15 & 16 NOVEMBER, 2023, LONDON, ONTARIO CANADA

The Best Defence Conference is a premier Canadian aerospace, defence and public safety conference addressing the air, land, naval, C4ISR, IT/IM and public safety capability domains.

About The Event

The Best Defence Conference delivers exceptional networking opportunities that will enhance your ability to conduct business, as you:

  1. Learn about Canadian Defence Procurement Opportunities
  2. Engage with key industry, military, and government procurement decision makers
  3. Form Strategic Partnerships
  4. Develop Supply Chains, and
  5. Develop New Business – Survey results indicate 44% of attendees who responded in 2022 obtained new business opportunities from participating in The Best Defence Conference

The Technology Showcase is an integral part of the conference showcasing innovative and emerging technologies. Delivered in a “five minutes of fame” format, participating companies can exploit this opportunity to promote their technologies to industry leaders, as well as military and government decision makers.

Please contact Heather Pilot for more information at [email protected]

New to the Canadian Defence Market? Best Defence is an excellent entry point for companies new to the Canadian aerospace, defence and public safety marketplace. The intimate size of the event allows companies to easily engage with key government influencers and industry leaders to conduct market research; to evaluate market entry conditions; assess opportunities; and identify potential strategic partners.

Preliminary Program Topics

  • Canadian Armed Forces Mini Outlook
  • Cyber Security Certification
  • Pan Domain Command and Control
  • Growing Your Canadian & U.S. Public Sector Business
  • Supply Chain Resilience
  • The Race for Space
  • Quantum Computing – What does it mean for Defence and for your Business?

Who Should Attend

  • Aerospace, defence and public safety Companies (air, land, naval, CRISR, IT/IM and public safety capability domains)
  • Advanced Manufacturing companies
  • Innovative Technology companies (AI, Quantum, Cybersecurity, novel materials)
  • Prime contractors, Systems Integrators, Small-Medium-sized Enterprises (SME)
  • CAF and government stakeholders

Where

RBC Place London
300 York Street, London, ON N6B 1P8

When

15-16 NOVEMBER, 2023
Wednesday & Thursday

Event Schedule

Day 1

Nov 15, 2023

8:00 - 9:00 AM
REGISTRATION
09:00 - 10:30 AM
CAF Mini Outlooks
  • Colonel David. J. Pletz, MSM, CD, Director Air Requirements, Royal Canadian Air Force
  • Colonel A.D. (Dave) MacIntyre, Director Land Requirements, Canadian Army
  • Captain(N) Andrew Graham, Director Naval Requirements, Royal Canadian Navy
10:30 - 11:00 AM
BREAK & NETWORKING

Sponsored by Canadian Defence Review

11:00 AM - 11:45 PM
Supply Chain Resilience
  • Moderator:  Christa Hammond, Director Supply Chain Management, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada
  • Sebastian Fischmeister, CEO, Palitronica
  • Lyall King, Director Risk Mitigation Programs, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
  • Marc Lanouette, Senior Engineer, Cyber Materiel Assurance & Supply Chain Resilience, Department of National Defence
11:45 – 12:00PM
Grow Your Canadian & US Public Sector Business

Brynn Bruder, Sr. Analyst, Deltek
AJ Jernigan, Solutions Engineer, Deltek

12:00 – 1:00 pm
LUNCH BREAK

Lunch Sponsored by Deltek

1:00 – 1:10 PM
Intro of Keynote Speaker ​
Tim Van Holst, Metro Supply Chain Group
1:10 – 1:40 PM
Keynote Speaker

Sponsored by Metro Supply Group

Dr. David Perry, President
Canadian Global Affairs Institute

1:40 – 2:00 PM
Tech Showcase Presentations
  • 1:40 PM – KWESST, Rick Bowes, Strategic Advisor Digitalization and Counter-Threat Products
  • 1:45 PM – DAVWIRE, Dr. Nicholas Lanigan, PhD, Design Engineer/Business Development Manager
  • 1:50 PM – Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles, Roman Shimonov, CEO
2:00 – 2:30 PM
Networking Break

Sponsored by Canadian Defence Review

2:30 – 3:45 PM
Pan Domain Command and Control (panel)
  • Moderator:  John de Boer, Senior Director Government Affairs and Public Policy, BlackBerry Canada 
  • LGen(R) Stuart Beare , Strategic Advisor & Executive Leader,  Accenture
  • Derek Dobson, Defence and Public Safety Leader, Microsoft
  • Colonel Guy Parisien, Director Air Domain Development, Royal Canadian Air Force
  • Keith Pringnitz,  Sr Director Business Capture, MDA Corporation
3:45pm – 4:30pm
B2B Meetings
4:30 pm – 6:00pm
Reception

