Chair

Linda Mantia

Linda Mantia is the former SEVP and Group Chief Operating Officer of Manulife Financial, where she was responsible for technology, advanced analytics, marketing, corporate strategy, corporate development, innovation, and regulatory and public affairs. Prior to Manulife, Ms. Mantia was the Executive Vice-President of Digital, Payments and Cards at Royal Bank of Canada. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Co. and as a Corporate Securities Lawyer at Davies, Ward, Phillips & Vineberg LLP. Ms. Mantia has been twice celebrated as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. Ms. Mantia holds a LL.B from Queen’s University.

Vice-Chair

Bryan Smith

Bryan Smith is the Co-Founder and CEO of ThinkData Works, a Toronto-based technology company that enables data processing and refinement for governments, banks, and corporate clients across Canada and globally. Previously, Mr. Smith served as Senior Policy Advisor to the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, where he helped implement the Government’s “Value for Money Ethic”, leading to over $7B in annual savings. Mr. Smith holds a B.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University. 

Task Force Members

Bilal Khan

Bilal Khan is the Managing Partner and Head of Deloitte Data, where he is responsible for helping develop and execute Deloitte’s data and innovation agenda, as well as the development of data strategies and transformations for the firm’s clients. Prior to this, Mr. Khan was the founding CEO of OneEleven, a scale-up innovation hub focused on helping Canada’s high-growth start-ups commercialize their technologies and scale their operations. He previously held the role of Director of Policy and Senior Advisor to three consecutive Ministers of Economic Development, Trade and Innovation for the Government of Ontario. Mr. Khan holds a LL.B. degree from the University of Windsor.

Avner Levin

Avner Levin is a Professor at the Ted Rogers School of Management, Law & Business Department. He is the Founding Director of Ryerson University’s Privacy and Cyber Crime Institute. Dr. Levin's research interests include the legal regulation and protection of privacy and personal information, online and in social media. He has been a recipient of funding from bodies such as the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and Public Safety Canada. His work has been published in the American Business Law Journal, the Canadian Journal of Law and Technology, the Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law, the International Journal of Information Security and others. Prof. Levin is an alumnus of Tel-Aviv University, holding a B.Sc. and LL.B. degree, and of the University of Toronto, holding a LL.M. and S.J.D.

Maithili Mavinkurve

Maithili Mavinkurve is co-founder and COO of Sightline Innovation, one of Canada's longest-standing Artificial Intelligence companies. Recognized for her pioneering role in the sector, Ms. Mavinkurve has been cited as one of the 30 Most Influential Women in AI in Canada. Previously, she served as a member of the federal Economic Strategy - Digital Industries Table, leading the sub-group that developed national data strategy and IP recommendations. Ms. Mavinkurve has also represented Canada at the G7 ministerial meetings on AI and the future of work. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Toronto and is licensed as a P. Eng. from Professional Engineers Ontario.

Shyam Oberoi

Shyam Oberoi is the Chief Digital Officer of the Royal Ontario Museum where he oversees the Museum’s digital and technology strategy. Prior to this, he held leadership positions at the Dallas Museum of Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art with responsibility for media creation, gallery interactives, technical services and mobile experiences. Mr. Oberoi previously worked as a software engineer for over a decade. He holds a B.A. in Computer Science from Manhattan College, and a M.A. from New York University.

Mark Sakamoto

Mark Sakamoto is an entrepreneur and investor in digital health and digital media. He currently serves as the Executive Vice-President of Think Research, a leading provider of cloud-based clinical solutions for the healthcare sector. A lawyer by training, Mr. Sakamoto has worked at a national law firm and served as a senior political advisor to a national party leader. Previously, Mark worked as an Executive Manager for the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, focusing on content deals. He holds a LL.B. degree from Dalhousie University.

Kirsten Thompson

Kirsten Thompson is currently a partner with Dentons Canada LLP, where she serves as the national lead of the Transformative Technologies and Data Strategy group. Her work focuses on data-driven industries and disruptive technologies, and she is a leading practitioner in areas such as digital identity, open data, data analytics applications, and enterprise data strategy. Previously, Ms. Thompson was a partner with McCarthy Tetrault LLP. Her community involvement includes serving on the board of Canadian Tech Law and acting as a member of the Open Banking Advisory Committee for the Government of Canada. Ms. Thompson holds a LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School and a J.D. from Queen’s University.