Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks is a global cybersecurity leader. As POLAR 2026's main partner, the company also presents a talk on the day's programme.
Visit websitePolar 2026
The annual gathering for security decision-makers
Think security before it imposes itself
October 29, 2026
Presented by
Think security before it imposes itself.
Experts, decision-makers, and practitioners meet to analyze real risks, share concrete perspectives, and transform uncertainty into informed decisions.
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Polar, more than an annual gathering
- 1 day banquet with conferences and workshops
- 2nd edition of a unique event designed for cybersecurity leaders
- An opportunity for executives to present their challenges and share their successes and difficulties
- Meet industry leaders and technical managers
Our Speakers
Steve Waterhouse
Host of the day
Dominic Villeneuve
Zéro Budget, Zéro Excuse : la naissance d'un département cyber
Jeff Man
Getting Back to the BasicsThe Fundamentals of CyberSecurityRethinking SecurityWhat Are We Doing Here?
Mark Pilon
AI Security needs Cloud security
Karim Benhamouche
Sécuriser l'écosystème de l'IA agentique : de la chaîne d'approvisionnement aux points de terminaison
Samuel Bonneau
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
Éric Hébert
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
Régis Desmeules
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
Simon-David Williams
Talk to be announced
Éric Robert
The next chaos isn't ransomware! Building sovereign cyber resilience in the age of artificial intelligence
Steve Waterhouse
Host of the day
It was during his military career with the Royal 22e Régiment that Capt(ret) Waterhouse traded the rifle for the keyboard and became a cyber soldier.
An active trainer and a certified instructor for Websense, Cisco, CompTIA, ISC2 (CISSP) and CWNP, he is a frequent contributor to Canadian media (TVA, LCN, Cogeco Médias, Radio X, CTV, Radio-Canada, CBC, SiriusXM), demystifying information security.
Capt(ret) Waterhouse holds several certifications including CISSP, CCSI and CWNT, and is a PADI Master Diver.
Dominic Villeneuve
Senior Director of Cybersecurity, UV Assurance · Lecturer at UQTR · Trainer, speaker and lockpicker
Zéro Budget, Zéro Excuse : la naissance d'un département cyber
Building a cybersecurity department with no budget, no team and no backing from management? It can be done, but not without effort and strategy.
In this talk I share the real story of a cybersecurity department built from nothing: no budget, little maturity, priorities elsewhere. Year after year, by doing the work and delivering concrete results, building credibility and speaking the right strategic language, cybersecurity went from a daily irritant to a well funded strategic pillar.
This talk is given in French.
Dominic Villeneuve has been immersed in IT for more than 29 years, with a deep passion for cybersecurity, for passing on what he knows, and for things that unlock… legally.
Senior Director of Cybersecurity at UV Assurance, lecturer at UQTR, trainer, speaker, YouTuber, lockpicker and designer of lockpicking tools, Dominic loves understanding how systems work and, above all, how they can be bypassed.
Jeff Man
Certified NSA Cryptanalyst · Architect of NSA's first red team · Secure Ideas
Getting Back to the BasicsThe Fundamentals of CyberSecurityRethinking SecurityWhat Are We Doing Here?
A respected information security pioneer, advocate, advisor, OG hacker, evangelist, podcast host, teacher, international keynoter, speaker and mentor. Jeff shares over 42 years of experience working in all aspects of computer, network and information security. A Certified NSA Cryptanalyst, he designed NSA’s first software-based cryptosystem, invented a cipher wheel (the Whiz Wheel) used by US Special Forces for over a decade, and was the architect of NSA’s first penetration testing red team. Jeff currently leads the PCI assessment and advisory practice at Secure Ideas.
Mark Pilon
Regional Sales Manager, Eastern Canada, Wiz
AI Security needs Cloud security
AI is changing the business, but it’s still powered by the cloud. This session reframes AI security as cloud security, sharing how leaders can gain visibility into AI systems, understand their true exposure paths, and secure innovation without slowing down progress.
Presented by Wiz over lunch.
Mark is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience navigating the evolution of enterprise infrastructure. Working with industry disruptors like VMware and Nutanix, Mark has helped organizations adapt to the major technological shifts that modernized the datacenter.
Building on that foundation, he has spent recent years guiding organizations through the next evolution of IT, transitioning clients to hybrid cloud environments that enable agility and innovation across every major vertical in Canada, including the federal government. He now joins Wiz to enable organizations to navigate the security gaps across hybrid multi-cloud environments.
Karim Benhamouche
Palo Alto Networks · Over 20 years in IT and enterprise security · Specialist in securing AI ecosystems
Sécuriser l'écosystème de l'IA agentique : de la chaîne d'approvisionnement aux points de terminaison
Artificial intelligence has crossed a decisive line: we have moved from simple conversational assistants to autonomous AI agents able to reason, interact with each other and carry out complex actions on our infrastructure. That shift delivers enormous business value, but it also opens up a sprawling, entirely new attack surface.
This session looks at Palo Alto Networks’ strategic vision for securing enterprise AI adoption end to end.
This talk is given in French.
With more than 20 years of experience in the information technology and enterprise security industry, Karim Benhamouche specializes in securing artificial intelligence ecosystems and in guiding large enterprises through the safe adoption of these new technologies.
Samuel Bonneau
Leader, AI Cybersecurity Strategy and Services, Vooban · Over 25 years in cybersecurity
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
Panel, given in French.
Samuel Bonneau is a cybersecurity expert with more than 25 years of experience, recognized for his innovative approach, his leadership and his ability to drive strategic growth. He has played a key role in designing and implementing cybersecurity strategies for Canada’s largest companies.
Now Leader of AI Cybersecurity Strategy and Services at Vooban, he combines cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to strengthen corporate defence strategies, so organizations can take advantage of the latest technological advances for robust, lasting protection.
Éric Hébert
Founder, Sandstorm Cyber · Former CISO of Quebecor, Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Groupe Pages Jaunes · CISSP, CISM
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
Panel, given in French.
Éric Hébert has worked in cybersecurity since 1994. Former CISO of Quebecor, Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Groupe Pages Jaunes, he has led major security teams and transformations.
Founder of Sandstorm Cyber, he now advises executives on strategy, governance and risk management. A speaker, mentor, CISSP and CISM, he shares a pragmatic outlook shaped as much by his successes as by the decisions he would make differently today.
Régis Desmeules
Cybersecurity entrepreneur, investor and author · Investor, Anges Québec · Associate Partner, AQC Capital
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
Panel, given in French.
Régis Desmeules has been a technology and cybersecurity entrepreneur, investor and author for more than 30 years. As a cybersecurity entrepreneur, he founded and led two consulting firms, and successfully sold the second to a large company.
On the investment side, he is an investor with Anges Québec, an Associate Partner at AQC Capital in Montreal and an LP in Framework Venture in Toronto. He holds investments in many innovative companies in Quebec, across Canada and abroad, and has mentored startup founders for many years.
He is the author of Cisco Self-Study: Implementing Cisco IPv6 Networks (Cisco Press), Réussir son premier financement (2021) and, published in summer 2026, ChatGPT as a Cybersecurity Advisor.
Éric Robert
Vice-President, Strategy and Growth, Cybersecurity, Micro Logic
The next chaos isn't ransomware! Building sovereign cyber resilience in the age of artificial intelligence
As AI agents gain more and more autonomy and access to critical systems, organizations must prepare for new kinds of risk that go beyond traditional cybersecurity models. This talk explores the emerging scenarios that will shape the coming years, and the strategies that ensure business continuity, protect organizational intelligence and preserve digital sovereignty.
Schedule
The day's programme
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8:00 AM
Doors open
Pastries and networking.
Presented by
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8:55 AM 5 min
Opening remarks
Presented by
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9:00 AM 50 min
Dominic Villeneuve
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10:00 AM 50 min
Jeff Man
-
10:50 AM 20 min
Networking break
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11:10 AM 50 min
Panel : Acquisition d'entreprise : comment amener les TI à la table des négociations ?
, ,
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12:00 PM 15 min
Mark Pilon, Regional Sales Manager, Eastern Canada
Lunch partner talk.
Presented by
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12:15 PM
Lunch
Three-course meal.
Presented by
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1:30 PM 50 min
Karim Benhamouche
Presented by
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2:20 PM 20 min
Networking break
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2:40 PM 50 min
Talk to be announced
Simon-David Williams
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3:30 PM 20 min
Coffee and sweets break
Presented by
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3:50 PM 20 min
Éric Robert, Vice-President, Strategy and Growth, Cybersecurity
Presented by
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4:10 PM
Cocktail
Presented by
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6:00 PM
POLAR wraps up
Head to the Hackfest opening cocktail, at the Quebec City Convention Centre.
- Bar open in the room from the afternoon onward.
Preliminary schedule. Only confirmed sessions are listed, more will be added.
Sponsors
Thanks to our partners
Main partner
Kiosk 3
TELUS
Our world-class technology, our commitment to putting customers first and our determination to foster social change are helping to create a better world for generations to come. Together, let’s create a better future.
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ASTATE
ASTATE is the team that does not sleep while you do. We hunt for flaws, monitor your systems 24/7, make your logs talk and guide you through the maze of compliance (PCI, SWIFT, ISO and more). Red Team, Blue Team, Purple mindset: we play every role, always at full tilt.
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EliteSec
EliteSec is a Canadian cybersecurity company that offers specialized security services to help organizations strengthen their cyber defenses. They focus on penetration testing, cybersecurity consulting, and gamified tabletop exercises. EliteSec is ISO 27001:2022 and CREST-accredited and is based in Waterloo, Ontario.
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More partners 8
Banner
Tenable
Tenable is an exposure management company that helps organizations see, prioritize and reduce cyber risk across their entire attack surface.
Visit websiteLanyard
Secur01
Our mission has been the same since the beginning: to raise awareness of cybersecurity issues, warn our customers of threats and put in place continuity plans in the event of an unforeseen disaster. We take care of all our customers’ cybersecurity and IT compliance needs. We also offer managed services so you can benefit from the peace of mind of a CISO or compliance/privacy officer.
Read moreShow less
Café
Secur01
Our mission has been the same since the beginning: to raise awareness of cybersecurity issues, warn our customers of threats and put in place continuity plans in the event of an unforeseen disaster. We take care of all our customers’ cybersecurity and IT compliance needs. We also offer managed services so you can benefit from the peace of mind of a CISO or compliance/privacy officer.
Read moreShow less
Arista Networks
Arista Networks is an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large AI, data center, campus and routing environments.
Visit websiteCocktail
Micro Logic
Micro Logic is a Quebec-based company that plays a leading role in the world of digital transformation. It has become one of Canada’s most important IT solutions providers. Its flagship product, Projet Cirrus, is a world-class cloud platform that offers data security and sovereignty, in compliance with Canadian laws and regulations.
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Lunch
Wiz
Wiz transforms cloud security for customers, including 40% of the Fortune 100, by enabling a new operating model. Our CNAPP empowers security and development teams to build fast and securely by providing visibility into their cloud environments.
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Bar
TrendAI
TrendAI is the enterprise cybersecurity business of Trend Micro (renamed in 2026), focused on protecting organizations and the AI systems they rely on.
Visit websiteSweet break
GoSecure
GoSecure is a recognized cybersecurity leader and innovator, pioneering the integration of endpoint, network and email threat detection into a single managed extended detection and response (MXDR) service.