Dr. Merouane Debbah
Mérouane Debbah is a Professor at Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi and founding director of its 6G Center. He previously held senior roles at CentraleSupelec, Huawei France, and the Technology Innovation Institute, and has also served as Adjunct Professor at MBZUAI. His research spans mathematics, algorithms, information, and communication sciences, with over 50 patents, leadership of numerous EU and international projects, and extensive academic and industry contributions. An IEEE, WWRF, and Eurasip Fellow, he has received the ERC Grant, the SEE Blondel Medal, the IEEE Glavieux Prize, and over 40 best paper awards, making him one of the most recognized figures in wireless communications and AI research.
Dr. Abder Rezak Benaskeur
Dr Abder Rezak Benaskeur has been a member of the Defence team, with Defence Research and Development Canada, since 2000, where he has led the definition, development, and delivery of a series of high-impact, complex, and cross-domain client-focused programs and projects. His multidisciplinary expertise, contribution, and engagement have enabled him to identify, comprehend, foresee, and resolve some of the most sensitive and critical, present and future, complex C4ISR problems and requirements of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), and international allies. He stands as a pioneering figure and the principal architect behind the integration of advanced AI, automation, and decision support concepts and technologies into C4ISR, with a focus on Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) in domestic and expeditionary operations. He is the Canadian principal member for the NATO Information Systems and Technologies (IST) Scientific & Technical Committee. Dr. Benaskeur holds a Ph.D. in Control and Automation and a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence.
Prof. Adel Abusitta
Dr. Adel Abusitta is a Professor of Cybersecurity in the Department of Computer and Software Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. His research bridges the domains of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity, with a focus on advancing AI for intelligent threat analysis and designing robust AI models that are resistant to adversarial attacks. He leads the Security and Trustworthy AI (STAI) Lab and is an active member of the Multidisciplinary Institute for Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience (IMC²). Dr. Abusitta collaborates closely with researchers at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) Canada, IVADO, and MILA. Previously, he developed robust AI-powered malware analysis frameworks in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). He has also worked extensively with industry partners to establish best practices for synthesizing sensitive data and enabling privacy-preserving machine learning without compromising model accuracy.
Dr. Mathieu Pagé-Fortin
Dr. Mathieu Pagé-Fortin is a defence scientist at DRDC Valcartier Research Centre, where he has been leading R&D activities to develop and demonstrate automation and decision support concepts and solutions for the C2 and battle management, with a focus on the critical problems of threat evaluation and risk assessment in military operations. He obtained a Ph. D. in Computer Science from Université Laval, conducting research on advanced AI approaches for data fusion, continual learning, and learning from limited examples.
Patrick Maupin
Patrick Maupin has been a defense scientist since 2001 and a S&T program manager since 2013 at the Department of National Defense. He has been responsible for the formulation and management of the following S&T programs: Land C4ISR (Including Electronic Warfare), The Soldier (Including Soldier System Effectiveness and the Future Small Arm Renewal), Complex Urban Environments as well as the Intelligence Production program. Between 2015 and 2022 he has been Canada’s national representative for the Five Eyes Complex Urban Environment Strategic Challenge. Since 2019 he has been a member of the management team for the Five Eyes Artificial Intelligence Strategic Challenge. Patrick Maupin specializes in concept development and experimentation, decision support systems and situational awareness support systems as a scientific group leader. He deployed in support of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan, for NORAD and during several military exercises at the division level.
Mr. Simon Chamberland
Simon Chamberland is a senior Artificial Intelligence (AI) Architect at Levio with more than 15 years of experience in research and development, specializing in decision support systems, robotics, and automated planning. He has led innovative projects in the defence, space, and telecom sectors, including the internationally recognized CORALS C2 and battle management system, developed in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and the Royal Canadian Navy, as well as the HybridLogic autonomy-enabling technology for space robotics, developed in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency. Simon holds a master’s degree in computer science with a focus on AI from the Université de Sherbrooke. His scientific knowledge and experience in research and development help him bridge scientific theory with practical system design.
Prof. Benjamin C. M. Fung
Benjamin Fung is a Full Professor in the School of Information Studies at McGill University, Canada Research Chair in Data Mining for Cybersecurity, and Associate Member in the School of Computer Science. He is Editor-in-Chief of Elsevier Sustainable Cities and Society: Advances and Associate Editor of Elsevier SCS and ACM TKDD. With over 190 publications, 18,000+ citations, and an h-index of 63, his research spans data mining, machine learning, privacy, and cybersecurity, with global recognition for his work in crime investigation and authorship analysis. He also leads the McGill Data Mining and Security Lab, is a member of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, and has prior industry experience at SAP Business Objects.
