Agenda
- Caitlin O’Neill, Director, Messaging Product Development – Canada Telecommunications Association
- Dario Betti, CEO – MEF
- Lawrence Zhang, Head of Policy – Centre for Canadian Innovation and Competitiveness, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
In a world where trade policy is weaponized, telecoms sit at the intersection of infrastructure, innovation, and sovereignty. We explore how Canada can respond strategically–not just reactively–to US tariff actions. Canadian telecoms need not act as passive collateral in trade wars, but as essential strategic assets, leveraging policy, cross-border partnerships, and innovative leadership to defend Canadian competitiveness, and build resiliance and leadershp in a fragmented economic order.
- Gavin Patterson, Director of Data – MEF
Learn the recent trends in both complaints and losses from SMS-related fraud in Canada, feedback from MEF’s 11th Annual Consumer Survey, and how the adoption of Google’s RCS messaging platform by major Canadian mobile network operators, together with Apple’s support for RCS messaging in iOS 18, could help mitigate fraud in the A2P SMS channel while triggering a richer future for carrier messaging.
- Dario Betti, CEO – MEF
- Anne Locke – Director, Trust & Stakeholder Engagement, Data & Trust Office – TELUS
- Ryan Tollofson, Director, Trust & Stakeholder Engagement, Data & Trust Office – TELUS
- Hemant Agrawal, Director of Products – TELUS AI Factory
- Bill LaRuffa, Senior Director, Business Development – Somos
Phone numbers are more than just contact points — they’re critical data assets that can help organizations verify identity, combat fraud, optimize routing and strengthen trust across communications. In this session, Somos will explore how unified phone number intelligence supports smarter, faster, and more secure decision making. Whether you’re focused on fraud prevention, customer engagement or infrastructure optimization, this session will show how phone number data can be a powerful ally.
- Paul Ruppert, Advisor – MEF
- Caitlin O’Neill, Director, Messaging Product Development – Canada Telecommunications Association
- Jonathan Vimont, Director, NA Compliance Operations – Sinch
- Alison Billings, RVP, Industry Compliance – Twilio
- John Bruner, President & CEO – Aegis Mobile
Canada’s A2P messaging ecosystem is evolving rapidly, with collaboration at its core. This session will explore how telecom providers, aggregators, enterprises, and regulators are working together to drive innovation, combat fraud, and grow the market. Learn how partnerships are shaping best practices, fostering ecosystem trust, and unlocking new opportunities for businesses to connect with consumers. Gain insights from industry leaders on what’s working—and what’s next—for Canada’s A2P future.
- Stuart Jones, Director, Strategy and Technical Marketing – Proofpoint
- Diksha Goyal, Product Manager, Messaging and Applications Services – TELUS
- Caitlin O’Neill, Director, Messaging Product Development – CTA
- Lawrence Byrd, Head of API Product Marketing – Vonage
- Christen Emery, Associate Director of Carrier Relations – North America, Sinch
Rich Business Messaging (RBM) represents the next wave of business communications, but adoption in Canada has been slower than expected. What’s holding businesses back, and how can we accelerate progress? This session will explore the technical, regulatory, and market barriers to RBM adoption, as well as highlight successful use cases. Discover strategies to engage brands, streamline onboarding, and drive consumer adoption in Canada’s RBM ecosystem.
- Stefan Heller, VP Business Development and Partnerships – The Campaign Registry
- Jennifer Quaid, Executive Director – Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX)
- Nick Bednarz, CEO – Rogers Bank
- Nima Golchini, Head of Presales Americas, Network Security – ENEA
- Nathan Robbins, Vice President of Go-to-Market Strategy and Alliances – Syniverse
In a world of rising cyber threats, data breaches, and evolving regulations, trust is more important than ever. How can businesses and telecom providers protect consumers while ensuring seamless, engaging communication? This session will explore the intersection of security, privacy, and user experience, featuring insights from industry leaders on balancing protection with innovation.
- Paul Ruppert, Advisor – MEF
- Sean Harding, Head of Product – Postscript
- Rally Stanoeva, Manager, Product Marketing – Emerging Products – Postscript
- David Carter, CEO, Ecommerce Innovation Alliance
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing customer engagement through chatbots, predictive messaging, and automation. But how far can AI go in transforming business messaging? This session will explore AI’s role in mobile communications, with real-world examples from enterprises using AI-powered messaging solutions.
- Tina Donaldson, Vice President, Strategy – netnumber
- Catalin Badea, Vice President of Product Management – netnumber
- Pooja Paturi, Director, Digital Payment Fraud Prevention – Canadian Bankers Association
- Nima Golchini, Head of Presales Americas, Network Security – ENEA
- Melissa Blassingame, RVP, Partner Alliances – Twilio
- Stephanie Lashley, VP Messaging Strategic Alliances & Infrastructure – Bandwidth
- Caitlin Long, Sr. Director, Product Management & Strategy – Bandwidth
- Stacy Rampersad, Sr. Strategic Account Executive – IC Mobile
- Britt Buchan, Global Wholesale Development – The Americas – Twilio
- Noelle Meyers, Manager of SMS Compliance and Operations – Infobip
- Matt Ekram, Advisor – MEF
- Omar Mansour, Principal, Solutions Architect – TransUnion
- Marcelo Frizzo, Head Operations Partnerships – Infobip
- Eddie DeCurtis, CEO and Founder – Shush
- Sukhmani Dev, Senior Vice President, Digital Product Management, North America – Mastercard
As mobile communication becomes more central to our digital lives, fraudsters are evolving their tactics – from SIM swap and porting fraud to advanced identity spoofing and network manipulation. This session brings together experts to explore how mobile identity and authentication are adapting to meet these threats. Learn about the latest innovations in passwordless security, SIM-based authentication, network APIs, and real-time fraud detection, and how collaboration across sectors is key to staying ahead.
- Dario Betti, CEO – MEF
- Virginie Debris, Managing Director, Messaging – Sinch
