Discover why TELUS’ sales team called Web Summit Vancouver their “favorite AI event”

TELUS transformed the Web Summit Vancouver exhibition floor into an engine for high-quality enterprise lead generation.

Setting the stage: Changing the narrative

TELUS used Web Summit Vancouver to actively shift their brand perception. Expanding beyond their telecom roots, they seized the event’s energy to showcase deep investments in the artificial intelligence sector.

“The reason we’re here is to raise awareness around TELUS’s involvement in AI,” said Andrew Shakespeare, Director – AI Factory at TELUS

“We’re making a lot of investment in the space. So to have people coming through and asking good questions is why we’re here, to raise that mind share.”

TELUS’s presence at Web Summit Vancouver 2026 expanded beyond their 4×4 exhibitor booth, as they participated in Corporate Innovation Summit, ensured brand visibility across the venue with strategically positioned content walls, and hosted two highly-attended masterclasses, which together obtained 754 schedule pins.

To highlight this shift and demonstrate their broad expertise firsthand, TELUS hosted several highly-attended sessions on the event floor, including Data done right: Earning consumer trust in an AI-first world? with Pamela Snively (Chief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS Communications Inc), Investing in a fragmented world, with Terry Doyle (Managing Partner, TELUS Global Ventures), and Break your AI system before customers (or attackers) do (a Masterclass hosted by TELUS Digital).

Presenting complex business lines ranging from AI sovereign factories to venture capital is challenging. However, the event’s unique ecosystem provided a perfect, unified platform.

“I think Web Summit brings everybody together in one place, so it’s really easy for us to present ourselves as one organization, one TELUS, even though we’re doing all sorts of different things,” Anne Locke, Director, Trust & Stakeholder Engagement at TELUS.

The power of face-to-face connections

Despite the rise of digital deal-making, human connection remains an unrivalled catalyst for growth. Web Summit Vancouver lets digital-first brands create tangible interactions with their exact target audiences.

Locke emphasized this dynamic, noting, “There is an enormous value to being here, being present, having those in-person conversations. You can’t overstate the value of relationship building and actually getting to have a face-to-face conversation.”

Generating high-quality leads at scale

Event participation must translate into measurable ROI. For TELUS, the exhibition floor quickly became an active pipeline of qualified prospects eager to discuss enterprise solutions.

“I get feedback from our sales team that it’s their favorite AI event so far because of how many conversations that they’re having that can actually turn into real sales leads for us, which at the end of the day is the objective,” shared Shakespeare.

The volume of floor interactions was matched by their quality, creating a highly efficient and rewarding sales environment for the team.

“We’ve been getting great feedback from the team that they’re getting really strong leads and a good volume of them too,” added Locke.

“When they told me last night at dinner that it’s the best event that they’ve done so far, it’s great to see,” Shakespeare remarked.

Ready to position your brand alongside industry giants and global tech leaders? Explore Web Summit Vancouver partnership and exhibition opportunities today.