Dr. Ibrahim Gedeon
Ibrahim Gedeon is Chief Technology Officer at TELUS, where he leads technology development, strategy, security, service and network architecture, and infrastructure evolution. Recognized as one of the telecommunications industry’s foremost thought leaders, he has built an international career by blending deep scientific expertise with innovative leadership, helping shape TELUS into one of the world’s top wireless broadband providers.
John Nikolopoulos, MEng., MBA, SMIEEE
Quantum /Agentic AI startup founder, published author, and Instructor @McGill University teaching North America entrepreneurship, business model disruption and emerging tech trends (cybersecurity, mobile 56/6G, quantum tech, blockchain/We3, industry 4.0/5.0). 30+ years in senior leadership tech, business ops, and sales roles driving global channels, partnerships & $billions of global enterprise deployments in diverse industry verticals (finance, telco, manufacturing, energy, logistics, smart cities, and government) within F500/Large Cap enterprises (PwC, Accenture, Nortel, and Sagemcom), high profile US/Canada based startups, and independent consulting (McGKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Kearney).
Mr. Toufik Ouaguenouni
M. Toufik Ouaguenouni serves as Account Director, Cybersecurity at PROMPT, a Québec-based innovation and funding agency specializing in ICT, AI, cybersecurity, and related technologies. In his role, Toufik supports the development of cybersecurity projects by bridging businesses and research, helping companies secure funding and certifications, and advocating for strategic investments in protective technologies. He has also represented PROMPT at international events such as the European Cyber Week, demonstrating his role in fostering global collaboration in cybersecurity.
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Anne Nguyen
Directrice principale responsable de l’intelligence artificielle au Conseil de l’innovation du Québec, Anne Nguyen œuvre à faire de l’IA un levier d’innovation responsable et inclusif. Avant de rejoindre le CIQ, elle a travaillé 18 ans dans le réseau de la santé, où elle a dirigé des projets en stratégie numérique et en valorisation des données, plaçant l’humain au cœur de la transformation. Elle détient un diplôme en Business Analytics de la Harvard Business School, une certification Product Management Master du Pragmatic Institute, une Lean Six Sigma Black Belt de l’Université McGill et un certificat en gestion de l’Université de Montréal. Engagée pour la place des femmes en sciences, Anne a été nommée en 2025 par l’UNESCO au réseau Women4Ethical AI. Depuis 2024, elle enseigne à l’Université de Montréal la chaîne logistique et l’IA, fidèle à ses valeurs d’inclusion, d’égalité et d’humanité.
Najat Abdessalam (CCMM)
Najat Abdessalam est conseillère sectorielle en cybersécurité à la Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain. Elle œuvre au sein de Visées, un programme de rehaussement des compétences codéveloppé avec la Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. Forte d’une expérience significative dans l'accompagnement des entreprises, elle soutient les PME et les grandes entreprises québécoises en identifiant leurs besoins en compétences numériques et en cybersécurité. Reconnue pour son leadership relationnel, elle établit des liens de confiance avec les organisations et les partenaires et contribue, dans le cadre de son mandat, à la conception de formations ciblées, adaptées aux évolutions du marché et des menaces.
Dr. Amine Boukhtouta
Dr. Amine Boukhtouta, a senior researcher in security, is an expert in cloud computing, virtualization, 5G, and AI for security. He received the OCTAS award in the 2009 graduate school competition, the 2010-2011 FQRNT doctoral fellowship, a best paper award, 2016-2017 MITACS, and PROMPT postdoctoral fellowship. He published 11 journal articles, 12 conference papers, and one book chapter, and has 8 patents. His current research interests include cyber threat prevention and detection by applying machine learning and artificial intelligence in cloud telecommunication ecosystems.
Shahrear Iqbal, PhD
Shahrear Iqbal is an Associate Research Officer at Digital Technologies, National Research Council Canada. He is a member of the Cybersecurity team. He received his Ph.D. from Queen’s University, focusing on autonomous cyber defense for mobile operating systems. Before joining NRC, he worked in academia and industry for several years. At NRC, his current research focuses on using domain knowledge-infused AI techniques and LLMs to enhance cybersecurity tools, utilizing AI for security automation and the security of AI/ML models. He is leading multi-million-dollar projects in collaboration with academia and other government departments. He regularly publishes research papers in different security venues and serves as a Technical Program Committee member at well-known conferences.
