Based in Toronto, Canada, Jacqueline DiFilippo is Director, Enterprise Digital & AI Enablement at CIBC, a Canadian multinational banking and financial services corporation. With more than 13 years of experience in the finance industry, she has had the opportunity to work across many verticals within that field, from marketing to product ownership to product innovation. Now Jacqueline is part of a team focused on enabling the enterprise with strategic digital capabilities that can be scalable and future-proofed—and that ultimately enable better experiences for the bank’s employees and customers.
“So that's what I’m up to over here, working with some cool technologies,” she says humbly.
Jacqueline joined CIBC in 2022. Soon thereafter, she decided to pursue executive education to amplify her knowledge. “A lot of my work is based on building digital strategies that are driven by cutting-edge technology, and that technology is changing so rapidly that I felt I needed a better way to stay up to speed on these advancements than simply absorbing snippets of educational content throughout my day,” Jacqueline explains. “I was looking for something a little bit more formalized. This desire was coupled with the fact that I wanted to make sure I was future-proofing my career development as well.”
Jacqueline decided to pursue an MIT Sloan Executive Certificate in Digital Business, a certificate offering designed for professionals who want to stay ahead of the digital curve, whether to find new value for their businesses or to propel their careers.
As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Jacqueline encourages women at any stage in their career journey to 1) cultivate a strong network, 2) advocate for yourself and other women, and 3) never stop learning. “Women are significantly underrepresented in the Canadian tech industry, making up only a quarter of the workforce. But education helps. It’s a way to lean in.”
"How will technology change how we see—literally? And how does that impact the products and services we need to build out? Those two days [at MIT] opened my eyes to the future."
Exploring the potential of augmented reality
As part of her certificate journey, Jacqueline completed Business Implications of Extended Reality (XR): Harnessing the Value of AR, VR, Metaverse, and More, which was her first educational exposure to extended reality.
“Many of us have done our homework on generative AI this year, but when it comes to XR, I think it had its moment a few years ago with Meta. Then other technologies emerged that stole the spotlight. But as I dove into my work at CIBC, I realized AI coupled with AR can be a really powerful experience. There is going to be an important strategic relationship between AI and XR to drive the success of future products and programs. So, I entered this course with that mindset.”
Jacqueline remarked on the hackathon portion of the course, where she explored how XR can be applied strategically as well as participated in hands-on experiences with VR headsets. “I had some vertigo at first, but you get used to it!”
Equally interesting to her were the ideas and perspectives of other course participants. “A discussion with someone from Deloitte prompted me to think, rather philosophically, about the future of vision. How will technology change how we see—literally? And how does that impact the products and services we need to build out? If the future of vision is through an augmented reality type of experience, what will it mean to hold a mobile phone?”
The course also helped her think more broadly about the application of augmented reality in industries like tourism or how extended reality may revolutionize our workplaces. “Those two days opened my eyes to the future.” Since the course, Jacqueline’s piqued curiosity has made her more aware of developments in the marketplace and the new technologies that her company potentially could leverage in their product offerings.
Leveling up with a global experience
Jacqueline also completed Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy, a self-paced online course that she was able to complete remotely, and that gave her a deeper understanding of AI’s applicability. “But there is nothing quite like the experience of being on MIT’s campus,” she explains. “Immersing yourself in the Boston and Cambridge environment, being surrounded by intellectuals, even just for two days, it gets you in a different mindset. It levels you up a bit.” Jacqueline also remarked on the impressive global reach of her in-person cohort. “There were people from Japan, India, Spain, and South Africa at my table, literally from all over the world, representing a wide range of industries. You couldn’t ask for more.”
Another highlight for Jacqueline was the way faculty and peers made her feel connected to the larger MIT community. “At the end of the courses, it was clear that we weren’t signing off forever. Now we’re part of an extended MIT family, with the freedom to reach out to one another for connection and support.”
Jacqueline has two courses left to complete her Executive Certificate and is looking forward to coming back to campus soon, perhaps for Accelerating Digital Transformation with Algorithmic Business Thinking and/or the Women’s Leadership Program.
“Just being in the room with seasoned executives is enough of a reason to enroll in an in-person course, but when you add in the element of where you are in the universe during the course, it's kind of a no-brainer.”