Thought Leaders

INNOVATE™ Alberta

REG JOSEPH

CEO, HEALTH CITIES

I have spent most of my career in health sciences and innovation in both Canada and the United States. As we grapple with the challenges in our health systems across Canada, it is clear to me that while there are several areas that need attention (including policy and new funding...

INNOVATE® Utah

Becky Frost

In early 2016, Instructure launched its Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) Council to “make Instructure an awesome place to work for everyone.” Those were our words for the mission of the Council at the time, and building a workplace where people can thrive and develop in their careers remains a...

VOICES of the Future

ERIK ALMQVIST

FOUNDER AND CEO, SENSE STRATEGY, & OWNER ALMQVIST FAMILY OFFICE

LEGACY OF INNOVATION Two of the most well-known rules in the global ICT industry are “For every ten percent increase in broadband penetration there is a 1 percent increase in GDP”, and “For every doubling of broadband speed, there is a 0.3 percent increase in GDP”. Both were devised by...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

SARA BALS

FULL PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPY FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE (EMAT) RESEARCH GROUP, UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP.

Patent or publish, protect or disseminate… As a scientist in academia, these are questions I am faced with increasing frequency. We often assume that fundamental science and innovation proceed at different speeds, or even in entirely separate environments. After all, is there really space for innovation within the context of...

VOICES of the Future

FABIOLA EYHOLZER

HUMANIZING WORK

In my conversation with Fabiola Eyholzer, co-founder and CEO of Just Leading Solutions, I was struck by her remarkable insights and profound understanding of human resources in today’s fastevolving corporate landscape. Fabiola, who hails from a picturesque Swiss mountain town, brings a unique blend of analytical acumen and deep empathy...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

ANNELEEN VANDER ELSTRAETEN

FOUR & FIVE - MANAGING PARTNER

WHY INNOVATORS NEED A NEW BREED OF LAW FIRM When I first started my legal career, founding my own law firm wasn’t even a consideration. I was content working at a top-tier firm, focusing on drafting contracts and managing legal transactions. But everything changed during a business trip to Silicon...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

KEN POLOTAN

Leadership matters. That’s an undeniable truth — the quality and type of leadership we cultivate and practice are paramount. From my journey in big consulting fi rms to my own innovation advisory practice, from startups to Global 500 companies, the critical success factor remains: leadership is the foundation of open...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

FERNANDA TORRE

NEXT AGENTS - CEO & FOUNDING PARTNER

In my journey as a sustainability expert and innovation leader, I’ve come to see a powerful synergy between these two fields. Working across both sustainability and innovation allows us to turn today’s challenges into opportunities, creating solutions that benefit people, communities, and ecosystems alike. Above all, innovation and sustainability must...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

LESLIE J. ANDERSON

LESLIE J. ANDERSON

GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE AND U.S. CHIEF TECHNOLOGY RESILIENCY AND EXPERIENCE OPERATIONS OFFICER

Leslie J. Anderson is BMO’s Global Technology Experience and U.S. Chief Technology Resiliency and Experience Operations Officer. She is at the center of BMO’s Digital First strategy where she innovates and finds new ways to strengthen the employee experience. Like it or not, one can’t simply dissociate my experience in...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

DR. RACIOUS MOATSHE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LEA

Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) was created by Botswana Government with the specific mandate of entrepreneurship and enterprise development. LEA mandate extends to growing of exports and also assisting with establishing linkages between SMEs and big businesses that are crucial not only in growing SME market share but also in the...

INNOVATE® Georgia

MATHEW WITTE

ORTEC AMERICAS - CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Innovation. Optimization. Transformation. Those three words describe my unwavering passion for driving change at some of the biggest manufacturers and distributors across the globe. At ORTEC, we are not just in the business of providing advanced analytics and optimization – we are in the business of shaping the future, empowering...

AI Québec

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

EAST MARKET LEADER, EY CANADA

Québec is renowned for its vibrant artificial intelligence (AI) innovation ecosystem for three primary reasons: a phenomenal talent pool, collaborative partnerships and a strong commitment to building ethics into design. In fact, the region is home to the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, which is globally...

