From AI Innovation to Impact: Co-creating the Future of Philippine Higher Education Together 

John Baker

President, CEO and Board Chair, D2L

John founded D2L in 1999, while attending the University of Waterloo. He strongly believes that learning is the foundation upon which all progress and achievement rests. For over 25 years, John has been a leading visionary in the ed tech space and a frequent speaker on the future of learning and technology.

As a leader in Canada’s business community, John provides insights and advice on the future of Canada’s prosperity, including as a member of the Business Council of Canada, as a board member of the Business Higher Education Roundtable, and having served on the Governing Council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

John graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours B.A.Sc. in Systems Design Engineering, with First Class Honours and an option in Management Sciences.

Christian Pantel

Chief Product Officer

Christian was appointed Chief Product Officer in 2024. He leads global Product Strategy, Product Management, Product Design, User Experience Research and Accessibility at D2L. Christian first joined the company in 2015 and has expanded his leadership in product, design, and engineering. He has extensive experience in Education Technology and knows D2L customers well. With deep empathy for diverse learners and educators, Christian has led D2L to develop products with a world-class user experience.

Christian has over 25 years of leadership experience building software at notable enterprise software companies including Workday, Infor, and PeopleSoft. Christian earned a Master of Science in computing science from Simon Fraser University, specialising in human-computer interaction and Web-based learning environments. He also holds a Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) from the University of Manitoba. Christian lives in Winnipeg with his wife and four children.

Brian Finnerty

Chief Marketing Officer, D2L

Brian is a dynamic marketing leader with extensive experience building successful go-to-market teams. He believes in the transformative power of marketing, leveraging a potent combination of brand strength, targeted demand generation, tight sales alignment, and compelling customer stories.

Prior to D2L, Brian has held pivotal leadership roles at high growth companies including Udacity, Demandbase, Marin Software, and Skillsoft. He has been a driving force behind aligning sales and marketing around a bold and compelling message – resulting in quality pipeline generation, increased bookings, and strong customer retention.

Brian has an unshakable belief that marketing offers one of the most enjoyable and rewarding careers available. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, three boys, and a very friendly chocolate labrador.

Benhur Ong

Chancellor, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Philippines

Benhur A. Ong is the Chancellor of De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, a leading institution in the Philippines known for innovation and inclusion in education. With over 25 years of academic leadership, he has pushed for degree programs that integrate technology, creativity, and industry relevance.

Ong holds a Master’s in Business Administration from De La Salle University and a background in Computer Science. His expertise spans curriculum development, project management, and institutional infrastructure. As Chancellor, he champions initiatives that bridge education with entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and social innovation.

He also serves as Chairperson of the Technical Panel for Hospitality Management and Tourism Management under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in the Philippines. A strong advocate for inclusive, future-ready learning ecosystems, Ong brings a regional perspective on reimagining online and blended education.