Business conferences are a great way to network and update your knowledge about the prevailing trends in the Canadian economic and commercial landscape. As such, on May 14, 2024, the CanadianSME Magazine team attended the Business Technology Expo (BTEX) in Toronto. The event was held at the vibrant Rebel Entertainment venue and duly brought together IT professionals, business leaders, and technology enthusiasts from various industries. What’s more, CDW Canada hosted this year’s expo with the goal of encouraging attendees to learn, network, and advance their careers. The day was packed with interesting discussions, professional presenters, and thrilling prizes.
Engaging Networking Opportunities
BTEX Toronto was no ordinary business event; it was a dynamic platform that aimed to foster meaningful interactions between IT experts and business executives. The event’s innovative setup facilitated direct engagement with CDW’s proficient technical team and over 70 technology exhibitors. These interactions went beyond sharing ideas and assessing industry trends; they paved the way for potential future collaborations. The exhibition floor buzzed with conversations as professionals from various sectors networked and shared their experiences, making it a truly enriching experience for all.
Insightful sessions and keynotes
Notably, the talks given at BTEX Toronto addressed a wide variety of vital issues, with a heavy emphasis on cybersecurity. The keynote presentation titled “Cybersecurity Threats, Trends, and Strategies for 2024” was a highlight of the event. The session, led by Ivo Wiens, Field CTO of Cybersecurity at CDW Canada, and Emanuel Figueroa, Senior Analyst at IDC, focused on CDW Canada’s 2024 Canadian Cybersecurity Study results. Despite a drop in the frequency of cyberattacks, their success rate has increased, creating substantial challenges for Canadian enterprises. The discussion underlined the need for advanced cybersecurity solutions to battle these growing threats.
Another jewel in BTEX’s crown was the session, “The State of Cybersecurity in Canada,” which featured a panel of industry experts, including Den Jones, SonicWall’s Chief Security Officer, and Calvin Chiu, Cisco Canada’s National Cybersecurity Partner Business Development Manager. In fact, the panel explored current cybersecurity trends and how Canadian businesses prioritize cybersecurity spending despite IT budget restrictions. This session gave useful insights into the strategic relevance of cybersecurity in today’s corporate environment.
Leading-edge Technology and Professional Development
BTEX Toronto also highlighted professional development with workshops on the most recent technological advancements. Phil Vokins, Director of Channels, ISVs, and Cloud at Intel Canada, delivered a standout keynote speech. Vokins addressed the hoopla around artificial intelligence (AI) and advised participants to concentrate on the components of AI that are most important. He urged attendees to think critically about AI’s influence and to plan for the future by recognizing its possible benefits and risks.
As a matter of fact, attendees had the opportunity to engage with tech vendors throughout the event, attend informative sessions, and participate in hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge products. The primary objective of these activities was to help participants develop professionally and personally by giving them practical advice that they could use in their business fields.
After a thrilling encore performance by the Geosphere Aerialist Trio, the evening concluded with several award giveaways. Attendees left the expo with fresh ideas and contacts and were enthusiastic about the possibilities presented by technological advancements in the future.
Notably, the event was sponsored by some of the most prominent technology partners, including Apple Inc., Cisco Partner, Dell Technologies, HPE Aruba Networking, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Ergotron, FORTINET, Logitech, Palo Alto, and Samsung.
Besides those mentioned above, here are the additional sponsors: ABSOLUTE, Acer, AMD, APC, ARTICWOLF, AWS, Beauceron, CANON, CHECKPOINT, CloudFlare, CODE, Cohesity, COMMVAULT, Cradlepoint, Crowdstrike, Cyberpower, Delinea, ELO, EPOS, EP ON, ESET, F5 NETWORKS, GOOGLE, VANTARA, IBM, JABRA, JAMF, JUNIPER, KENSINGTON, KINGSTON, KnowBe4, Lexmark, LIQUIDPC / RAPID7, LG, MIMECAST, N-Able, Neat, NetAPP, NETScout, Netskope, NUTANIX, OKTA, Open Text, POLY, Proofpoint, Pure Storage, RingCentral, Rubrik, RUCKUS, SeaGate, SENTINELONE, SonicWALL, SOPHOS, Splunk, Startech, Suse, Targus, Tintri, TRELLIX, TRIPPLITE / EATON, Vast Data, VEEAM, VERTIV, VMWARE, WatchGuard, Western Digital, Yubico, Zebra, Zoom, and Zscaler.
The BTEX Toronto 2024 conference was undoubtedly a huge success, extending a stimulating environment where company executives and IT experts could meet and network to tap their potential. Thanks to their emphasis on cybersecurity, professional growth, and cutting-edge technology, participants left the event with a thorough comprehension of the present technological environment and the skills necessary to traverse it. As we look back at the event, the CanadianSME Magazine team can clearly discern what a game-changer BTEX has been, paving the way for a future with industry-wide collaborations.
To learn more about this year’s event, visit their official site here.
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