AI Québec

ALEXANDRE LE BOUTHILLIER

ALEXANDRE LE BOUTHILLIER

CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF CORPORATE OFFICER, IMAGIA

We sometimes forget the purpose of our work. In healthcare, the goal to make a positive impact on patients is present every day. This was the goal of the introduction of the first AI system in breast cancer screening… in 1998. Over the past 20 years, and especially with the...

INNOVATE® Nashville

DAVID OWENS

DAVID OWENS

EVANS FAMILY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WOND’RY, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR INNOVATION

Nashville has always been a great place for members of the creative class. It has more than its fair share of the spirit of innovation and, as I was told when I moved here, more recording studios than bars and more microphones than people. And while the artistic creativity is...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

Ryne Cooper

Director of Growth at Data Holdings

Innovation is not the work of one person. It happens when people come together, share ideas, and support each other. Milwaukee is full of individuals and organizations pushing boundaries, taking risks, and making an impact. The real strength of this city lies in its people, their resilience, creativity, and willingness...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Dan Atkins

Dan Atkins

President - MinneAnalytics - Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum

Dan Atkins President, MinneAnalytics – Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum I can’t explain the principle of quantum entanglement as well as a physicist could, but I believe in its application to the concept of community engagement nevertheless. There’s a way that two particles, separated by immense distance, can become entangled...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

PHIL RANTA

PHIL RANTA

CEO, WORMHOLE LABS

ESPORTS ISN’T A SPORT, IT’S THE IDEA OF SPORTSSince the birth of video games, we’ve played to win. It began with high scores and simple 1v1 games, progressed through games with an objective of story completion and now, finally, an online free-for-all where a kid in Japan and an adult...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

YIN OEI

LIVING TOMORROW GROUP - CEO

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation, our greatest responsibility as leaders is to ensure that the advancements we champion do more than just enhance efficiency—they must also contribute to a sustainable and equitable world. My vision for the industry is centered around the seamless integration of technology into...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

MARILIIS PIKKAR

FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, MARIMO

When I founded Marimo, I wasn’t just building a fashion brand—I was creating a different kind of experience for women. One that respects their time, individuality, and values. To me, true luxury is about knowing who you are and choosing pieces that reflect that. What I’m most proud of is...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

JOHAN WEIGELT

CEO, KI INNOVATIONS

At KI Innovations, we bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and tangible impact, ensuring that groundbreaking discoveries from Karolinska Institutet (KI) reach patients, healthcare systems, and society at large. With a deep-rooted foundation in one of the world’s leading medical universities, we are committed to fostering a thriving ecosystem where...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Amy Fisher

Amy Fisher

Vice president - Padilla

BUILDING THOUGHT LEADERS, ONE BRAND AT A TIME Innovation has been described as a business strategy, a brand value, even an organizational characteristic. It implies continuous ideation, creativity, and execution based on an ability to understand and meet the needs of customers, employees, investors, and other key stakeholders. Innovation is...

INNOVATION Quebec

GILLES DÉRY

PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL, CQRDA

L’idée de contribuer à l’épanouissement du Québec est la raison pour laquelle je m’implique dans le monde passionnant de l’innovation. Cette implication est, selon moi, la voie pour assurer une approche incontournable et essentielle à nos ambitions collectives, afin de devenir une plaque tournante dans plusieurs secteurs de pointe de...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

DAN GAMBLE

FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL, DGPR

Something I’ve found to be increasingly true in the communications profession is that there’s a wealth of untapped potential sitting under the surface. It’s why we’re seeing more and more chief communications officers join the ranks of executives at big tech organizations — and why progressive CEOs are investing more...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

CARIN ERIKSON

FOUNDER OF CUREVO HEALTH

In an age where it’s never been easier to build something flashy, the real challenge is building something useful. Purpose is the anchor in that process. It keeps you honest, focused, and resilient. And surprisingly often, it becomes your unfair advantage. I’ve seen this firsthand at Curevo Health, the company...

