Current Speakers

Mike Hurley is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nova Scotia Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation (CUDIC). Nova Scotia CUDIC has a tri-mandate including Deposit Insurance, Credit Union Regulation & Risk Management, and Atlantic Central Regulation. Mike is the current Chair of the Canadian Credit Union Prudential Supervisors Association (CUPSA) and held the Vice-Chair role for three years prior to taking over as Chair.

Mike spent 15 years in Senior Financial roles in the public and private sector prior to joining CUDIC in 2018. During this time, Mike was also Board Director with Teachers Plus Credit Union in Halifax, NS for 8 years. Mike is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Michele Poole is the Founder and Principal Advisor of DeepPoole Advisory, where she works with fintechs, payment service providers, financial institutions and industry leaders navigating payments modernization, market entry, ecosystem participation, strategic partnerships and AI-enabled change.

Michele brings more than 20 years of experience across payments, banking and fintech, with a career spanning strategy, product and program leadership, and bringing new capabilities to market. She has held senior and executive leadership roles within two of Canada’s major banks, a payment service provider and Interac, alongside extensive experience as an independent payments consultant and advisor. As a consultant and advisor, she has been engaged by Payments Canada and Interac, as well as banks, fintechs and other organizations across the payments ecosystem.

Known for bringing clarity to complex industry change, Michele combines strategic insight with a strong understanding of how decisions translate into execution. Having worked across financial institutions, payment infrastructure, fintechs and emerging market participants, she brings a broad ecosystem perspective and an ability to connect different points of view, challenge conventional thinking and focus conversations on what comes next.

Michele is also Co-Founder of Finclusiv Edge, a Halifax-based nonprofit focused on advancing awareness, dialogue and action on financial inclusion across Canada’s financial services and fintech ecosystem.  Her broader leadership experience includes payments industry advisory and standards work, as well as nonprofit board leadership.

Sean is a Director of Architecture and Engineering for Real-time and Core Payments at RBC, bringing over 30 years of hands-on software engineering experience to the forefront of financial modernization. A recognized industry expert, he has spearheaded the transformation of resilient, cloud-native payment systems at RBC. Sean played a key role in shaping Payments Canada’s Real-Time Rail (RTR) infrastructure and holds two granted patents stemming from his work on RBC’s Payment Modernization journey.

Philippe is Managing Director of NAventures, overseeing investments in technology companies that advance National Bank’s transformation. He sponsors the team’s investment decisions, represents NAventures on portfolio company boards, and champions the relationships connecting founders to business units across the bank.

Previously, Philippe built and led the integration and separation practice at a Big Four firm, advising Canadian financial institutions on major transactions. He also practised in the United States, France, Latin America, and New Zealand.

Akshath Goyal is a Vice President in Business Banking Strategy and Partnerships at U.S. Bank, where he leads strategic fintech, payments, and AI-driven partnerships that help small and mid-sized businesses grow and thrive. He works across product, technology, risk, operations, and external partners to bring innovative banking solutions to market, with a focus on embedded finance, digital payments, customer acquisition, and emerging financial technologies. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Akshath held leadership roles at Shopify, where he led product and payments partnerships, helping expand the company’s commerce and financial services ecosystem. He is passionate about the future of payments, fintech innovation, and the intersection of banking and technology.

Lamia Mekouar is a banking executive with more than 20 years of experience in product management, cash management, correspondent banking, payments, lending, and business transformation initiatives. She currently leads the Banking Product Management function at IG Wealth Management, overseeing the deployment of banking solutions that support advisors and clients across Canada.

Prior to joining IG Wealth Management, Lamia served as Head of Enterprise Portfolio Management at Laurentian Bank and Head of Payments and Receivables at Citibank Canada. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Scotiabank across International Banking, Commercial Banking, and Global Transaction Banking.

Lamia holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing Strategy from HEC Montréal and professional certifications in Change Management, Project Management Professional (PMP), and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).

Brent Mizzen is Senior Vice President, Payments & Digital at the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA). He oversees the CBA’s policy and advocacy on issues at the intersection of payments, digital, technology and banking, working closely with members.