Prof. Ali Tizghadam
Ali Tizghadam is a TELUS Fellow and the Chief Automation Architect within the CTO team, spearheading TELUS’s transformation toward self-driving networks using the TM Forum Autonomous Networks (AN) framework. With over 25 years of experience in the telecom industry, Ali brings a unique blend of deep technical expertise and seasoned leadership, having served as VP of Innovation, Director of R&D, startup founder, and technical executive. His passion for AI and control systems began with his M.A.Sc thesis on stabilising an inverted pendulum using neural networks and fuzzy logic, and continued through his PhD work inventing a new metric to measure and control network robustness. Throughout his career, he has applied these innovations across transportation and telecommunications, leading major collaborations between academia, government, and industry. Ali also designed and led the development of TINAA, TELUS’s operating system for autonomous network operation, and continues to drive the architecture for intent-driven, closed-loop automation. He remains active in open source initiatives and standards bodies — including CAMARA (Telco APIs), IETF, MEF, IEEE, and ACM — with numerous contributions and publications, while maintaining strong academic ties through teaching and research in Autonomous Networks.
Colin Igbokwe
Colin Igbokwe is a Senior Security Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services with extensive expertise in offensive cybersecurity, enterprise security architecture, and Defense-in-Depth Frameworks. Colin specializes in translating complex security challenges into actionable, scalable defense strategies and serves as a trusted advisor for organizations navigating the evolving threat landscape in the age of artificial intelligence. AREAS OF EXPERTISE: • Offensive Cybersecurity & Penetration Testing • AI/ML Security Architecture & OWASP LLM Top 10 Mitigation • Ransomware Defense & Incident Response Strategies • Zero-Day Threat Detection & Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) Defense • AWS Security Services Integration & Best Practices • Enterprise Compliance & Regulatory Frameworks
Mina Movahedi
Mina is a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience in the tech industry, currently serving as a Cyber Threat Investigator at Bell. Her career spans threat intelligence, AI risk, and digital forensics, where she’s built a reputation for translating complex security challenges into strategic solutions that protect organizations and empower teams. With a sharp analytical mind and a passion for ethical innovation, Mina is also a dynamic speaker and thought leader at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity. She’s known for making technical topics accessible and engaging—whether she’s presenting at conferences, mentoring emerging talent, or contributing to public discourse on digital safety. Beyond her technical expertise, Mina is a committed mental health advocate, using her platform to champion resilience, inclusion, and psychological safety in high-pressure environments.
Lambert Ditner
Lambert joined the Cyber Centre in 2023 after 14 years across the Canadian security community and brings a wide-ranging intelligence background to the field of artificial intelligence. As a trusted leader in cybersecurity, Lambert collaborates with partners across the Government of Canada and critical infrastructure sectors to secure systems against emerging threats and transformative technologies, including AI. He has been recognized for his expertise in intelligence operations and defense, and for his collaborative approach and commitment to strengthening Canada’s cyber resilience. Lambert has a passion for innovation, and a sharp focus on the evolving threat landscape in an era defined by the rapid rise of AI.
Anes Abdennebi M. Eng
Anes Abdennebi is a Ph.D. researcher specialized in applied ML/DL/AI and GenAI models for cybersecurity applications at the host and network levels. With backgrounds in high performance computing, machine learning, cryptography, and GenAI models training, a Master's degree in Computer Engineering from Izmir Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Computer Science & Engineering from Sabancı University he has a strong foundation in both theoretical and practical aspects of employing AI in cybersecurity defensive systems.
Karim Ganame, PhD, GCIH, GCIA, CISSP, CMMC RP
Dr. Karim Ganame holds a Ph.D. in cybersecurity from the University of Besançon and the National Institute of Applied Sciences of Lyon (France). With over 16 years of experience in IT, including 14 years specializing in information security, he has built a distinguished career as both an innovator and entrepreneur. After working as a senior information security consultant for major organizations, he founded StreamScan, a company dedicated to R&D and technological innovation in cybersecurity. StreamScan developed Canada’s first AI-powered intrusion detection system (IDS), known as CDS, which identifies and blocks advanced cyber threats in real time. Today, CDS safeguards the networks of numerous companies and governments in Canada and abroad, and was recognized as a national innovation by the Government of Canada. A recognized expert in his field, Dr. Ganame is the author of a U.S. patent on next-generation cyber threat detection and has published extensively in leading international journals and conferences. He also holds top industry certifications, including GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), and CISSP.