REG JOSEPH

CEO, HEALTH CITIES

I have spent most of my career in health sciences and innovation in both Canada and the United States. As we grapple with the challenges in our health systems across Canada, it is clear to me that while there are several areas that need attention (including policy and new funding...

Becky Frost

In early 2016, Instructure launched its Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) Council to “make Instructure an awesome place to work for everyone.” Those were our words for the mission of the Council at the time, and building a workplace where people can thrive and develop in their careers remains a...

ERIK ALMQVIST

FOUNDER AND CEO, SENSE STRATEGY, & OWNER ALMQVIST FAMILY OFFICE

LEGACY OF INNOVATION Two of the most well-known rules in the global ICT industry are “For every ten percent increase in broadband penetration there is a 1 percent increase in GDP”, and “For every doubling of broadband speed, there is a 0.3 percent increase in GDP”. Both were devised by...

SARA BALS

FULL PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPY FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE (EMAT) RESEARCH GROUP, UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP.

Patent or publish, protect or disseminate… As a scientist in academia, these are questions I am faced with increasing frequency. We often assume that fundamental science and innovation proceed at different speeds, or even in entirely separate environments. After all, is there really space for innovation within the context of...

FABIOLA EYHOLZER

HUMANIZING WORK

In my conversation with Fabiola Eyholzer, co-founder and CEO of Just Leading Solutions, I was struck by her remarkable insights and profound understanding of human resources in today’s fastevolving corporate landscape. Fabiola, who hails from a picturesque Swiss mountain town, brings a unique blend of analytical acumen and deep empathy...

ANNELEEN VANDER ELSTRAETEN

FOUR & FIVE - MANAGING PARTNER

WHY INNOVATORS NEED A NEW BREED OF LAW FIRM When I first started my legal career, founding my own law firm wasn’t even a consideration. I was content working at a top-tier firm, focusing on drafting contracts and managing legal transactions. But everything changed during a business trip to Silicon...

KEN POLOTAN

Leadership matters. That’s an undeniable truth — the quality and type of leadership we cultivate and practice are paramount. From my journey in big consulting fi rms to my own innovation advisory practice, from startups to Global 500 companies, the critical success factor remains: leadership is the foundation of open...

FERNANDA TORRE

NEXT AGENTS - CEO & FOUNDING PARTNER

In my journey as a sustainability expert and innovation leader, I’ve come to see a powerful synergy between these two fields. Working across both sustainability and innovation allows us to turn today’s challenges into opportunities, creating solutions that benefit people, communities, and ecosystems alike. Above all, innovation and sustainability must...

LESLIE J. ANDERSON

LESLIE J. ANDERSON

GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE AND U.S. CHIEF TECHNOLOGY RESILIENCY AND EXPERIENCE OPERATIONS OFFICER

Leslie J. Anderson is BMO’s Global Technology Experience and U.S. Chief Technology Resiliency and Experience Operations Officer. She is at the center of BMO’s Digital First strategy where she innovates and finds new ways to strengthen the employee experience. Like it or not, one can’t simply dissociate my experience in...

DR. RACIOUS MOATSHE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LEA

Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) was created by Botswana Government with the specific mandate of entrepreneurship and enterprise development. LEA mandate extends to growing of exports and also assisting with establishing linkages between SMEs and big businesses that are crucial not only in growing SME market share but also in the...

MATHEW WITTE

ORTEC AMERICAS - CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Innovation. Optimization. Transformation. Those three words describe my unwavering passion for driving change at some of the biggest manufacturers and distributors across the globe. At ORTEC, we are not just in the business of providing advanced analytics and optimization – we are in the business of shaping the future, empowering...

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

EAST MARKET LEADER, EY CANADA

Québec is renowned for its vibrant artificial intelligence (AI) innovation ecosystem for three primary reasons: a phenomenal talent pool, collaborative partnerships and a strong commitment to building ethics into design. In fact, the region is home to the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, which is globally...

