Canada India Tech Council

Congratulations to Dax Dasilva, CEO, Lightspeed Commerce for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Entrepreneur/ Founder Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by BDC. Dax Dasilva is the visionary behind Lightspeed Commerce, a unified POS and payments platform empowering entrepreneurs to drive growth and enhance customer experiences. Founded in 2005, Lightspeed serves top businesses in over 100 countries worldwide. Reappointed as CEO on February 15, 2024, Dasilva previously held the role of Executive Chair for two years, having served as CEO since the company’s founding. Under his leadership, Lightspeed went public in 2019 on the Toronto Stock Exchange and later on the NYSE, establishing itself as a top Canadian IPO. The company expanded globally with nine acquisitions, launching flagship products Lightspeed Retail and Lightspeed Restaurant. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi, CEO, TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Jasmin Ganie-Hobbs, Director Tech Financing, BDC, Pallavi Tripathi, SVP & CIO - Capital Markets Technology, CIBC (accepted the award on behalf of Dax Dasilva), and Hitesh Mathpal, Co-chair, Communications Committee, CITC. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Congratulations to Pallavi Tripathi, SVP & CIO - Capital Markets Technology, CIBC for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Woman Leader in Tech Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by EY. Pallavi Tripathi is SVP and CIO of Capital Markets Technology at CIBC, where she leads transformation, modernization, and operational efficiency. With 20+ years in the financial and technology sectors, Pallavi has been instrumental in leveraging advanced technologies to drive growth and improve client experiences. Before joining CIBC in 2012, she led large-scale application upgrades focused on operational agility at TD Securities. She holds a degree in computer engineering and an MBA from Queen’s University, bringing a strong blend of technical and business expertise. Passionate about robotics, women in STEM, and financial inclusion, Pallavi also enjoys mentoring, hiking, cricket, travelling, and time with family. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi, CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Pallavi Tripathi, Biswajit Das, Partner, EY, Raman Boparai, Co-chair, Governance Committee Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Congratulations to Abhay Raman, SVP & Chief Security Officer, Sun Life for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Excellence in Security Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by Saris AI. Abhay Raman is SVP and Chief Security Officer at Sun Life, responsible globally for Cyber & Physical Security, Crisis, and Technology Risk Management. He focuses on strengthening Sun Life’s security as it progresses in digital transformation, AI, and innovation. Previously, Abhay led global data and analytics, shaping Sun Life’s data and AI strategy. He serves as a board director for the Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange and Victim Services Toronto and is an Executive-in-Residence with the TMU Cybersecurity Accelerator. Abhay is an advisor to the 'Cyber Right Now' Campaign and Canadian Forum for Digital Infrastructure Resilience and frequently speaks on technology and AI. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi,  CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Danial Jameel, CEO, Saris AI, Sumeet Bhatia, Co-chair, Partnerships Committee, CITC, Pranav K., AVP, Sun Life (accepted the award on behalf of Abhay Raman)  Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Congratulations to Steve Brar, CIO, CTO, EVP - Payments, Metrolinx for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Public Sector Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was presented by ShyftLabs. Steve Brar is the EVP, CTO, and CIO of Payments at Metrolinx, where he drives technology strategy and development for PRESTO, a transit payment platform serving over 5 million transit riders across 11 agencies. With 25+ years of experience, Steve specializes in advancing payment systems with innovative technology, cloud platforms, and analytics. Previously, he was an executive at TD Bank, where he led the Mobile First transformation across all major business lines. At BlackBerry, he contributed to developing BlackBerry 10 features and headed crypto solutions at Certicom. At Oracle, he was responsible for Strategic Performance Scorecard and real-time predictive analytics. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi, CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Steve Brar, Shobhit Khandelwal, CEO, ShyftLabs, Giri Satyanarayana, MBA, Co-chair, Mentorship Committee, CITC. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Congratulations to Uma Gopinath, CIO, Porter Airlines for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Small Cap Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by TheAppLabb. Uma Gopinath, CIO at Porter Airlines, leads tech transformation with her passion for innovation and leadership. With experience across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Canada, Uma excels in reshaping IT organizations and implementing future-ready solutions. Her diverse background includes senior roles in transportation, retail, telecommunications, and financial services with Metrolinx, Lush Cosmetics, Canadian Tire, CGI, and Bell Canada. A Chartered Director from McMaster University’s Directors College, Uma was named CIO of the Year by Canada’s Women in IT Awards 2023. A strong diversity advocate, she’s known as the "Tech Diversity Goddess" and enjoys mentoring, reading, and travel. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi,  CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Uma Gopinath, Vamsi Kondabala, CPO, TheAppLabb, and Payal Raheja, Co-chair, Events Committee. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Congratulations to Sonali Kohli, CIO & EVP - Digital Transformation, Niagara Health on winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Mid Cap Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by Blanc Labs. Sonali Kohli is the CIO and EVP of Digital Transformation at Niagara Health, dedicated to enhancing the patient journey through digital innovation across Ontario. Her strategic leadership has earned provincial and national recognition, including two Canadian Information Productivity Award (CIPA) nominations, one of which won Silver for Excellence in Customer Service, and a finalist spot in the 2014 Ingenious Awards. Sonali holds a BSc and MSc in Molecular Biology, Virology and Inflammation, and an MBA specializing in Health Service Management from McMaster University. She also serves on the board of Brain Injury Canada and is an Adjunct Professor for the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation Program at the University of Toronto. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi,  CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Sonali Kohli, Hamid Akbari, CEO, Blanc Labs, and Jayesh Mehta, Co-chair, Events Committee. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Congratulations to Mamta Sethi, MBA, CIO-Group Functions Technology, Manulife for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the Large Cap Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by WNS. Mamta Sethi is the Chief Information Officer for Group Functions Technology at Manulife, where she drives strategic technology initiatives alongside global executive leadership. With 18+ years of experience in banking and consulting, she has held senior roles at Manulife and RBC, including VP of Global Technology Strategy & Transformation. Mamta also consulted with Deloitte, specializing in Risk Management and Strategy. She holds a BBA from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Ivey Business School. Mamta serves on the boards of the Canadian South Asian Chamber of Commerce and Manulife Investment Management and is actively involved in charitable advisory committees. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi,  CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Mamta Sethi, MBA, Vibhor Garg, CGO, WNS, and Ashish Agarwal, Co-chair, Membership Committee. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

