2026 Speakers

Pilot HillHPConference Host

Heather Pilot

Founder & President, Pilot Hill Ltd.

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Speaker

PSCFN Consultants

Peter Studer

CFN Consultants

Conference MC

Speaker

JDRoyal Canadian Artillery

Major General J.D.S. Masson, OMM, MSM, CD

Chief Army Force Development & Senior Serving Gunner, Royal Canadian Artillery

Keynote Speaker

Speaker

RTRoyal Canadian Air Force

Colonel Robert Tyler

Director Air Requirements — Combat, RCAF

CAF Mini Outlooks

Speaker

CCRoyal Canadian Navy

Commander/Capt.(N) Christopher Tait

Director Naval Requirements, Royal Canadian Navy

CAF Mini Outlooks

Speaker

CSCanadian Army

Colonel Christopher S. Sines

Director Land Requirements, Canadian Armed Forces

CAF Mini Outlooks

Speaker

BMCanadian Special Operations Forces Command

Colonel Blair McNaught

Director Force Development, Canadian Special Operations Command

CAF Mini Outlooks

Speaker

PSNational Defence

Peter Saunders

Director General — Integrated Air and Missile Defence

Continental Defence & NORAD Modernization

Speaker

WHDefence Investment Agency

Wendy Hadwen

Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy), Defence Investment Agency

Canada's Path Forward with Defence

Speaker

DHGlobal Affairs Canada

David Hutchison

DG Trade Strategy & Chief Trade Commissioner, Global Affairs Canada

Canada's Path Forward with Defence

Speaker

GPMcMaster University

Gianni Parise

Vice-President, Research, McMaster University

Canada's Path Forward · SODIN

Speaker

CKDefence Construction Canada

Cameron King, CPPO

Regional Service Line Leader, Contracts Services, Defence Construction Canada

CAF Infrastructure Investment

Speaker

TKOntario Defence Association

Ted Kirkpatrick

Chair, Ontario Defence Association

Ontario Defence Association Update

Speaker

JNPublicus

Joe Noss

CEO, Publicus

Ontario Defence Association Update

Speaker

MCRCAF · Retired

Major-General (Ret'd) Colin Keiver, MSM, CD

Panel Moderator

Unmanned Systems & Intelligent Attritable Mass

Speaker

GLVolatus Aerospace

Glen Lynch

CEO & Co-Founder, Volatus Aerospace

Unmanned Systems & Intelligent Attritable Mass

Speaker

TACTIQLMNDefence Technology

Mike Newton

CEO & Founder, TACTIQL

Unmanned Systems & Intelligent Attritable Mass

Speaker

JBDell Technologies

Jonathan Betournay

OEM Lead Canada, Dell

Unmanned Systems & Intelligent Attritable Mass

Speaker

GDDelegation of the European Union

Guillaume Décot

Political Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to Canada

ReArm Europe / SAFE

Speaker

MGBDC

Michael Gatschene

Business Centre Manager for Defence, BDC

Building Canada’s Defence Industrial Capacity

Speaker

PDBDC

Peter Dawe

Senior Vice President, Defence Strategy, BDC

Building Canada’s Defence Industrial Capacity

Speaker

PMDeloitte LLP

The Honourable Peter MacKay, PC KC

Executive Advisor, Deloitte LLP

Featured Presentation

Speaker

RSRoshel

Roman Shimonov

Founder & CEO, Roshel Inc.

Building Canada's Defence Sovereignty

Speaker

SPCouncil of Canadian Innovators

Skaidra Puodžiūnas

Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy, Council of Canadian Innovators

Canadian Sovereignty Panel

Speaker

ANVILSWDefence Business

Sam Witherspoon

CEO, ANVIL

Canadian Sovereignty Panel

Speaker

MCDominion Dynamics

Matt Clancey

Vice President, Maritime Projects, Dominion Dynamics

Canadian Sovereignty Panel

Speaker

InterknowlogyMHInterknowlogy

Michael Hartley

Managing Director IK Mining & Energy, Interknowlogy

Technology Showcase

Speaker

ASReady4Defence.ca

Asif Sharif

Founder & CEO, Ready4Defence.ca by Modern Requirements

Technology Showcase

Speaker

AHReady4Defence.ca

Ash Hawrani

Director — Requirements & Compliance, Ready4Defence.ca by Modern Requirements

Technology Showcase

Speaker

CentrelineJVDefence Business

Julio Villafuerte

Corporate Technology Strategist, Centreline (Windsor) Ltd.

Technology Showcase

Speaker

Solar Electric SystemsRGDefence Business

Rob Gorrie

CEO, Solar Electric Systems

Technology Showcase

Speaker

NBDRT Cyber

Neil Beaton

Senior Director, Business Development, DRT Cyber

Technology Showcase

Speaker

Horizon AircraftPKDefence Business

Phil Kelly

Vice President, Horizon Aircraft

Technology Showcase

Speaker

JHSerco Canada

Jim Hebert

Director Business Development — Defence & Space, Serco Canada

Technology Showcase

Speaker

NAVETRAMJDefence Technology

Mina Johl

CEO, NAVETRA by Purple Wins

Technology Showcase

Speaker

Canadian Special Warfare LabJFDefence Business

Jean Filion

CEO, Canadian Special Warfare Lab

Technology Showcase

Speaker

CCNAIT Industry Solutions

Carmelita Crisp

Senior Manager for Indigenous Partnerships & Engagement, NAIT Industry Solutions

Technology Showcase

Speaker

JBRowden Technologies

Jonny Brimacombe

International Business Development Lead, Rowden Technologies, UK

Technology Showcase

Speaker

Until official headshots are supplied, each card carries its organization’s identity: Canadian Armed Forces command badges for serving and retired members, the Government of Canada signature for federal departments, and organization logos where we have them. A Best Defence wordmark stands in where a logo is still outstanding. All badges and logos remain the property of their respective organizations. Lineup subject to change. Lineup subject to change.