Hear About the Latest Technology Innovations with Industry Experts
Experts from CDW and our partners tackle hot topics including generative AI, FinOps, the new cybersecurity landscape and more.
About the Podcast
How have budget constraints changed IT investment plans? Is AI coming for your job? And how is AI helping prevent cyberattacks? These are some of the hot topics we’ll be discussing on Tech Talks, a podcast from CDW Canada.
This podcast focuses on technologies and trends that are causing disruptions in our industry. Join us as we engage with industry leaders in technical discussions around key innovations that are affecting all our lives in business, and in many cases our daily lives as well.
For instance, we have all seen the hype around generative AI and large language models. We will break down what GenAI is and what it is not, how we are seeing it used now as well as in the near future. We will also discuss the new cybersecurity landscape and how cybersecurity is both more at risk due to AI but also how AI can be used as a tool to combat that same risk.
Latest Episodes
01
The Rise of FinOps
Mihir Shah, VP & CFO, CDW Canada
Host KJ Burke and CDW Canada CFO Mihir Shah discuss how public cloud has changed how businesses spend, the benefits of CAPEX and OPEX and more.
02
AI Security and Governance
David Izzard, Senior Manager Exec. Tech Strategy at CDW Canada
Host KJ Burke and guest David Izzard, Senior Manager Exec. Tech Strategy at CDW Canada, discuss the current state of cybersecurity, including how bad actors are using generative AI to be more productive.
03
The Latest Innovations in AI
Gerardo Amaya, Sr. Industry & Tech Leader for Global Advisories - Americas, Microsoft and Ramine Roane, Corporate VP, AI, AMD
Host KJ Burke and AI leaders from Microsoft and AMD discuss the latest AI developments, including GPUs and cloud platforms for AI, industry-specific AI solutions, the speed of change and democratization of AI and where do we go from here.
04
Innovating Patient Care
Tom Stafford, Director, Healthcare Strategist, CDW & David Schned, National Healthcare Strategist, CDW Canada
In this episode, we discuss technology innovations impacting the way patients are cared for, where they are cared for and how effective that care ultimately is.
05
Smart Retail
Mark Scanlan, Global Industry Lead for Retail, Cisco
In this episode, we discuss smart retail innovations and how they lead to a better and more cost-effective environment for retail storefronts.
06
How to Augment Your IT Team
with Managed Services
Graham Cruz, Principal - Cyber Security Solutions,
Giancarlo Tanti, CIO, VetStrategy
In this episode, we discuss what makes a good managed services partner and how to effectively incorporate a managed services provider into your IT management plan.
07
What is the Role of Supercomputing in IT Organizations?
Jordan Nanos, Machine Learning Architect, HPE
In this episode, we discuss the role of supercomputing, how supercomputers are different and which type of organizations leverage them.
08
A Different Take on Data Privacy, AI, and AI Management
David Stout, CEO, Web AI & Tyler Mauer, CIO, Web AI
Host KJ Burke and guests David Stout, CEO, Web AI & Tyler Mauer, CIO, Web AI discuss how running AI on-premises and at the edge impacts data privacy and puts new demands on the technology we have at hand.
09
The State of HPC and AI in the Canadian Federal Government
Janak Alford, Chief AI Officer FINTRAC
James Scott, Chief Technology Officer Dell Canada
In this episode, we discuss the current state and challenges of environmental controls in an AI and HPC fueled data centre and at the edge. Let’s start by discussing some of the current use cases and some of the near term use cases for AI and HPC in the Federal Government space.
10
Charting the Course: Hybrid Multicloud Strategies and AI Adoption in Canada
Jim Love, Host and Producer of Hashtag Trending, Producer of Cyber Security Today, Publisher of TechNewsDay.com
In this episode, host KJ Burke and guest Jim Love discuss some of the insights coming out of the 2024 CDW Cloud Study.
11
Why End Users Are Cybersecurity's Weakest Link
Daniel Pinsky, CSO & Head of Information Security, CDW Canada and David Shipley, CEO and Cofounder, Beauceron Security Inc.
In this episode, host KJ Burke is joined by guests Daniel Pinsky, CSO & Head of Information Security, CDW Canada and David Shipley, CEO and Cofounder, Beauceron Security Inc. to discuss the need to educate our users on cybersecurity best practices and how we can build a security minded organization.
12
How to Get the Most out of the Technology You Purchase
Adam Diallo, Senior Manager Customer Success, CDW Canada and Amanda Frank, Senior Manager Customer Success, CDW Canada
In this episode, host KJ Burke is joined by Adam Diallo, Senior Manager Customer Success, CDW Canada and Amanda Frank, Senior Manager Customer Success, CDW Canada to discuss how services organizations and technology providers continue to change the way they help customers, ensuring they have success throughout the full lifecycle of technology.
