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October 22, 2026 • Toronto

DDC Next brings rising leaders and teams together for the practical conversations that turn market direction into stronger strategy, execution, and day-to-day decision-making.

What is DDC Next?

DDC Next is the second day of Digital Day Camp: the practical, in-the-weeds room for those carrying the work forward across Canadian digital media. The day is designed to turn big ideas into action: how strategy turns into execution, how teams make decisions, how leaders grow inside the work, and what it takes to move from market conversation to practical traction.

This day is purpose-built for directors, managers, team leads, operators, and rising leaders across publishers, agencies, brands, ad tech, platforms, and industry partners. These are the people close enough to the work to know where plans break down, where teams need better context, and where stronger decisions can change the outcome.


What can you expect?

  • 100+ directors, managers, team leads, operators, and rising leaders across publishers, agencies, brands, ad tech, platforms, and industry partners.

  • Practical working sessions focused on the real problems Canadian media teams are dealing with now.

  • Operator-led conversations about measurement, monetization, AI, CTV, omnichannel strategy, audience behavior, technology, and team decision-making.

  • Breakouts designed for peer exchange, practical problem-solving, and honest discussion about what's working, what's stuck, and what needs to change.

  • Leadership lessons built into the work, with senior voices, operator stories, and practical takeaways for people growing into bigger roles.

Why rising leaders attend DDC Next

CLOSER TO THE WORK

DDC Next is built for the people who need more than a high-level read on the market. You're managing the details, the tradeoffs, the meetings, the deadlines, and the decisions that turn strategy into something real. This day gives you better context for the work already in front of you.

THE RIGHT PEERS

You'll collaborate alongside your peers: directors, managers, team leads, operators, specialists, and rising leaders who are dealing with the same market from different seats. You get to compare notes with people who understand the pressure because they are working through it too.

CANADIAN CONTEXT

Every conversation is driven by leaders, operators, and specialists working through the realities of Canadian digital media. You’ll get market context you can actually use, from people who understand the regulations, tradeoffs, and decisions shaping the work here.

Who should attend DDC Next

DDC Next is designed for directors, managers, team leads, specialists, and rising leaders from Canada's publishers, agencies, brands, ad tech, platforms, and industry partners.

PUBLISHERS

Directors, managers, team leads, and operators working in revenue, monetization, audience, ad ops, product, partnerships, content, or growth.

AGENCIES

Media, strategy, planning, investment, measurement, client leaders and team leads who need stronger. more practical ways to move client work forward.

BRANDS

 Marketing, media, digital digital, ecommerce, and brand-side leads who want a better view of the market and the players and factors shaping performance.

TECH PARTNERS

Operators, specialists, and rising leaders who need to know how publishers, agencies, and brands are thinking about tech and the Canadian market.

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Active International- VP, Digital and Emerging Media
"A must attend for Canadian publishers and any vendor who takes the Canadian market seriously"

Featured Speakers from Spring Toronto 2026
The people close to the work leading the market forward

DDC Next features leaders, operators, specialists, and practitioners from across Canadian digital media. These are the people working through the details behind revenue, measurement, technology, media, audience, and execution — and the people rising leaders need to hear from, learn with, and challenge in the room.

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Kabil Rahaman

Head of

Commercial Data
Globe&Mail

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Sarah Thompson

Executive Managing Director
Glassroom

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Matt McGowan

SVP, Business Solutions
Bell Media

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Modestos Gikizas

Interim Head Marketing
AIR MILES

Reward Program

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Peter Venus

Head of Media Effectiveness
dentsu

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Kristine Sherliker

Vice President - Client Leadership 
Wavemaker

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Shawn Pinnock

Director of Marketing
iDREAM

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Ashkan Karbasfrooshan

Founder & CEO
WatchMojo

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Chuck Lapointe

Co-Founder & CEO
Narcity Media Group

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Louise Clements

President and CEO
The Hive, Swarm-ai

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Cameron Williamson

Vice President Client Solutions
SJC Media

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Brandon Gonez

Chief Executive Officer
Gonez Media

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​Ryan Matier

Senior Manager, Sports & Olympic Media Sponsorships
CBC/Radio Canada

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Ryan Jordan

VP, Retail Media Sales - North America
Publicis Groupe

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Lakshmi Radhakrishnan

Director of Performance Marketing
Involved Media

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Sam Bevacqua

General Manager
La Presse

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Heather Gordon

Managing Director, Canada
Acast

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Adam Ritchie

VP Product & Innovation, Canadian Broadcast Sales
AudioVelocity

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David Salmon

EVP & Managing Director, International
Tubi

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Jérôme Leys

General Manager
Quebecor Media

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Kimberley O'Keefe

Director
(Head of Agency)

Loblaw Advance

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Lisa Horbunova

Content Creator & Marketing Specialist
Independent

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Brian Coones

CEO and Founder
REWIRE

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Daniel Pacitto

Digital Marketing & eCommerce Lead
Church & Dwight

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Kristi Lee

Creator and Narrator
Canadian True Crime

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Dr. Stephanie Gutnik

President
Tuxedo Concepts

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​Ryan Matier

Senior Manager, Sports & Olympic Media Sponsorships
CBC/Radio Canada

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Olivier J. Bergeron

CEO
Click & Mortar

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Catherine Laporte

Chief Marketing
and Digital Officer

Rona

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Alan Cross

Broadcaster
& Music Geek

A Journal
of Musical Things

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Dwayne Morgan

OOnt Board Member
iDREAM

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Ian Andre Espinet

Cultural Executive / Advisor
iDREAM

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Sydney Kirkland

SVP Media Planning
Spark Foundry

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Idan Driman

Vice President Marketing
Pet Valu

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Karine Courtemanche

EVP
Plus Company Canada
&
President
Media Group

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Shannon Lewis

President
CMDC

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Monika Platek

Senior Producer, Content and Publishing, Digital and Social
CBC Sports/Olympics

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Brittany MacLean Campbell

Associate Producer, Athlete and National Sport Organization Relations
CBC Sports (Bronze Medal in RIO2016)

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Marissa Papaconstantinou

Bronze Medal Paralympian
(Tokyo 2020, para athletics)

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