Francis Syms: Consultant, Speaker & Head, School of Clean Energy a
AI, Cybersecurity, Energy & Data Centres
Who is Francis?
Building the Backbone of AI, Cybersecurity & Clean Energy
Francis Syms is an academic leader, independent consultant and national commentator working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data centres, clean energy, and technology strategy. He advises organizations and governments navigating complex decisions in these areas, bringing deep technical expertise and hard-won practical experience to every engagement.
As Head of the School of Clean Energy at Humber Polytechnic and Associate Dean of Information and Communication Technology, Francis leads strategy and innovation across AI integration, cyber operations, data centre infrastructure, and clean energy workforce development. This role keeps him at the leading edge of where technology and energy are actually heading, not where the headlines say they are.
A Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with 20+ years of industry leadership at organizations including BlackBerry and Rogers Communications, Francis holds patents in secure communications systems and is the author of a leading Canadian post-secondary textbook on cybersecurity, used in institutions across the country.
He is one of Canada's most active technology and energy commentators, appearing regularly across 28 CBC and Radio-Canada stations, Global News, Bell Media, and CHCH TV. His consulting practice serves both enterprises and public-sector clients on AI strategy, cybersecurity advisory, data centre planning, clean tech, and technology policy.
Francis is available for consulting engagements, keynote presentations, panel discussions, and workshops.
Francis is the author of a leading Canadian focused textbook on cybersecurity that also explores the role of AI integration in enhancing security measures, which is used in post-secondary institutions across Canada. Additionally, the textbook discusses the significance of clean energy in the context of cybersecurity.