Scott McDonald

Scott McDonald is a Principal with Amazon (AWS) working at the intersection of technology and financial services. Based in Toronto, Canada, Scott has held positions across the information technology sector covering software, managed infrastructure, cyber security, and cloud computing. While at McGill University Scott pursued ad hoc specializations in the history and philosophy of science, Greek to German phenomenology and cognitive science. In his professional career Scott has worked for North America’s favourite shark Robert Herjavec (NBC Shark Tank) developing the financial services business for Herjavec Group (now Cyderes) a global leader in technology risk management, managed security services, cyber forensics and digital response. In his role Scott contributed to national media coverage of the cyber security industry and published research seeking to simplify the complexities of cyber defense for a general audience. Scott sat on the Board of Directors for MSP Corp with the Business Development Bank of Canada to create one of North America’s fastest growing managed IT service providers. In just a few short years MSP Corp grew from a micro-cap provider to $100+ Million of private equity value creation being successfully sold in 2023.

At Amazon, Scott has contributed to building the machine learning and artificial intelligence centre of excellence at the Royal Bank of Canada ensuring Responsible AI improves the financial lives of all Canadians. Scott collaborates inside Amazon across various functional groups including digital currencies, consumer payments, Amazon Music, Amazon Studios, and Amazon Robotics. Scott is an advisor for evolutionQ a world-leading series-A growth stage company based in Waterloo, Canada. EvolutionQ is a global pioneer in quantum-safe cryptography working to ensure that quantum computers do not break the world’s cryptographic foundations when they come online. Scott is the founder and president of The Future of Money produced in partnership with the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto as well as leading organizations across commercial banking, central banking, fintech, public policy and governance. The Future of Money seeks to examine the evolving role of currency in the consumer value-chain and more fundamentally the purpose of money in society.

Updated November 2023