Roy Bernhard

CTO, 17th Parallel Consulting

Roy Bernhard, 28, is the CTO of 17th Parallel Consulting, a software research and development consulting firm that provides services to international web based companies. With over 8 years experience in software development, engineering, and business change management, Roy has helped many companies break the barriers between business and technology. Founding Kinberlin Associated Inc, an e-business development firm, while studying computer science at the University of Western Ontario, Roy architected solutions for companies such as Deliotte & Touché, Kraft/Nabisco, TD Canada Trust, and IMAX. In 2001, Roy took over the technical helm of one of the worlds largest online gaming companies, moving to the Caribbean, assuming the role of Chief Information Officer. In this role, Roy's team developed a custom designed real-time transaction processing system that is currently processing over $250 million US dollars in transactions on an annual basis.

Moving back to Toronto in late 2003, Roy joined forces with 17th Parallel Consulting and is currently writing a book entitled “Trench Management – The art of war room technology management”, focusing on how to manage and implement technology in an expansively growing and hostile business environment.

Roy’s experience in the world of outsourcing comes from a practical perspective of outsourcing business processes as well as various inter-process tasks such as software development. Through trips to Cuba to assemble IT departments to sourcing and negotiating software development projects and call centers in India, Roy has seen many of the real-world trials, tribulations, and benefits of dealing with outsourcing. His experience working both in the Caribbean and in Canada providing internal and external outsourced services at the medium sized business level give him a unique and interesting position on this subject.