Few people understand the importance of the arts and culture sector as well as Cameron Bailey. He is CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) - the world's largest public film festival and one of Canada's premier cultural brands. Under his strategic direction, the festival continues to grow in size and significance each year.

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Bailey began his career as a film critic. He also curated films for Cinematheque Ontario, The National Gallery of Canada, The National Film Board of Canada, and Australia’s Sydney International Film Festival before joining TIFF in 1990. He began as a programmer selecting Canadian films before moving on to African and South Asian cinema. He’s responsible for TIFF’s highly successful subscription series, Reel Talk, and also headed TIFF’s Perspective Canada series and founded its Planet Africa section.

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Bailey has taught film curation at the University of Toronto and holds an honorary doctorate from Western University. He is a Chevalier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters, member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, and for 12 consecutive years been named one of “Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People” by Toronto Life.

Diane Gistal is a cultural producer and independent curator of Haitian-French descent, recognized for her dedication to promoting Afro-descendant and African artistic creation. As the founder and director of Nigra Iuventa, she works to amplify the practices of visual artists from these communities. With expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as extensive experience in cultural project management, Diane is a committed leader in Quebec’s cultural sector.Her career has led her to collaborate with prestigious institutions such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Phi Foundation, the Goethe-Institut, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Le Livart, and the UNESCO Chair DCMET. Her curatorial practice—at the crossroads of visual arts, literature, and the humanities—delves into the literary, visual, and cinematic representations of the Black Atlantic.

Boubacar Djiba, is among Africa’s music industry’s prolific change agents with over 15 years’ of experience in the music industry in Senegal. He is an entrepreneur who evolves in the creative industry, technology, and communication sector. He is a consultant, music producer, designer and sound engineer passionate about the change and development of Africa through his youth. Connected in the global creative industry, he discovers and develops talents through his label Vazy Music.

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In Jan 2024, Boubacar launched the first instant AI mastering platform in Africa, Senmixmaster after years of research. Senmixmaster is the first AI technological start-up evolving in cultural and creative industries in Senegal, more precisely in music and audio content. Senmixmaster uses AI and reinforcement learning, its engine works like a real engineer, making original decisions as the mastering progresses by tweaking the music to remove technical errors while applying necessary enhancements or anything preventing a great music listening experience.

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Eager to build a strong creative ecosystem, Boubacar is a sure bet for the development of the creative industries in Africa with the use of technology.

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