Tech Leader Of The Year | CEO Sanjay Tugnait, President & CEO, Fairfax Digital Services Congratulations to Sanjay Tugnait, President & CEO, Fairfax Digital Services for winning the 2024 Tech Leader Of The Year Award in the CEO Category presented by Canada India Tech Council in partnership with TheAppLabb & Consulate General of India in Toronto! This award was sponsored by ICICI Bank Canada. Sanjay is a visionary leader with over 30 years of experience in executive leadership, driving technology-led business transformation for Fortune 500 companies. Currently the President & CEO of Fairfax Digital Services, he has held executive roles at IBM, Capgemini Canada, Accenture, and PwC. Sanjay is also the Founding President of the France Canada Chamber of Commerce and serves on the boards of the Blockchain Research Institute and Trillium Health Partners Foundation. He has represented organizations at global forums such as UN COP26 and the World Economic Forum and co-chaired the G20 Sustainability Taskforce under India’s Startup20 initiative. The Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Canada India Tech Council (CITC), took place on September 27, 2024, at Manulife HQ in Toronto. In partnership with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, and TheAppLabb, the event celebrated distinguished tech leaders from our community who have achieved exceptional success in the field of technology. CITC is a nonprofit organization that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Award picture: (L to R): Kundan Joshi, CEO of TheAppLabb & Chair, CITC, Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, Toronto, Sanjay Tugnait, Lester Fernandes, Head-Corporate & Commercial Banking, ICICI Bank Canada, and Gurvie Waraich, Co-chair, Forum Committee. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy #CITCAwards #TechLeadership #IndoCanadianTech #CITC #CITCAnnualAwards2024 #CITCTopTechLeaderOfTheYear2024

It was truly an honor to recognize the incredible contributions of the Indo-Canadian community in technology towards raising the bar of innovation in Canada, at the 2024 Tech Leaders of the Year Awards Gala, on behalf of the Canada India Tech Council (CITC) and TheAppLabb on September 27, 2024, through the 2024 CITC Awards and 2024 Top 50 Tech Leaders of the Year honour. Thank you to our sponsors: Consulate General of India in Toronto, Manulife, TheAppLabb, ICICI Bank Canada, WNS, EY, ShyftLabs, Saris AI, BDC for their support! CITC is a nonprofit community that fosters knowledge sharing and peer learning among Indo-Canadian tech executives and leaders. Together with its sister organization, the America India Tech Council, CITC boasts a network of over 600 members across North America, with a mission to raise the bar of innovation through collective learning. Watch the live event video here: https://lnkd.in/gq8g7Mvf Know more about CITC: https://lnkd.in/gV_DF7wy

It was an honor to host the members of America India Tech Council (AITC) in Texas, at our meetup in Dallas this week. It was wonderful to engage with fellow tech leaders and discuss the importance of raising the bar of global innovation through collective learning, and by building a supportive community for each other and for the future generations. We also discussed the value of enhance trilateral tech trade between the US, Canadian, and Indian tech sectors. Thank you to Jag Badwal, who is the Ontario representative in the Southern US States for attending as our guest of honour and sharing how Ontario and Canada can play key role to boost tech innovation for enterprises in US. Big thanks to our chair of Texas region for AITC, Rameshwar Balanagu for his efforts in making this event possible! Thank you to all the tech leaders who attended! Babu Nagappan, Sandeep Chaturvedi, Aravind Kashyap, Gurshaman Baweja, Kishore Agasthi, Sandeep Kulkarni, Hemant Bhave, AIA, Varsha Bhave, Karthik Viswanathan, Karunakar Santhosh, Ramesh Krishnamurthy, @shiva j Anubhav Raj America India Tech Council is a not for profit community (sponsored by TheAppLabb) that brings together Indo American Tech executives (CIOs/CTOs) and leaders for knowledge sharing and peer learning! AITC fosters collaboration, co-learning, and growth among technology leaders and, along with our sister organization Canada India Tech Council (CITC), we have over 600 members across North America. As part of our mission we seek to collectively raise the bar of innovation through collective learning, build a supportive community for the future generations and enhance ties and trilateral tech trade between the US, Canadian, and Indian tech sectors.