Agenda
Date: October 14, 2026
All times are listed in Pacific Standard Time.
AI & Data Summit Vancouver
One Day Event
Registration and Networking
Pre-registration required to attend, please pick your badge up at the Registration Desk. The first 50 attendees to check in will receive an exclusive IDC gift.
IDC Welcome Remarks
IDC Keynote: Agentic AI at Scale: Accelerating Innovation While Managing Risk
Agentic AI is unlocking new levels of enterprise innovation by enabling autonomous decision-making and adaptive workflows at scale. Balancing this potential with robust risk management is essential for ensuring trust, compliance, and sustainable value as organizations operationalize agentic systems across critical functions.
Matthew Eastwood | IDC
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Infrastructure, Cloud, Telecom, Security, Developers, Channels and Enabling Technology
Matthew Eastwood
Matthew Eastwood is Senior Vice President of IDC’s enterprise infrastructure, cloud, telecom, security, developers, channels and enabling technology research groups. Mr. Eastwood and his team research people, process and technology trends affecting the enterprise technology marketplace worldwide. Mr. Eastwood first joined IDC in 2000 as part of the server team and his responsibilities have evolved and expanded during his tenure. In his current role, he leads a team of more than 100 analysts providing insights and analysis to IT suppliers, buyers, investors, and distributors through more than 75 syndicated research programs. Mr. Eastwood also leads IDC’s BuyerView primary research programs which are focused on defining emerging trends in cloud, developers, service providers, edge, AI and security.
Mr. Eastwood joined IDC in 2000. He provides in-depth market analysis, research, and consulting on all aspects of the enterprise infrastructure marketplace to IT professionals, investors, resellers and technology suppliers. During his tenure at IDC, Mr. Eastwood has led IDC primary research focused on emerging trends in enterprise systems and data centers. This primary research allows IDC to make continuous assessments regarding how customers are deploying and using enterprise infrastructure power digital transformation. Recent topics covered in Mr. Eastwood’s research include: Software Defined Infrastructure, Integrated infrastructure, Convergence, Disaggregated Infrastructure, Virtualization & Automation, Cloud Computing, High Availability, Platform Migration and Datacenter Workloads. Mr. Eastwood also serves as IDC’s lead analyst covering Dell and VMware.
Prior to joining IDC, Mr. Eastwood worked for twelve years as a senior project manager and environmental consultant at CDM Smith in Boston. Mr. Eastwood was responsible for managing the planning and design of large environmental infrastructure projects including wastewater collection and treatment facilities. In addition, Mr. Eastwood served as Operations Manager of the firm’s New England practice.
Mr. Eastwood received a bachelor’s degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston and earned his MS in Engineering Project Management from WPI in Worcester, MA. He is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in Massachusetts.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 10:10 am
IDC Keynote: Agentic AI at Scale: Accelerating Innovation While Managing Risk
Agentic AI is unlocking new levels of enterprise innovation by enabling autonomous decision-making and adaptive workflows at scale. Balancing this potential with robust risk management is essential for ensuring trust, compliance, and sustainable value as organizations operationalize agentic systems across critical functions.
Keynote: Operationalizing AI and Building Practical AI Factories
Moving AI from experimentation to enterprise-wide impact requires more than models: it demands repeatable, scalable processes for developing, deploying, and managing AI solutions. This session explores how organizations are building practical AI factories that combine data, infrastructure, governance, and automation to accelerate innovation and deliver measurable business value.
Keynote: Securing the AI-Driven Enterprise
As AI becomes deeply embedded in enterprise systems and data workflows, the attack surface expands and evolves. This session explores how organizations are strengthening cybersecurity across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments to protect AI models, data pipelines, and digital operations. Learn how proactive threat detection, layered security, and intelligent defense strategies are enabling safer AI adoption at scale.
