June 4, 2024 The CIO Association of Canada (CIOCAN) held its most successful Peer Forum in Calgary, Alberta, at the end of May 2024. The two-day conference consisted of multiple keynote speakers, various breakout sessions, and networking opportunities for over 400 members and guests. CIOCAN membership has grown significantly to 532 members

CIOCAN announced that the first cohort of 34 participants recently graduated from the Rotman School of Management with their CIO designation (CIO.D). Awarding these designations represents a significant milestone for CIOCAN and the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. They partnered to develop the CIO Executive Leadership Program during the last two years. The unique program develops the skills and experience that reinforce the role and value of senior IT leaders and CIOs.

“We are delighted by the interest in the CIO.D designation,“ said Shaun Guthrie, the incoming CIOCAN President for 2024 – 2025. “CIOCAN is elevating the CIO profession. We’ve added 90 members this year.”

Other highlights of the Peer Forum included:

• A motivational presentation about determination and tenacity by Jon Montgomery, an Olympic Gold Medalist in skeleton racing and now host of The Amazing Race Canada.
• Managing risks in Generative AI implementations by Daniel Saroff, the Group Vice President of Consulting and Research at IDC. Saroff discussed a long list of AI project risks and emphasized AI’s potential as a business transformer that happens to be a technology.
• An engaging presentation about Autism & Neurodiversity in the IT Workplace by Gaetano Mazzuca, CIO at the City of Red Deer. Gaetano made a powerful case for employing autistic individuals because of their ability to contribute productively and not out of a sense of social obligation.
• Navigating the future of IT: An actionable roadmap for Canadian tech leaders by Sanjay Pathak, the National Leader for Technology Strategy and Digital Transformation at KPMG. Pathak discussed how IT organizations can become great by supporting innovation, building data-centricity and incubating talent.

“Our association is growing because the importance of the CIO role is gaining much-needed visibility,” said Philippe Johnston, the President of the CIO Association of Canada for 2020 – 2024. “As an association, we’re delivering higher quality programs for our membership, such as the new CIO.D designation  and this conference.”

CIO Canada sees a huge opportunity to add value for the CIO community by:

• Being known as the gold standard for the CIO community and defining the standard of excellence for CIOs.
• Developing the idea that the CIO deserves a seat at the executive table and for interactions with the board.
• Driving value for members through information, mentoring, and peer discussions.
• Being seen as the thought leader for the CIO profession.