Neil Desai

Neil Desai is a seasoned corporate director, executive, and public policy leader with a distinguished career spanning the technology, cybersecurity, and government sectors. He is best known for his pivotal role on the leadership team of Magnet Forensics, a Canadian cybersecurity company that develops cyber-investigation software trusted by more than 4,000 police, national security agencies, and public and private organizations across over 100 countries. Neil played a central role in scaling Magnet Forensics from an early-stage start-up through its successful initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2021 and its landmark $1.8-billion acquisition in 2023. A recognized thought leader in technology commercialization and cybersecurity, Neil serves as a Senior Fellow with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Entrepreneur-in-Residence with the Rogers Cyber Catalyst, and faculty member at Singularity University. He chairs the boards of Solace Power and ClearRisk Inc., and serves as a director of the Public Policy Forum and Innovation Asset Collective, with past board service at YMCA Canada and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Prior to his private sector career, Neil held senior roles in the Government of Canada, including positions at Global Affairs Canada and the Prime Minister's Office, bringing a rare combination of public sector expertise and private sector execution to his work as a board director, advisor, and innovation leader.