Interactive Roundtables
Trustworthy AI – Ethics, Bias & Transparency in Practice
Measuring AI ROI and Business Outcomes
Designing AI Governance Models
Future-Proofing Data Architectures
Panel Discussion: Data as a Strategic Asset
Data is emerging as a core driver of enterprise strategy, fueling innovation, operational excellence, and competitive differentiation. Organizations that treat data as a strategic asset are positioned to unlock new value, enable intelligent decision-making, and build resilient, future-ready business models.
Megha Kumar
Research Vice President, Analytics & AI, IDC
Angela Polanski
Director, Technology, Tolko Industries
Bachar Khawajah
CIO, City of Burnaby
Keynote: Orchestrating Data for Real-Time AI and Business Operations
AI initiatives often stall when data is fragmented across applications, warehouses, and operational systems. This session explores how modern enterprises are using data orchestration to unify customer, operational, and transactional data in real time. Learn how connected systems, automated workflows, and trusted data synchronization are enabling organizations to operationalize AI and deliver faster business outcomes.
Keynote: Building the AI-Ready Enterprise: Scaling AI Across the Enterprise
Organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and into enterprise-scale deployment. Success requires more than models, it demands a modern foundation that brings together data, infrastructure, governance, and operational excellence. This session explores how enterprises are designing AI-ready architectures that span edge, data center, and cloud environments to deliver secure, scalable, and business-driven AI outcomes.
Networking Lunch & Solutions Showcase
Panel Discussion: Trustworthy AI – Ethics, Bias & Transparency in Practice
Building trustworthy AI requires embedding ethics, bias mitigation, and transparency into every stage of the AI lifecycle. Organizations that operationalize these principles not only strengthen compliance and stakeholder trust but also position themselves for responsible innovation and long-term success.
Gina Smith
Senior Research Director, IT Skills for Digital Business, IDC
Keynote: Modern Infrastructure for an AI-Driven World
Keynote: The Human Side of AI and Data
As AI and data reshape the enterprise landscape, human insight, adaptability, and collaboration become critical differentiators. Organizations that prioritize culture, upskilling, and ethical engagement empower their workforce to thrive alongside intelligent technologies and drive sustainable transformation.
Keynote: Cybersecurity Meets AI and Data
The convergence of cybersecurity, AI, and data is redefining how organizations anticipate, detect, and respond to evolving threats. Leveraging intelligent automation and advanced analytics, enterprises can strengthen defenses, accelerate incident response, and build more resilient security postures in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Keynote: Responsible AI in Practice
Operationalizing responsible AI requires embedding ethical frameworks, governance, and accountability into every stage of the AI lifecycle. Organizations that implement these practices at scale not only mitigate risk and ensure compliance but also unlock sustainable innovation and stakeholder trust.
Keynote: Digital Sovereignty and Data Governance
Digital sovereignty and robust data governance are becoming critical imperatives as organizations navigate regulatory complexity, cross-border data flows, and evolving digital ecosystems. Leaders who prioritize control, transparency, and compliance in their data strategies will be best positioned to safeguard assets, build stakeholder trust, and drive sustainable growth in a rapidly shifting global landscape.
Lightning Insights: The Autonomous Enterprise: AI’s Next Frontier
Lightning Insights: The Intelligence Layer: How Modern Analytics Powers Enterprise AI
Lightning Insights: Reimagining Enterprise Operations in the Age of AI
Networking Break
Lightning Insights: From Legacy to AI-Ready: Modernizing the Data Foundation
Lightning Insights: Driving Business Value with AI & Data
User Case Study
Panel Discussion: AI & Data in 2030 – What Leaders Must Prepare For
AI and data will fundamentally redefine competitive dynamics, business models, and workforce expectations. Leaders must anticipate disruptive technological shifts, invest in adaptive strategies, and cultivate organizational resilience to harness the full potential of an AI-driven future.
Tony Olvet
Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research, IDC
Closing Remarks
Network Reception
Enjoy more food and drinks with our partners and new contacts.
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