Speaker Bios
Troy Crosby: Retired from the Public Service of Canada in 2024 after 15 years as a senior executive, including 5 years as Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel) at the Department of National Defence and as Canada’s National Armaments Director (2019-2024). His career spans Director General roles across Defence Major Projects and Public Services, along with 23 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force — including roles as Senior Maintenance Manager for the CF18 Hornet and Weapon System Manager for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Troy holds a BSc from the Collège Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean and an MSc from the University of Tennessee, and he is a graduate of the Empire Test Pilots’ School flight test engineer program.
Andre Filion: Retired from the Public Service in 2021 after a 39-year career, including 20 years with the Royal Canadian Air Force. His final role was Assistant Deputy Minister, Defence and Marine Procurement at PSPC, where he held contracting authority for all equipment and services for the Canadian Armed Forces, Coast Guard, and RCMP. He also served as Program Manager for the National Shipbuilding Strategy. At DND, he held senior roles including Associate ADM (Materiel) and Director General roles for aerospace major project delivery and for aerospace equipment program management. A Royal Military College graduate with an MSc from Cranfield University (UK).
Darian Harris: A seasoned entrepreneur, operator, and growth strategist with a track record of building ventures and helping founders navigate the complexities of scaling. Through Fuse Ventures, he has built a platform supporting scale-stage startups with access to capital, enterprise customers, and government pathways. His platform has supported hundreds of companies and developed a robust ecosystem of corporate, government, and venture partners. His work sits at the center of dual-use innovation, helping founders translate breakthrough technologies into real-world impact. Prior to Fuse Ventures, Darian held leadership roles at Walmart, managing multi-billion-dollar categories during the company’s dotcom integration.
Frank Taylor: Brings direct operational experience from Canada’s most elite special operations force — Joint Task Force 2. His firsthand knowledge of military operations, international defence relationships, and the realities of working in high-stakes, classified environments provides attendees with an on-the-ground perspective that is impossible to replicate in a policy or procurement context. Frank speaks to what it actually takes to work alongside defence and security organizations globally, how relationships are built and maintained across jurisdictions, and what companies entering this space need to understand about the human dimension of defence partnerships. His perspective complements the policy and procurement expertise of the broader speaker lineup with a practitioner’s honesty.
Adam Varey: Brings specialized expertise in ballistics and weapons systems combined with a career in military law enforcement. His dual background in technical defence capabilities and operational military policing gives him a unique vantage point on the intersection of defence technology, regulation, and real-world application. Adam speaks to the technical realities of defence product development and certification, what military end-users actually need from suppliers, and how companies with relevant capabilities can position themselves for credibility within the sector. His combination of technical depth and field experience makes him a distinctive voice on what the market actually demands versus what companies typically assume.
Darcy Byrtus: Brings over 40 years of experience in the Canadian defence industry. He served 22 years in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Marine Systems Engineer and Naval Architect, then held program management and business development roles at General Dynamics Canada before becoming President of BMT Canada in 2014. His roles included Project Manager for the Maritime Helicopter Project and Director of Business Development for Naval Programs at General Dynamics, as well as Ship Systems Manager in the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. He holds BSc (Royal Roads), MSc in Naval Architecture (MIT) and a MSc in Mechanical Engineering (MIT), and a Certificate in International Corporate Direction (Institute of Directors, London).
Mike Petric: The founder and Managing Director of PerceptX Inc., a defence advisory firm focused on the Canadian and global defence market. He founded PerceptX to give Canadian industry and government independent analysis needed to build a competitive, export oriented industrial base. Mike has spent over fifteen years across consulting, government, and military service. He has delivered more than 100 engagements on defence for governments, industry, and investors. Mike built Avascent’s Canadian defence practice and served as a Principal at Oliver Wyman following its acquisition. He advised two Canadian Ministers of National Defence as Senior Policy Advisor and earlier in his career deployed to Afghanistan as an infantry officer. He holds an MA in International Affairs (NPSIA), an MBA (IE University) and a PMP certification (PMI).
