Diamond Sponsor

Global Director of Smart Buildings | Cisco | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Tuesday, 2 March | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Now more than ever, sustainable building designs are at the forefront of every developer’s, constructor’s, and owner’s next big project. The return on investments for creating dynamic, intelligent spaces can be “funded” by
net-zero, or even net-positive designs that are easier to spec, deploy, and commission with a DC-Micro grid and structured cabling. You cannot automate that which is not connected, and it is exponentially easier to connect tens of thousands
of things using the same design than it is to keep track of duplicate and disparate materials and procedures. A single converged network can power, connect and secure buildings systems with PoE in ways never previously imagined, driving
complexity and cost out of projects and simplifying the on-going operations while creating the smartest and most agile spaces to keep up with the changing world.
About Jeremy Witikko
Jeremy leads the Global Smart Building team at Cisco and is accountable for their overall got-to-market strategy. With hundreds of Smart Buildings projects under their belt, the Cisco Smart Buildings team
is finely tuned to reduce costs while improving the outcomes in Smart Buildings. Jeremy has extensive experience in innovation, leadership, and IT consulting across multiple industries, including consumer package goods, aerospace, retail, financial,
medical device, and manufacturing. He has more than 20 years of experience in providing advisory services to executives and helping define a vision and with pragmatic approaches to execution. Jeremy has degrees in Materials and Science Engineering,
as well as an MBA in Strategy from the University of Minnesota.
Vice President, Global Datacenter Construction | Microsoft | Redmond, Washington, USA
Wednesday, 3 March | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
The scale, growth and expansion of the datacenter industry has raised new and important questions to the forefront around safety, diversity, and worker welfare. Within the industry, safe, ethical projects are not just moral obligations, but
have also proven to deliver better. Doug offers his thoughts on shared values safety, diversity & inclusion, and worker welfare, and how collectively the industry can come together to empower people and organizations to do more and set
a higher standard for the datacenter industry. Doug will also share how Microsoft is leveraging technology to advance the construction industry.
About Doug Mouton
Doug is responsible for datacenter construction execution for all Microsoft datacenters. He belongs to Microsoft’s Cloud Operations + Innovation organization (CO+I) and leads a global organization of
around 300 procurement and construction management professionals and outsourced staff. Doug manages an annual Capital budget of US$4 billion. At any time, there are around 25,000 workers executing on the construction of our datacenters
around the globe. Doug’s team is responsible for the safe and ethical execution of construction and procurement of all Microsoft datacenters, ensuring customer demands are met while remaining competitive in the market from a cost and
schedule perspective. Doug holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Louisiana and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Celebrated Comedian, Author, and Mental Health Advocate | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Thursday, 4 March | 11 a.m. – Noon
Stress is a part of life, especially with the triggers a pandemic brings, but leaving it unchecked can affect your team’s morale and ultimately your bottom line. Using humor and other simple coping mechanisms can improve the emotional wellbeing
of individuals and ultimately the companies they work for. We are more likely to live healthy, productive lives if we maintain our physical and emotional resilience, and this laugh-out-loud presentation offers simple, achievable steps to
help others go from treading water to reigniting their spark. Jessica proves that comedy is more than an entertainment form; it is a powerful filter through which you can navigate stressful situations, empowering you to recover from setbacks
and face challenges more easily.
About Jessica Holmes
Beloved comedian Jessica Holmes has been a perennial favourite on Royal Canadian Air Farce for 15 years and has brought the house down opening for giants such as Ellen DeGeneres, Russell Peters,
Jerry Seinfeld, and Oprah Winfrey. Her hilarious take on life’s challenges, as well as her unique knack for skewering celebrities, have had audiences in stitches. Her customized emcee and entertainment presentations — which include motivation
and wellness — are always a hit.
Behind the laughter though, Jessica — like millions of others — has struggled both with post-partum depression and, as she puts it, “regular, run-of-the-mill, garden-variety depression”. Hoping to help end the stigma around mental health issues, she openly shares her personal stories with the humor she’s known for, bringing light — and laugh-out-loud laughter — to what can often be a dark topic.