Sponsored by General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada

Day 2

Nov 16, 2023

9:00 - 10:00 AM
Securing Canada’s Critical Infrastructure
  • Moderator: Ken Murphy, GM & VP Critical Event Management Platform, BlackBerry
  • Brigitte Joly, Director General, Critical Infrastructure, National and Cyber Security Branch, Public Safety Canada
  • Joanne Garrah, Acting Assistant Secretary for Emergency Preparedness, Privy Council Office
  • Bill Ulicny, Head of Directorate, Safety & Security, Canadian Nuclear Labs
10:00 - 10:20 AM
How Volatility Affects Canadian Defense Procurement - Lessons from the Decade of Darkness to Today

Sponsored by Saab Group

Sean Ward, (LCol Ret’d) MAMSc, Bridge 4 Defence Consulting Inc

 

10:20- 10:30 AM
Greg Denton, Business Development Inc.
Overwatch Imaging
10:30 AM
Break
11:00 - 11:30 AM
Cyber Security Certification

Paula Folkes-Dallaire
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister 
Defence and Marine Procurement 
Public Services and Procurement Canada

11:30 - 11:50 AM
Tech Showcase Presentations
  • 11:30 AM – Lynch Fluid Controls, Ken Mah, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Programs
  • 11:35 AM – Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Dr. Victoria L. Drover, VP Operations & Advancement
  • 11:40 AM – Palitroncia, Sebastian Fischmeister, CEO
12:00 - 1:00 PM
LUNCH BREAK

Sponsored by McMaster University

1:05 – 1:30PM
Keynote Speaker

Andrew Service, Canadian Business Development Manager, General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada

1:30 -2:30 PM
The Race for Space
  • Moderator: Peter Studer, Partner, CFN Consultants
  • Brigadier-General Michael Adamson, CD  Commander 3 Canadian Space Division  Royal Canadian Air Force
  • Daniel Schulten, Director Business Development, Airbus Defence and Space
  • Ewan Reid, CEO, Mission Control Space Services
2:30 – 3:00 PM
The Potential of Quantum Sensing in Defence Applications

Nick Werstiuk, CEO  Quantum Valley Ideas Lab

3:00PM - 4:00PM
B2B Meetings
4:00 PM
CONFERENCE CONCLUDES

Conference Fees

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

• Includes promotion of your company in official program and trade publication.
• Contact [email protected] to see if you are eligible.

EXHIBITOR FEES (Includes one full conference pass)

Power $125 CDN per booth Power + Internet $250 CDN 

REFUND POLICY
  • 50% refund of conference fees if request is made in writing 30 days prior to September 5, 2023 
  • No refunds after September 8, 2023 
  • $100 fee for name transfers 
Note: All fees and costs in Canadian dollars. Mandatory HST of 13% added to fees.
Questions? Contact: Heather Pilot [email protected] 1-519-851-9848

Speakers

Sean Ward (LCol Ret’d) MAMSc
Colonel David J. Pletz, MSM, CD
Col Anthony MacIntyre

Director Land Requirements, Canadian Army

Bill Ulicny

Head of Directorate, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Ewan Reid, Founder & CEO

Mission Control Space Services

Keith Pringnitz

Senior Director Business Capture, MDA Corporation

Brynn Bruder

Senior Research Analyst, DELTEK

Derek Dobson

Microsoft Defence and Federal Public Safety leader in Canada

Lgen(ret’d) Stuart Beare

CMM, MSC, MSM, CD, Strategic Advisor, Defense and Public Safety, Accenture

Sebastian Fischmeister

CEO and co-founder of Palitronica

John de Boer

Senior Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy
BlackBerry Ltd.

Daniel Schulten

Global Business Development Director, Space, Airbus Defence and Space Canada

Capt(N) Andrew Graham
Nick Werstiuk

Chief Executive Officer at Quantum Valley Ideas Lab

Christa Hammond

Director, Supply Chain Management, General Dynamics Land
Systems-Canada.

Joanne Garrah

Assistant Secretary to Cabinet, Emergency Preparedness

Patrick Boucher

Public Safety Canada 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL MIKE ADAMSON, CD

Commander 3 Canadian Space Division

Paula Folkes-Dallaire

Associate Assistant, Deputy Minister, Defence and Marine
Procurement

Lyall King

Director, Risk Mitigation Programs |Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

Venue

RBC Place London
300 York Street
London, Ontario
N6B 1P8

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With abundant networking opportunities, the Best Defence Conference places you in front of prime contractors, military and procurement specialists in the Canadian Defence sector. Our multiple B2B and B2G opportunities consistently provide value to attendees by enhancing your ability to conduct business.

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