In partnership with:
About the Conference
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many organizations to transform their technological processes, modern business leaders must be equipped with relevant knowledge and skills.
The Ivey MSc Digital Leadership Conference (DLC) enables students to gain these necessary skills in order to succeed in the post-pandemic world. The DLC is comprised of technology-focused workshops culminating in a 1-day case competition. This event is open to business students across Canada and is focused on allowing students to develop practical skills that will prepare them for their future careers. By partnering with boutique consulting firms, DLC allows students to solve technology-centric business problems while receiving insight and feedback from industry leaders.
Event Description
For the inaugural year, DLC has partnered with Vyaire Medical and CGS Advisors to write a case study about the massive challenges that these firms faced in 2020. Vyaire was tasked with expanding its operational capacity by over 100 times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vyaire turned to CGS Advisors to help them overhaul their technological infrastructure in record time.
As a participant, students will not be required to have any technical knowledge beforehand. They will have the opportunity to attend a series of asynchronous workshops that will equip them with foundational digital knowledge that every modern business leader should possess. On September 7th, students will get a chance to receive insights from the industry professionals who created the workshops. Finally, on September 11th, students will participate in the Vyaire & CGS Case Competition, where they will take their digital skills to the next level by applying business and technology strategy through a real-world case study.
Students can register for the conference as a team of five or individually. If applying individually, students will be placed on a team and have a chance to work with talented and like-minded individuals from across the country. Registration closes on August 23rd. The case will be released on August 28th, providing teams with two weeks to develop their presentation on their own schedule. The only date which requires attendance is the case competition on September 11th from 12pm to 5:30pm EST.
Schedule
August 28th: Case Release
September 1st: Asynchronous Workshop Videos Released
September 7th: Q&A Session with Workshop Leaders (from 6:00pm to 7:00pm EST)
September 11th: Case Competition (from 12:00pm to 5:30pm EST)
Prizes
The team who wins first place will receive $1000 and the second place team will receive $400!
Gregg Garrett
CEO and Managing Director of CGS Advisors, LLC.
Gregg Garrett is the CEO and Managing Director of CGS Advisors, a boutique strategy and innovation advisory firm. He helps clients push the limits of corporate culture by developing and implementing unique strategies that capitalize on technology-oriented disruptions. Gregg is referred to as a visionary leader who recognizes commonsense solutions for complex problems and motivates teams to achieve greatness. Gregg is an experienced international keynote speaker & lecturer, is an adjunct professor of business and engineering, and he has recently authored a best-selling business leadership book titled Competing in the Connecting World.
Edward Rybicki
SVP and Global CIO of Vyaire Medical
Ed Rybicki is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Vyaire Medical. In this role, Mr. Rybicki is responsible for the company’s technology initiatives including software, infrastructure, application development tools and processes, operations, and cybersecurity. He also guides the overall direction for the company’s healthcare technology products and sponsors the creation of a data and analytics platform. Over his career, Mr. Rybicki had the opportunity to perform a high majority of functions within an IT department and he developed expertise in the following: technology value creation, strategy, organizational design/implementation, digital transformation, architecture, data & analytics implementation, cloud migrations, and employee development.
Warren Ritchie
Assistant Professor at Ivey Business School
Warren Ritchie, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Strategy at the Ivey Business School. Prior to his appointment at Ivey, he was a Fellow with CGS Advisors LLC, a boutique Strategy and Technology advisory firm that he cofounded. Dr. Ritchie had a long career with the Volkswagen Group of Companies working with the importer and manufacturing subsidiaries operating in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa. Dr. Ritchie led the Corporate Strategy function within two separate subsidiaries and his final role for four years was as Chief Information Officer of the US and Canadian subsidiaries.
Jason Chew
Director of Program Services at Ivey Business School
A leader, finance professional, and engineer, I was a Finance and Business Manager for North America’s largest independent oil and gas company for over a decade in the Canadian Business Unit, participating in major strategic initiatives, M&A transactions, and organizational changes. I have more than 15 years of experience advising both executives and senior leaders, and partnering with peers in areas of strategy, planning, and providing financial/operational insights to drive business objectives. I lead by example, encouraging collaboration, innovation, and the development of team members.
Maahum Ahmad
Title: President
Undergrad: BSc in Psychology, minor in Biology
Ivey Program: MSc in Digital Management
mahmad.msc2021@ivey.ca
Cassidy Bier
Title: VP Marketing and Digital
Undergrad: BA in Psychology, minor in Marketing
Ivey Program: MSc in Digital Management
cbier.msc2021@ivey.ca
Ethan Kemp
Title: VP External Relations
Undergrad: Ivey Honours Business Administration
Ivey Program: MSc in Digital Management
ekemp.msc2021@ivey.ca
Srishti Prashar
Title: VP External Relations
Undergrad: BSc in Anthropology and Mathematics
Ivey Program: MSc in Digital Management
sprashar.msc2021@ivey.ca
Nick Spencer
Title: VP Internal Affairs
Undergrad: BA in Management and Organizational Studies
Ivey Program: MSc in Digital Management
nspencer.msc2021@ivey.ca
Digital Management
With the business world changing rapidly, companies must re-shape who they are and how they operate. In order to do this, organizations need graduates who can bridge the gap between business and technology. The MSc in Digital Management is a degree that trains individuals to work on the boundaries of technological innovation and apply techniques to drive business transformation. This degree is not something that exists at other schools – it is designed to push forward innovative practices that businesses need to put into play so that they can manage an unpredictable future.
The Ivey MSc Digital Leadership Conference is open to business students across Canada. The concepts outlined within this event are inspired by the core courses delivered through the Ivey MSc Digital Management program, with a greater emphasis on implementation.
