New Webcasts: 2024 CIRO Innovation Forum panels

The CIRO 2024 Innovation Forum hosted by KPMG in Canada on Thursday, October 17, 2024 in Toronto, Canada gathered thought leaders, industry experts and seasoned innovators for an inspiring and transformative experience. The Forum included the following four sessions:

The Digital Economy session

This session provides a perspective on how the digital economy has developed over the years, including the role of digital assets and tokenization. The discussion also encompasses considerations around the application of distributed ledger technology and challenges and implications of such adoption. Real-world examples from Canada and globally are examined.

The moderator and presenters include:

• Kunal Bhasin, Partner & Co-Leader, Digital Assets Center of Excellence (CoE), KPMG
• Steve Everett, Chief Commercial Officer, CDS and Head of Post-Trade Innovation, TMX Group
• Barnaby Nelson, Chief Executive Officer, the ValueExchange
• Lori Stein, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

There will be 0.75 Compliance continuing education credits available under the Investment Dealer (formerly IIROC) CE program and 0.75 Business Conduct (non-ethics) credits available under the Mutual Fund Dealer (formerly MFDA) CE program.

Register for the webcast.

Disruptive Technology and Third-Party Risk session

This session explores emerging and disruptive technologies, with a focus on generative AI, and its impact and applications in the investment industry. This session also addresses some of the opportunities and challenges of employing these technologies, including additional considerations when business functions, activities and processes are outsourced to third-party service providers.

The moderator and presenters include:

• Gerardo Amaya, Senior Industry & Technology Leader– Americas, Microsoft
• Baiju Devani, Chief Technology & Product Officer, Armilla AI
• Heather Kay, Head of Financial Services Public Policy, Amazon Web Services
• Kareem Sadek, Partner, Advisory, Tech Risk – Trusted AI/Digital Assets CoE co-leader, KPMG

There will be 0.75 Compliance continuing education credits available under the Investment Dealer (formerly IIROC) CE program and 0.75 Business Conduct (non-ethics) credits available under the Mutual Fund Dealer (formerly MFDA) CE program.

Register for the webcast.

Evolution of Do-It-Yourself and Order Execution-Only session

Technology has enabled greater access to financial markets for retail investors. This session explores the evolution, current state, and future trends of self-directed investing and order execution-only platforms. The panel discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by the rise of online brokers while providing insights into the evolving landscape of Canadian investor needs, as learned from CIRO’s inaugural investor survey.

The moderator and presenters include:

• Matthew Brady, Vice-President, Office of the Investor, CIRO
• Mary Joyce Empensando, Chief Compliance Officer, Regulated Entities, Questrade Financial Group
• Rami Thabet, Senior Vice-President, Digital, RBC
• Christine Zalzal, Senior Vice-President, Head of Online Brokerage and Digital Wealth, Aviso Wealth

There will be 0.75 Compliance continuing education credits available under the Investment Dealer (formerly IIROC) CE program and 0.75 Business Conduct (non-ethics) credits available under the Mutual Fund Dealer (formerly MFDA) CE program.

Register for the webcast.

Crypto Assets in Canada session

This session provides an overview of the evolution of crypto assets and related infrastructure in Canada as well as an overview of the current regulatory framework. The panel explores some of the challenges faced by the industry, including the impact of the broader financial industry’s reluctance to adopt crypto assets. The discussions also explore the potential of crypto assets in Canada and emphasize the crucial role that regulators play in supporting industry growth and public confidence while prioritizing the protection of investors. The panel concludes with insights into the future of crypto assets in Canada.

The moderator and presenters include:

• Susan Greenglass, Senior Vice-President, Trading & Markets, Ontario Securities Commission
• Suzanne Lasrado, Vice-President, Member Services and Innovation, CIRO
• Lucas Matheson, Country Director, Canada, Coinbase
• Blair Wiley, Chief Legal Officer, Wealthsimple

There will be 1.0 Compliance continuing education credit available under the Investment Dealer (formerly IIROC) CE program and 1 Business Conduct (non-ethics) credit available under the Mutual Fund Dealer (formerly MFDA) CE program.

Register for the webcast.