ALEXANDRE LE BOUTHILLIER

ALEXANDRE LE BOUTHILLIER

CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF CORPORATE OFFICER, IMAGIA

We sometimes forget the purpose of our work. In healthcare, the goal to make a positive impact on patients is present every day. This was the goal of the introduction of the first AI system in breast cancer screening… in 1998. Over the past 20 years, and especially with the...

DAVID OWENS

DAVID OWENS

EVANS FAMILY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WOND’RY, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR INNOVATION

Nashville has always been a great place for members of the creative class. It has more than its fair share of the spirit of innovation and, as I was told when I moved here, more recording studios than bars and more microphones than people. And while the artistic creativity is...

Ryne Cooper

Director of Growth at Data Holdings

Innovation is not the work of one person. It happens when people come together, share ideas, and support each other. Milwaukee is full of individuals and organizations pushing boundaries, taking risks, and making an impact. The real strength of this city lies in its people, their resilience, creativity, and willingness...

Dan Atkins

Dan Atkins

President - MinneAnalytics - Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum

Dan Atkins President, MinneAnalytics – Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum I can’t explain the principle of quantum entanglement as well as a physicist could, but I believe in its application to the concept of community engagement nevertheless. There’s a way that two particles, separated by immense distance, can become entangled...

PHIL RANTA

PHIL RANTA

CEO, WORMHOLE LABS

ESPORTS ISN’T A SPORT, IT’S THE IDEA OF SPORTSSince the birth of video games, we’ve played to win. It began with high scores and simple 1v1 games, progressed through games with an objective of story completion and now, finally, an online free-for-all where a kid in Japan and an adult...

YIN OEI

LIVING TOMORROW GROUP - CEO

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation, our greatest responsibility as leaders is to ensure that the advancements we champion do more than just enhance efficiency—they must also contribute to a sustainable and equitable world. My vision for the industry is centered around the seamless integration of technology into...

MARILIIS PIKKAR

FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, MARIMO

When I founded Marimo, I wasn’t just building a fashion brand—I was creating a different kind of experience for women. One that respects their time, individuality, and values. To me, true luxury is about knowing who you are and choosing pieces that reflect that. What I’m most proud of is...

JOHAN WEIGELT

CEO, KI INNOVATIONS

At KI Innovations, we bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and tangible impact, ensuring that groundbreaking discoveries from Karolinska Institutet (KI) reach patients, healthcare systems, and society at large. With a deep-rooted foundation in one of the world’s leading medical universities, we are committed to fostering a thriving ecosystem where...

Amy Fisher

Amy Fisher

Vice president - Padilla

BUILDING THOUGHT LEADERS, ONE BRAND AT A TIME Innovation has been described as a business strategy, a brand value, even an organizational characteristic. It implies continuous ideation, creativity, and execution based on an ability to understand and meet the needs of customers, employees, investors, and other key stakeholders. Innovation is...

GILLES DÉRY

PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL, CQRDA

L’idée de contribuer à l’épanouissement du Québec est la raison pour laquelle je m’implique dans le monde passionnant de l’innovation. Cette implication est, selon moi, la voie pour assurer une approche incontournable et essentielle à nos ambitions collectives, afin de devenir une plaque tournante dans plusieurs secteurs de pointe de...

DAN GAMBLE

FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL, DGPR

Something I’ve found to be increasingly true in the communications profession is that there’s a wealth of untapped potential sitting under the surface. It’s why we’re seeing more and more chief communications officers join the ranks of executives at big tech organizations — and why progressive CEOs are investing more...

CARIN ERIKSON

FOUNDER OF CUREVO HEALTH

In an age where it’s never been easier to build something flashy, the real challenge is building something useful. Purpose is the anchor in that process. It keeps you honest, focused, and resilient. And surprisingly often, it becomes your unfair advantage. I’ve seen this firsthand at Curevo Health, the company...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems