Francois Guay
Founder & CEO, Canadian Cybersecurity Network. Francois Guay is the Founder and CEO of the Canadian Cybersecurity Network, Canada’s largest digital trust community, connecting tens of thousands of cybersecurity professionals, executives, companies, academic institutions, and public sector leaders across the country. He is widely recognized for advancing the idea that digital trust is becoming the primary currency of the modern economy, and that cyber maturity now determines who gets to participate in business, supply chains, and global markets. Through the Canadian Cybersecurity Network, he has built a national platform that brings together industry, government, and academia to strengthen Canada’s cyber resilience, workforce readiness, and economic competitiveness. His work focuses on moving cybersecurity beyond a technical function to a boardroom and business growth priority, helping organizations understand that security is no longer only about protection but about qualification for opportunity. Guay is known as a trusted connector across sectors, bridging executives and practitioners, large enterprises and emerging companies, and technical experts with decision makers. He regularly convenes leaders to address critical issues including cyber risk, digital trust, workforce development, and the intersection of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and economic security. He is also the driving force behind CCN Insights, national research and thought leadership initiative examining how cyber maturity, insurance, regulation, and supply chain requirements are reshaping market access. His work highlights a growing reality: organizations are increasingly excluded from contracts, partnerships, and expansion opportunities if they cannot demonstrate trusted digital practices. A frequent speaker and advisor to business and community leaders, Guay advocates a human first approach to cybersecurity and trust, emphasizing collaboration, practical action, and shared responsibility across the digital economy. He is committed to ensuring that Canadian organizations of all sizes can compete, innovate, and grow in a world where trust determines entry. Under his leadership, the Canadian Cybersecurity Network has evolved from a grassroots initiative into a national movement focused on strengthening Canada’s position in the global digital landscape and ensuring that trust, not just technology, defines the country’s future competitiveness.