Schedule

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Schedule

Plan your day—see sessions, speakers, and formats at a glance.

Pre-summit Day

November 17

Day One

November 18

Day Two

November 19

8:30 AM

TIFF Bell Lightbox

Registration & Check-in

Fast, friendly check-in. Have your QR code ready; we’ll badge you.

Mainstage talks @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

Get Directions

9:30 AM

Jess Greco

VP, Product Experience Design

Mastercard

Design as Organizational Capability: Raise the floor, lift the ceiling

In a post-ZIRP world, Design stops playing lone hero and starts winning by building capabilities that plug directly into org priorities—closing the gap between aspirations and outcomes.

View Talk Details

10:35 AM

Matt Raw

Deputy Head of Product Design

The New York Times

Excellent Operations: Putting principles into practice at The New York Times

Inside NYT’s playbook for operationalizing product design excellence: clear principles, exec alignment, and measurable practices (quality squads, critique rituals) that scale across 90+ designers.

View Talk Details

11:15 AM

Silke Bochat & Clark DeLashmet

Details coming soon.

A joint session unpacking how AI is redefining design education and industry pipelines — what today’s leaders should expect from emerging talent, and the new skills they’ll need to stay ahead.

View Talk Details

11:50 AM

Luma @ TIFF Lightbox (2nd Floor)

Lunch Break

Let's grab some food, while connecting with our peers over our design leadership archetypes!

1:45 PM

Chris Avore

VP Design

Diligent

AI, Anxiety, and Actual Impact: Leading Design Teams Through the AI Era

Turning AI hype into real value: how to set exec expectations, calm team anxiety, and integrate AI into products and ops with measurable follow-through.

View Talk Details

2:20 PM

Joann Wu

VP & Global Head of Design

Uber

From Vision to Value: Driving Quality and Follow-Through at Scale;

How Uber drives quality at scale—bridging digital and physical with operational rigor, growth mindset, and cross-functional execution, now accelerated by AI.

View Talk Details

3:00 PM

Malaparte @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

Masterminds & Roundtables

DLS roundtables are small, curated groups of senior designers/leaders, guided by a moderator, working through real challenges in “hot seat” style with candid, Chatham House–ish discussion. They’re the most hands-on part of the summit—focused on peer coaching, pressure-testing solutions, and leaving with not just insights but real connections.

6:00 PM

161 Boxing Club

Official DLS Social

Unwind and connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and partners at the official DLS social—an evening of community, connection, and celebration with design leaders from around the world.

Schedule

Plan your day—see sessions, speakers, and formats at a glance.

Pre-summit Day

November 17

Day One

November 18

Day Two

November 19

8:30 AM

TIFF Bell Lightbox

Registration & Check-in

Fast, friendly check-in. Have your QR code ready; we’ll badge you.

Mainstage talks @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

Get Directions

9:30 AM

Jess Greco

VP, Product Experience Design

Mastercard

Design as Organizational Capability: Raise the floor, lift the ceiling

In a post-ZIRP world, Design stops playing lone hero and starts winning by building capabilities that plug directly into org priorities—closing the gap between aspirations and outcomes.

View Talk Details

10:35 AM

Matt Raw

Deputy Head of Product Design

The New York Times

Excellent Operations: Putting principles into practice at The New York Times

Inside NYT’s playbook for operationalizing product design excellence: clear principles, exec alignment, and measurable practices (quality squads, critique rituals) that scale across 90+ designers.

View Talk Details

11:15 AM

Silke Bochat & Clark DeLashmet

Details coming soon.

A joint session unpacking how AI is redefining design education and industry pipelines — what today’s leaders should expect from emerging talent, and the new skills they’ll need to stay ahead.

View Talk Details

11:50 AM

Luma @ TIFF Lightbox (2nd Floor)

Lunch Break

Let's grab some food, while connecting with our peers over our design leadership archetypes!

1:45 PM

Chris Avore

VP Design

Diligent

AI, Anxiety, and Actual Impact: Leading Design Teams Through the AI Era

Turning AI hype into real value: how to set exec expectations, calm team anxiety, and integrate AI into products and ops with measurable follow-through.

View Talk Details

2:20 PM

Joann Wu

VP & Global Head of Design

Uber

From Vision to Value: Driving Quality and Follow-Through at Scale;

How Uber drives quality at scale—bridging digital and physical with operational rigor, growth mindset, and cross-functional execution, now accelerated by AI.

View Talk Details

3:00 PM

Malaparte @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

Masterminds & Roundtables

6:00 PM

Location TBA

Official DLS Social

Unwind and connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and partners at the official DLS social—an evening of community, connection, and celebration with design leaders from around the world.