communities, she advocates for people-centered leadership and champions practical strategies to empower underestimated leaders. Nithya’s leadership philosophy is rooted in courage and community, fostering impactful change and meaningful connections within her team and across the sponsorship industry. Known for her authenticity and expertise, she combines deep industry knowledge with a drive to create positive, lasting impact.

Building a High-Impact Influencer Marketing Strategy
Speaker Bio: Shawn Downey
Vice President of Sales

Leading the charge in strategic partnerships, Shawn contributes to the platform's growth by fostering key relationships with the company’s brand and agency partners.

His extensive experience in media and tech-based sales drives Embold's pioneering efforts in influencer marketing.

Today, he will share valuable insights on crafting impactful influencer strategies for 2025.

"Cockroaching It Out: A Founder's Guide to Surviving in 2025"
Sarah Stockdale
Founder

Sarah Stockdale is the Founder of Growclass, an award-winning Growth Marketing Certification and large, global community of Founders and Marketers. Before founding Growclass Sarah led growth teams for Tilt (acq by Airbnb) and Wave (acq in one of the largest Canadian exits of all time, by H&R Block). Sarah is also the Host of The Growth Effect, a Globe and Mail podcast, and the Author of the popular millennial newsletter We Need To Talk About This.

Get Real with AI
Speaker Bio: Brian Schwartz
Partner

Brian Schwartz is a seasoned marketing consultant at Monks, where he advises industry leaders on navigating the AI economy. Brian believes the tide of transformation is already in motion toward agentic AI, and that organizations should become skilled sailors of this shift—prioritizing people, strategy, creativity, and empathy.

"The Art And Science of Behaviour"
Speaker Bio: Ben Wise
Co-Founder

Ben Wise is a 15 year advertising industry veteran who has held successive sales and leadership roles at Google, where he is currently the Head of Programmatic Media. Ben is active in his community where he serves on the Board of the Daily Bread Food Bank and advises multiple startups on sales and go to market strategy.

"The Art And Science of Behaviour"
Speaker Bio: Darren Chiu
Co-Founder

Darren is a Strategy Lead at Google, helping brands across all industries develop best in class marketing strategies. With over 12 years of industry experience, Darren’s passion for communication doesn’t stop at the world of business and sales. In his spare time, Darren moonlights as a comedic storyteller, stretching his creativity and perspectives beyond the boundaries of his professional life. As a recognition of his dedication and expertise, Darren was selected as an Emerging Leader in Advertising & Sales by The Peak in 2023.

Turn Followers into Advocates Through Community-Led Marketing
Speaker Bio: Joe Teo
CEO and co-founder

Joe Teo is the CEO and co-founder of HeyOrca, a social media management platform helping teams and agencies build thriving communities. He’s also a "dad-in-training" to two young kids, navigating the beautiful chaos of business and family life in Newfoundland.

Panel: The Future of Digital Advertising: Choice and Control
Saad Uddin
CEO

Saad Uddin is the CEO of Native Touch, a 14 year old advertising technology firm and Candy Banners, a creative production studio. He's an active angel investor, investing in anything media or tech related. With over 15 years in the digital media space, his focus is on supporting his team and Native Touch's partners succeed in the mobile advertising space.