TECHNOLOGY & RISK EXECUTIVE · CIO / CISO · BOARD MEMBER · CROSS-BORDER ADVISOR
I help boards and executives govern technology, risk, and AI — and build bridges between Canadian innovation and Gulf capital.
For more than 20 years, I've worked at the intersection of finance, technology, and governance — beginning as a corporate-tax auditor, moving through data science and into CISO and CIO roles, and advising at the most senior levels of the Government of Canada. I've delivered large-scale transformation, led crisis and cybersecurity response, and governed risk and innovation programs across government, healthcare, gaming, and other highly regulated sectors.
The oversight gap most boards now face. Few directors can genuinely govern AI — I've built national AI strategy, generative-AI risk frameworks, and data governance at scale, giving a board real capacity to oversee AI risk rather than defer it to management.
A director who can read the numbers and challenge them. A management-accounting foundation (CMA) and a record of multi-million-dollar outcomes and enterprise-risk reporting — strengthening audit, finance, and risk oversight at the committee level.
Cyber oversight is under fire. Resilience and crisis command proven in a live, 24-hour ransomware recovery as CISO — equipping a board to ask the right questions before an incident, not after one
The growth lens for boards looking outward. Sovereign partnerships, FDI, and market entry across the Canada–UAE–GCC corridor — bringing credible oversight of international expansion and capital strategy.
I bring a director's lens shaped from both sides of the table: as a board member of a registered charity, and as a senior executive who reported to and advised boards, deputy ministers, and C-suite leaders on strategy, risk, compliance, and digital transformation
Greater Toronto Area · Community outreach, food security & hospital fundraising
I provide governance and strategic oversight — bringing financial discipline to budgeting and controls, and fiduciary stewardship to a mission-driven organization. Engaged in audit, finance, and risk matters.
Board-Level Executive Experience — Reporting To & Advising Boards
Canada–GCC advisory platform · Dubai & Toronto · Jan 2025–Present
Founded and led a nine-member cross-border advisory platform bridging Canadian innovation with GCC sovereign capital, AI governance, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.
Design and execute market-entry strategies for international firms entering Canada. Secure and deploy non-dilutive capital—including BDC, SR&ED, and OCI funding—to accelerate technology deployment and local operational scaling.
Assembled and govern a senior leadership team that includes a former federal immigration judge and senior legal advisor, a Chief AI Officer, a cybersecurity and threat intelligence specialist, and partners spanning board governance, sovereign capital, and GCC market development — each bringing independent domain authority to client engagements.
Enabled $2M+ in client revenue growth by aligning foreign direct investment (FDI) with strategic regional mandates, including Vision 2030 and UAE 2031.
Pharmaceutical & healthcare services · Markham, ON · 2018 -2021
Led 24-hour ransomware recovery across 120+ facilities with zero data loss, reporting cyber and enterprise risk directly to the CEO and Board.
Operationalized ISO 27001, PCI DSS, NIST CSF, and PIPEDA-aligned compliance across a national pharmaceutical and healthcare footprint.
Regulated gaming & entertainment · Toronto, ON
Modernized enterprise platforms and AI-driven analytics across large-scale, tightly regulated gaming infrastructure.
Hardened cybersecurity posture through MFA and IDS deployment — cutting breach exposure by 37%.
Federal departments & national programs · Ottawa, ON · 2007–2025
Advised Assistant Commissioners, Directors General, and C-suite leaders (CDO, CTO, CIO) across federal departments — including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Treasury Board Secretariat, Statistics Canada, Service Canada, and the Canada Revenue Agency.
Shaped AI and data governance, cybersecurity, and digital-transformation strategy at a national scale. Directed a $13M AI Innovation Fund and informed policy and investment decisions affecting 30M+ citizens and 300K+ federal employees.
Reporting to senior governance bodies sharpened how I assess risk, oversight, and accountability as a director.
Director Education: Pursuing the ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors; applying to the Directors Education Program, Rotman School of Management.
Honoured by the Prime Minister of Canada for sustained service and contribution to the Government of Canada.
Awarded for leading the ePayroll project, which will automate tax return filings for over 30 million Canadians, presented by the Chief Data Officer and Chief Service Officer.
Contributed to a federal executive summit on responsible enterprise AI and cloud adoption, alongside Canada's data and service leadership and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
Engaged with Canada's federal AI leadership on responsible adoption, oversight, and governance of AI, in collaboration with the Business Development Bank of Canada.
National platform speaker on data, analytics, and AI governance leadership for Canada's most senior data executives.
Featured speaker on cybersecurity strategy, emerging threats, and building digital trust at scale.
On stage with Craig Jones, former Director of Cybercrime at INTERPOL, and Andria Delia, Cyber Threat Intelligence Expert, on the global cybercrime frontline.
With Minister Terry Beech, former Minister of Citizens’ Services, discussing the national ePayroll Project to modernize payroll reporting.
My career began auditing corporate tax and SR&ED claims at the CRA — I learned how businesses grow and how innovation gets financed before I ever led technology. That foundation sparked a curiosity for data, technology, and transformation that led me into data science, cybersecurity, and executive technology leadership. It continues to shape how I think about governance, innovation, and connecting Canadian organizations with opportunities across the GCC.
With the UAE Cyber Security Council at GITEX Global, alongside Chairman H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, discussing national-scale cybersecurity frameworks
On Canada's appointed technology trade delegation — advancing data-sharing agreements and governance frameworks with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment, secured $100M+ in GCC partnerships.
Helping Ontario businesses unlock non-dilutive capital — connecting founders and scale-ups with government funding, R&D programs, and innovation partners to accelerate growth without giving up equity.
Engaging UAE investment leadership on Canada–GCC capital, technology partnerships, and market entry for Canadian innovators and investors.
Engaging UAE investment leadership including the Emirates Development Bank and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office on Canada–GCC capital, technology partnerships, and market entry.
Khan, N. & Slimi, H. "Responsible AI in High-Risk Domains: Why Human Authority Cannot Be Automated." Co-authored with Dr. Hamid Slimi.
The organizations that succeed are the ones that align innovation with governance, risk, and clear business outcomes — and that alignment is the work I've spent my career on. I'm a technology and risk executive, AI governance advisor, and cross-border strategist working at the intersection of finance, technology, and governance. Over more than 20 years across government, healthcare, gaming, and other highly regulated sectors, I've led initiatives where technology decisions carried real financial, operational, and public-trust weight. Those experiences taught me that the leaders who deliver are the ones who can bridge strategy and execution, innovation and accountability, opportunity and risk. Today, through Alleanza Global Group, I help boards and executives pursuing Canada–GCC expansion, sovereign investment alignment, AI governance, and cybersecurity resilience. Based between Toronto and Dubai, my focus stays the same, whatever the mandate: helping leaders make informed decisions that build long-term value and resilience.
Lecturing and mentoring graduate students and early-career professionals across the corridor.
Recognized by the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto for completing MBA Essentials, Healthcare AI, and the Chief Information Officer (CIO) program.
Earned the Chief Information Officer Designation (CIO.D) through the CIO Association of Canada, alongside national peers advancing technology and governance leadership.
Completed advanced cybersecurity defence and immersive crisis management training delivered by the University of Ottawa, IBM, and the Coding for Veterans program.
Whether you're building a board, conducting an executive search, launching an AI governance program, or navigating digital transformation — let's talk.