Before joining the CBA, Brent worked on a broad range of policy issues with the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) from 2011 to 2023 where he held positions of increasing responsibility and scope.

Prior to joining the CLHIA, Brent spent 10 years developing public policy at the Government of Canada, primarily at the Department of Finance.

Brent holds a Master of Economics degree from the University of Waterloo and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Western University.

Alain DeSouza is VP, Product & GTM at J.P. Morgan, focused on bringing new J.P. Morgan products to Canada. He has 15+ years of payments experience across mobile payments, digital wallets, acquiring, and B2B/B2C payments. His background spans product, go-to-market, and technology, with a track record of driving growth across fintechs and global banks. Previously, he was VP, Product & GTM at Clickatell, where he launched new products and built new indirect channels, and he has held leadership roles at RBC, Scotiabank, and BlackBerry.

Amit Tandon is the Chief Product Owner for Real-Time Rail (RTR) at TD Bank Group, where he leads the bank’s participation in Canada’s new real-time payments ecosystem and the enablement of real-time payment capabilities for TD clients across consumer, business, and treasury segments. With more than 15 years of experience in payments, product management, strategy, and business transformation, Amit has led several complex banking and payments initiatives across multiple global markets. He also serves as an Industry Co-Chair for the RTR Working Group, where he collaborates with financial institutions, Payments Canada, and Interac to identify, address, and drive resolution of key industry issues supporting Canada’s transition to real-time payments.

Courtney Kim is a VP of Digital Channels at Alterna and a product executive specializing in digital finance and high-growth transformations. With extensive leadership experience across banking and retail, she focuses on building intuitive digital experiences and leveraging next-generation architecture to meet evolving consumer needs. A champion of AI-driven innovation and customer-obsessed design, Courtney is dedicated to navigating the complexities of modern financial infrastructure as the industry transitions to an always-on, real-time era.

Brian Ford is a transformative executive leader and Vice President and Head of Business Solutions and Digital Assets at ATB Financial, where he sits at the cutting edge of global transactional banking. With over 30 years of experience spanning North America and Asia-Pacific, Brian leads the growth and innovation of ATB’s Payments, Liquidity, Trade Finance, and Cryptocurrency divisions.

A recognized thought leader at the intersection of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), Brian is a champion for the evolution of digital asset technology. His career is defined by high-stakes transformation, including a five-year tenure in Asia where he served as Country Head for HSBC’s Global Liquidity and Cash Management business in South Korea. Whether building business lines from the ground up or spearheading mobile-first solutions in the world’s most advanced digital markets, Brian bridges the gap between legacy stability and future-forward innovation.

When he isn’t navigating complex regulatory landscapes or scaling multimillion-dollar divisions, Brian is a dedicated advocate for animal welfare. He is a passionate supporter of parrot rescues and is frequently featured in local media alongside his four adopted rescue parrots.

David Odigie is a seasoned financial services leader with over two decades of experience leading transformative programs, managing enterprise risk, and overseeing high-impact strategic initiatives. Currently serving as Senior Director, Payments Delivery & Integration at RBC, David is the trusted leader spearheading stakeholder engagement, modernization of payment infrastructure, and enterprise risk strategies across critical portfolios including Real-Time Rail.

David’s tenure at RBC is marked by a series of successes in leading cross-functional teams, executing enterprise-wide change, and establishing governance practices that align with global expectations. He has consistently delivered high-value programs, managed portfolios exceeding $100M, and delivered value. He drives the delivery and implementation of new and in-flight payment initiatives, including product development and payment network compliance mandates for low value payments. He owns responsibility for a growing portfolio of Payments programs and develop the future roadmap to introduce RBC differentiated services for clients while managing partnership and relationships within and outside the bank.

His leadership style is anchored in talent development, performance excellence, and stakeholder collaboration. David is deeply credentialed, holding certifications in portfolio, program, project management, risk and information systems control, business analysis, and product management. He is a multi-awarded leader recognized for excellence in strategic execution and transformational leadership, including RBC’s Global Citizens Award, Convention Award and Leo Award. He is a lifelong learner setting benchmark in executional excellence.