FutureIT Calgary 2025: AI, Data and Tech Leadership

All times are listed in Mountain Standard Time.

This event is a one-day, in-person, live event

This event will run from 10:30 AM – 5:15 PM, with lunch and refreshments provided throughout the day!

Tuesday, June 24

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Check-In and Badge Pick up
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Welcome Remarks

Our hosts welcome you to FutureIT Calgary. Setting the stage for the program, they’ll provide an overview of the strategic insights and tech trends you can expect to hear about during the day.

Host
Allice Shandler Events Director IDC
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
AI Adoption: From Experimentation to Industry Transformation

After two years of intense experimentation, AI costs are decreasing, technology suppliers are delivering AI capabilities in volume, and enterprises are organizing around what it will take to roll out AI at scale. Bob Parker, IDC Senior Vice President, will share data from IDC’s Global AI Maturity Model Benchmark study plus insights from IDC’s annual CEO study.

Speaker
Bob Parker Senior Vice President, Enterprise Applications, Data Intelligence, Services, and Industry Research IDC
11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Guided Networking Exercise

Build professional connections during this stress-free guided networking time and learn about your fellow event attendees. Expect to find some of our speakers joining you during this time to network and answer questions candidly from your seat.

Host
Allice Shandler Events Director IDC
11:30 AM - 11:35 AM
Behind the Lens: Framing the Future with AI-Driven Photography in Real Time

Get a quick look at the cutting-edge technology behind SpotMyPhotos™—an AI-powered platform that uses facial recognition, machine learning algorithms and cloud processing to deliver your event photos in real time. Our event photographer will walk you through how it works, how to register to receive your photos today, instantly, and what makes this automated system a game-changer for live event experiences. Learn how intelligent image detection turns candid moments into instantly shareable photos, just for you.

Photographer
Monique de St. Croix Hip Image
11:35 AM - 12:05 PM
Fireside Chat: Building a Scalable, AI-Driven Business Through Cloud Transformation

Join us for an insightful fireside chat exploring how organizations are navigating digital transformation by leveraging cloud-first strategies and AI innovation. In this conversation, we’ll examine the key milestones, frameworks, and real-world lessons that drive scalable operations, enhanced customer experiences, and business agility. Whether tackling modernization in a regulated industry or optimizing data for intelligent automation, this session will offer practical guidance for IT leaders seeking to future-proof their enterprise.

Speaker
Julie Levesque Executive Vice President, Technology and Operations National Bank of Canada
Speaker
Tony Olvet Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research IDC
12:05 PM - 12:25 PM
Simplifying AI and Unlocking Enterprise Innovation with AI Factory

AI is everywhere, it is shaping the way we work, communicate, and solve problems across the globe, and it continues to evolve. However, complexity is one of the main barriers to its successful adoption and value realization. Let’s simplify it! Learn how to get started, and how enterprises can accelerate innovation, streamline deployment, and empower their organization to turn data into actionable insights.

Speaker
Rob Lucas Principal Solutions Consultant Dell Technologies
Speaker
Tarini Bhatnagar Senior Solution Architect NVIDIA
12:25 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch & Exhibits

Enjoy lunch with your new friends and meet our partners to learn how their solutions can help you overcome your latest tech challenges. Don’t forget to take a moment to head out and visit the Tech Rally Mobile Bus on Stephen Ave. just outside the convention center.

Tech Rally Mobile is a traveling showroom that brings the latest Dell client products and accessories for ahands-onexperience. Come join us and Dell’s team of specialists to have all your client device questions answered.

Tech Rally Mobile

1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
Leading the Shift: Data, Strategy, and the Rise of AI Agents

As organizations race to integrate AI, IT leaders are under pressure to balance innovation with sustainability and cost controls. This session brings together senior technology executives to explore how AI can streamline operations while reducing long-standing technical debt. Learn how to assess and scale AI tools effectively, track meaningful success metrics, and avoid the pitfalls that often undermine digital progress. Walk away with actionable strategies to modernize workflows, increase productivity, and build an AI-ready foundation—without dragging legacy challenges into the future.

Speaker
Jan Bradley Chief Information Technology Officer City of Calgary
Speaker
Tony Olvet Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research IDC
1:55 PM - 2:05 PM
Secret Agent Man: Top CTO reveals the secrets to launching Agentic AI within your workforce

In this engaging fireside chat with Tony Olvet, Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research, IDC, alongside SAP Canada’s chief technology officer Anthony Robinson will address how Agentic AI can be deployed across your enterprise to build better business outcomes through clean centralized data, the latest innovations in artificial intelligence, and how to break-down the silos inhibiting progress.

Speaker
Anthony Robinson CTO SAP Canada
Speaker
Tony Olvet Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research IDC
2:05 PM - 2:10 PM
Securing the Future—One Billion Devices at a Time

Join James Bracken, Territory Account Manager from ESET Canada, as he dives into a rapid-fire 5-minute session designed to tackle your biggest challenges in cybersecurity.

Speaker
James Bracken Territory Account Manager ESET Canada
2:10 PM - 2:40 PM
Starting Your AI Journey in a Complex Enterprise

You won’t find a perfect playbook for AI adoption—especially inside a large, established organization. In this open and honest panel discussion, IT and business leaders share what it’s really like to begin the AI journey without a prototype in place or a dedicated team of data scientists. We’ll talk about early roadblocks like aligning stakeholders, managing data chaos, evaluating endless tech options, and building momentum internally. Join this peer-driven conversation to learn what’s helping, what’s not, and how others are choosing a starting point in the middle of uncertainty.

Speaker
Tina Mathas Founder, Fractional CIO/COO Tina Mathas & Co.
Speaker
Ross Ballendine Vice President, Information Technology Trimac
Speaker
Tony Olvet Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research IDC
2:40 PM - 3:00 PM
Networking Break

Enjoy some snacks in our exhibit area. Visit our sponsors to learn how their solutions can help you overcome your latest challenges.

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Hot Topic Discussion Tables

Join a discussion topic that best meets your needs. Facilitated by our partner subject matter experts, take a deep-dive into ideas, common questions, and proven solutions in an interactive, peer-sharing environment.

Governance and Risk of GenAI, hosted by SAP
Agentic AI, hosted by Dell Technologies + NVIDIA
Edge Computing: Next Frontier of AI, hosted by Dell Technologies + NVIDIA
Mixing technology & intelligence to combat threats, hosted by ESET

3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
Building Smarter IT: Reducing Technical Debt and Unlocking AI Efficiency

As organizations race to integrate AI, IT leaders are under pressure to balance innovation with sustainability and cost controls. This session brings together senior technology executives to explore how AI can streamline operations while reducing long-standing technical debt. Learn how to assess and scale AI tools effectively, track meaningful success metrics, and avoid the pitfalls that often undermine digital progress. Walk away with actionable strategies to modernize workflows, increase productivity, and build an AI-ready foundation—without dragging legacy challenges into the future.

Speaker
Bob Parker Senior Vice President, Enterprise Applications, Data Intelligence, Services, and Industry Research IDC
Speaker
Tony Olvet Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research IDC
4:15 PM - 4:30 PM
Closing Remarks

Hear a full summary of the days’ takeaways during these final remarks from our Event Director.

Host
Allice Shandler Events Director IDC
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
Networking Reception

Wrap up the day with refreshments while making some final connections to complete your event experience.