Anna Sainsbury is Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of GeoComply, a leading company at the forefront of geolocation, fraud prevention, and cybersecurity solutions. With a deep understanding of the online world’s complexities, Anna has guided GeoComply to become an indispensable partner to the gaming, fintech, media, streaming, and cryptocurrency industries. The company’s advanced technologies address critical challenges such as fraud, compliance, and cyber threats, ensuring digital security for prominent brands like DraftKings, FanDuel, BBC, and Nextdoor.

Since co-founding GeoComply in 2011, Anna has been a driving force behind its growth into a global powerhouse, processing over a billion transactions monthly and safeguarding more than 200 million devices worldwide. GeoComply’s ‘Unicorn’ status has received accolades such as Deloitte’s Top 5 High-Growth Tech Companies and recognition from Fast Company as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Enterprise Technology Companies.

Anna’s entrepreneurial journey is rooted in a passion for making the digital world a safer place for all. Beyond her commitment to technological innovation at GeoComply, she is a strong advocate for social responsibility and online safety, and actively collaborates with and donates GeoComply’s technology to organizations, like the Child Rescue Coalition, to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable communities.

This isn’t just about robots; it’s about your bottom line.

Are you skeptical that AI can actually drive profitability? Are you overwhelmed by where to start? Or are you ready to supercharge your efficiency but need a roadmap? Whether you’re riding the wave or bracing against it, you need to be in this room. This isn’t a conversation about the future—it’s a conversation about now.

We are kicking off the MCABC Leadership Conference on June 11 with Vancouver’s own Anna Sainsbury, Chairman of GeoComply. Anna has built a global powerhouse using AI to make the internet safer, but she’ll be the first to tell you: AI isn’t a mysterious superpower reserved for tech giants. At GeoComply, it’s a culture of curiosity shared by every team member.

Spotlight on the Front Lines

Anna won’t just be talking tech. Following her keynote, she will moderate an industry panel that will drill down into real-world use cases, wins, and hesitations around AI. Come learn from the early adopters and innovators who are already proving what’s possible — and discover how they turned “uncertainty” into “The Power Move.”

Keith Baldrey is highly regarded as one of BC’s best known political commentators.

He currently serves as the chief political correspondent and legislative bureau chief for Global BC where he provides insightful coverage and analysis on the latest developments in BC’s political landscape. In 2021, Baldrey was named Broadcast Performer of the Year by the BC Association of Broadcasters for his coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baldrey’s work is also seen in his weekly syndicated column on B.C. politics for a variety of Lower Mainland papers, including the North Shore News and the Now newspapers, and appears regularly on News Talk 980 CKNW.

He has a long history of understanding and commenting on BC politics – Baldrey joined The Vancouver Sun in 1984 and moved to the The Sun’s legislature bureau in 1986, eventually becoming its bureau chief in 1989. In 1995, he joined Global BC where over the course of his career, he has covered 11 premiers, 11 provincial elections, and 13 federal elections.

He makes public speaking appearances on B.C. politics, has written numerous magazine articles, and co-authored a book on former premier Bill Vander Zalm and his Social Credit government.

He lives in Victoria with his wife and fellow journalist, Anne Mullens, their two daughters, and their Shiba Inu dog, Teddy.

Last year saw political, economic, and trade uncertainty – both at home and abroad. With this uncertainty set to continue into the foreseeable future, many businesses have more questions than answers:

• What does the current and forecasted climate mean for business owners and leaders in B.C.’s mechanical contracting industry?
• Where is the provincial government likely to focus their attention next?
• What developments should companies be planning for?

As the Chief Political Correspondent and Legislative Bureau Chief at Global BC, Keith has his finger on the pulse and is best placed to prepare attendees for the sentiment in Victoria.

After addressing these and other questions in his speech, Keith will sit down with MCABC CEO, Kim Barbero, to continue the conversation on the hot-button issues facing the sector.

Linda Nazareth is an economist, futurist, and respected authority on the future of work. As a newspaper columnist and an author, she knows how to frame things in ways that both educate and entertain. As the Senior Fellow for Economics and Population Change at think-tank the Macdonald Laurier Institute, she knows what she’s talking about. 

Linda’s career has taken some non-traditional turns for someone in her field. Her first jobs were as a government economist where she specialized in labour market planning, followed by a stint at a major financial institution where she spent years as a Senior Economist. Wanting to change things up while she could, she lobbied to have a job created for her on Business News Network (BNN, Canada’s answer to CNBC) while it was a start-up and spent a decade on-air as their in-house economist. 

Business owners of all kinds have had to contend with a host of economic forces this past year. B.C.’s mechanical contractors continue to be faced with a unique set of challenges – tariffs, supply chain disruptions, stalled investments in infrastructure and housing – all while dealing with an undercurrent of labour pressures. 

In this keynote session, Linda will unpack where Canada and B.C.’s economy stands today and what lies ahead for the mechanical contracting sector. Her session will explore how businesses can adapt and find stability in times of financial market volatility and evolving government policies. With practical insight and forward-looking analysis, Linda will help leaders make sense of change, mitigate risk, and identify opportunity in an evolving economic landscape.