Marketing guru Rishad Tobaccowala has just been added to the keynote line-up at the Media Strategy Forum in Toronto on Sept. 27. Simultaneously both the CEO of Denuo and chief innovation officer of Publicis Groupe Media, Chicago-based Tobaccowala – a renowned media pundit and speaker – is at the helm of the PGM management board, overseeing: Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) and Zenith Optimedia, which together allocate over $40 billion in global media spending.

Prior to his current roles, Tobaccowala was the founder and president of SMG Next, the first futures practice in the media industry. The development of SMG Next resulted in the launch of SMG Play, the first company to leverage videogames as a marketing platform; word-of-mouth practice Reverb; and Digits, a leader in mobile marketing.

The TV 2.0 practice he developed focuses on the future of consumer engagement with video marketing. Tobaccowala also developed SMG Search, which specializes in leveraging search applications in new ways for leading spenders in the category, including General Motors. Tobaccowala was named by Business Week as one of the top business leaders of 2005 for his pioneering innovation, and Time dubbed him one of just five ‘marketing innovators.’

Other speakers and panelists at the Media Strategy Forum, presented by Media in Canada and strategy, include Ryan Mugford, director of global marketing for Microsoft (Redmond, Wash.); Marian Salzman, EVP/CMO,JWT Worldwide (NYC); Bruce Winterton, president of the Barbarian Group (Boston); Chris Staples, founder and co-CD of Rethink (Vancouver); Keith Anderson, director of interactive & design at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (San Francisco); and Brett Channer, chair/ECD, Saatchi & Saatchi (Toronto).

Laura Desmond, CEO, Starcom MediaVest Group, The Americas, is unable to participate (as previously announced) due to a last-minute scheduling conflict.