13
How to Empower Your Organization with AI Tools
Kelly LaForest, Consultant, Microsoft Cloud, Professional Services and Brian Matthews, Head of Services Strategy & Development, Digital Workspace, CDW Canada
In this episode, we discuss AI tools that empower our individual coworkers. As we see more AI capabilities being baked in to applications and as more organizations deploy individual tools like Microsoft Copilot we are seeing user initiated demand driving innovation in the personal tools space.
14
How Women Are Reshaping the Tech Landscape
Sandi Jones, IT Operations Leader, Interac Corp.
In this episode, we dive into the transformative impact of women in tech — breaking barriers, driving innovation and reshaping the tech landscape. Our host, KJ Burke, sits down with Sandi Jones, IT Operations Leader, Interac Corp., who has had a long, successful tech industry career spanning multiple organizations. Together, they explore the challenges women have faced, progress they've made and the exciting future of tech.
15
Deep Dive on Data Centres
Martin Bazinet, Head of Solutions Architecture, AWS Canada and Joesph Reele, Vice President - Solution Architects at Schneider Electric.
In this episode, Martin Bazinet and Joseph Reele join KJ to discuss why data centres both private and public are growing at such a rapid rate. As we see the surge of demand how do large organizations keep pace with power and cooling demands and how can we translate that into guidance for our private data centres and our edge deployments? At scale how do organizations like AWS align with environmental and sustainability without sacrificing resiliency?
16
Bonus Episode: Cybersecurity Challenges Faced by Canadian Organizations
Ivo Wiens Field CTO, Cybersecurity, CDW Canada, and Ben Boi-Doku, Chief Cybersecurity Strategist, CDW Canada
This episode covers the findings of the 2025 CDW Canada Cybersecurity Study. We explore the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, the importance of continuous security testing the challenges faced by small and medium businesses and the role of AI in cybersecurity. The experts share insights on cloud security challenges, the necessity of tabletop exercises for preparedness and the future trends in cybersecurity as organizations move into 2025.
17
Exploring BTEX 2025: Insights and Innovations
KJ Burke, Field CTO, Hybrid Infrastructure, CDW Canada
In this episode, KJ discusses the insights and experiences shared by various presenters at CDW Canada's Business Technology Expo (BTEX) 2025, highlighting the significance of the event in showcasing technological advancements and strategies for businesses. Key themes include the transition to Windows 11, the importance of cybersecurity, the evolution of AI and the future of hybrid cloud solutions.
18
Sustainability in Technology: A
New Era
Frances Edmonds, Head of Sustainable Impact at HP Canada
KJ and Frances discuss the importance of a circular economy, the role of procurement in sustainability, and the challenges organizations face in implementing sustainable practices. Frances shares insights from her extensive career, emphasizing the need for change management and leadership in driving sustainable initiatives. The conversation highlights the urgency of addressing climate change and the potential for technology companies to lead the way.
19
Unlocking the Power of Data
KJ Burke, Field CTO, Hybrid Infrastructure, CDW Canada, Qaiser Habib
In this episode, KJ Burke and Qaiser Habib, discuss the challenges and strategies for unlocking the power of data within organizations. They explore the evolution of data management, the changing role of IT teams, the importance of data quality, and the shift towards unstructured data. The conversation also highlights the need for self-service data access, the accountability of C-suite executives, and the future trends in data and AI.
20
How Businesses Can Have Success with AI
KJ Burke, Field CTO, Hybrid Infrastructure, CDW Canada and John Encizo, Field CTO – ISG Americas, Lenovo
In this episode, KJ and John discuss the current state of enterprise AI, exploring its potential, challenges and the reality behind the hype. They delve into the importance of data management, the role of AI in driving organizational change and how businesses can successfully adopt AI technologies. The conversation highlights the need for a strategic approach to AI implementation, focusing on user engagement and the integration of AI into existing workflows.
21
Technology Innovations in Media and Entertainment
KJ Burke, Field CTO, Hybrid Infrastructure, CDW Canada; Joe D'Amato, Principal Solutions Architect; Kevin Ellsworth, Senior Manager, Security Solutions; Kris Kostiuk, Global Director, Business Development, Media and Entertainment
This episode explores how technologies like AI and cybersecurity are transforming the media and entertainment industry. The discussion emphasizes collaboration, best practices, and the value of dedicated tech and security teams. Experts share how studios can adapt to new challenges and leverage innovation to prepare for the future.
22
Top Technology Trends and Predictions for 2026
KJ Burke, Field CTO, Hybrid Infrastructure, CDW Canada
In this episode KJ Burke discusses the technology trends of 2025 and predictions for 2026. He covers the maturation of AI, the importance of treating data as a product, innovations at the edge, managing cross-cloud environments, building business resiliency and automating the skills gap. Looking ahead, he highlights key trends for 2026, including AI for business automation, security governance, industrial automation, FinOps, fraud threats and sovereign services..
Meet Your Host
KJ Burke is an innovative and driven IT infrastructure architect with solid interpersonal and communication skills. He is currently the Field CTO, Hybrid Infrastructure at CDW Canada, with over 20 years in the IT industry and plenty of experience in planning and deploying technology to improve business processes and drive measurable value.