Mr. Michael Duchesne
Michael holds a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from ÉTS. After three years of building in DeFi, he now leads the integration of Federated Learning with distributed ledger technologies, guiding the transition from research and development to real-world applications in tokenization. His work centers on transparency, verifiability, and accountability in Federated Learning, ensuring that privacy-preserving AI can be securely deployed at scale. He focuses on consolidating fragmented liquidity and datasets through innovative privacy-preserving techniques, combined with DeFi and game theory–inspired mechanisms. This approach addresses long-standing challenges in data ownership and privacy while enabling practical, scalable applications of tokenized assets.
Mr. Eduardo Furtado
Eduardo is an expert in Distributed Ledger Technology, Cyber Security, and complex systems architecture. He began his tech journey more than 20 years ago and holds a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Master's degree in Software Engineering. Eduardo is recognized for his hands-on expertise in full-stack development, software design, innovative blockchain applications that significantly impact the industry, and for being a polyglot in human and computer languages.
Samuel Bonneau
Samuel Bonneau is a recognized cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience, whose career is defined by innovation, leadership, and strategic growth. He began his career as a cybersecurity consultant, developing both deep technical expertise and strategic advisory skills while working with numerous organizations. He is currently Leader – AI Cybersecurity Strategy and Services at Vooban, a leading artificial intelligence–driven digital transformation company. In this role, he leverages his extensive expertise to strengthen cyber defense strategies by integrating advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, demonstrating his commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advances in cybersecurity. With his unique blend of technical mastery, business leadership, and innovative vision, Samuel positions himself as a transformational leader in the fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, helping organizations reinforce their defense strategies and enabling them to harness the latest technological advancements for robust, long-term protection.
Prof. Froduald Kabanza
Froduald Kabanza is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Sherbrooke, with a career spanning research, innovation, and leadership in AI. He founded Menya Solutions, an AI company specializing in intelligent planning and decision-support systems, later acquired by Levio, where he served as Chief AI Advisor until 2024. His work has contributed to advancing algorithms for automated reasoning and planning and to impactful real-world applications, including a hospital AI system commercialized by Lumed Inc. (acquired by bioMérieux in 2024). With over three decades of experience, his research and consulting focus on transforming advances in AI into reliable tools for decision-making.
Dr. Shadi Ghajar-Khosravi
Dr. Ghajar-Khosravi is a defence scientist and group leader at DRDC Toronto Research Centre. She has over 10 years of DRDC experience in conducting research projects to provide evidence-based science and technology advice addressing Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)’s needs and priorities pertaining to the design and analysis of information systems, organizational structures, social media analytics, and AI-enabled decision support systems from a human systems integration perspective. More recently, she has applied her research to improving the understandability, alignment, and trustworthiness of AI recommendations to operators and decision makers. Also, she has applied her expertise to the design, analysis, and development of social media analytics, including the characterization of the verbal behaviour of influencers, to support sensemaking and analysis activities of intelligence analysts.
Jean-Phillipe Racicot
Jean-Philippe Racicot is currently the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS)’s National Presence
Lead – Montreal. Before becoming responsible for the Montreal workspace, Mr. Racicot was an
acting manager for the Cyber Centre’s strategic cyber threat assessment team. Mr. Racicot also
managed a team of civilian and military strategic analysts within the Canadian Forces’ Intelligence
Command for two years and held several analytical and management positions for over fourteen years in
the Privy Council Office.
Jean-Philippe Racicot est présentement le Responsable de la présence nationale – Montréal pour
le Centre canadien pour la cybersécurité (CCC). Avant de devenir responsable du pied à
terre de Montréal, M. Racicot fut gestionnaire par intérim d’une équipe d’évaluations stratégiques
en cyber menaces au sein du CCC. M. Racicot fut également responsable d’une équipe composée d’analystes
stratégiques civils et militaires au sein du Commandement du renseignement des forces canadiennes
pendant deux ans et a occupé plusieurs postes d’analyse et de gestion au Bureau du Conseil privé
pendant plus de quatorze ans.