Neil Desai
Executive Vice-President, Technology
Viral Nation
Neil Desai is a corporate director and executive with extensive experience in the public and private sector. He is currently Executive Vice-President, Technology with Viral Nation. Prior to this role, he served on the leadership team of Magnet Forensics, a Canadian technology company that develops digital investigation software used by more than 4,000 police, national security and other public and private organizations in over 100 countries. There, he helped lead the growth of the company, from a start-up to its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2021 and $1.8-billion sale in 2023. Neil is a senior fellow with the Centre for International Governance Innovation and entrepreneur-in-residence with the Rogers Cyber Catalyst. Neil serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Policy Forum, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Innovation Asset Collective, ClearRisk Inc. and is a past director of YMCA Canada. Neil previously served in the Government of Canada in senior roles at Global Affairs Canada and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Schedule
15 mins
St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts - Jane Mallett Theatre
Social Media: The Path Forward
Over just two decades, social media has evolved into the primary channel for personal connections and content consumption, yet it presents a challenging landscape for enterprises and governments. In this keynote, Neil highlights the significant risks it poses, from eroding credibility due to missteps to enabling widespread disinformation and becoming a common channel for cybercrime. Join Neil’s talk–calling for a path forward that combines better technology and robust public policy to secure and protect individuals and organizations.