Shay Byrne

I see myself as a leader who’s worn many hats across the technology landscape. With over 30 years in the industry, I’ve been fortunate to travel the world working with companies like Intel, Microsoft, and in consulting, shaping technology strategies that help businesses succeed. For me, technology isn’t just about systems and tools — it’s about enhancing both employee and customer experiences, and making IT a true driver of positive change. Over the years, I’ve held a variety of senior IT and leadership roles, leading large-scale IT transformations, streamlining global operations, and mentoring teams to help them grow and succeed. At Microsoft Canada, I led technology initiatives that shaped the modern workplace experience, including the IT strategy and technology integration for Microsoft Canada’s new headquarters. I also oversaw IT leadership for 10 regional office projects — from Toronto to Vancouver — bringing smart building solutions to life and enhancing customer experiences with innovative data visualization. In my role as a Global Account Technology Strategist for Microsoft Canada’s Financial Services team, I was proud to help secure the first Microsoft 365 Enterprise deal with TD Bank, playing a part in driving cloud transformation in the financial industry. Across all my roles, my focus has always been on delivering secure, scalable, and user-friendly solutions that empower people and businesses to thrive.

Home Automation

Outside of the corporate world, I have a real passion for home automation — especially using Home Assistant. For me, it’s the perfect blend of technology, efficiency, and user experience, all coming together to create smarter, more intuitive living spaces. I’m constantly experimenting with new ways to make my home smarter and more efficient through automation. Along the way, I’ve also helped others with home automation projects, Unifi network installations, and similar tech setups. If you’re interested or need a hand with a project, feel free to reach out, I can be found in the Home Assistant Community — I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned.

Woodworking and Home Renovations

My passion for woodworking and home renovations started back in my teens in Ireland, where I trained as a carpenter. My father taught me the skills I still use today, and every project I take on feels like a connection back to those early lessons.

Whether it’s building custom furniture or taking on a home renovation project, woodworking gives me a creative outlet that balances out my work in technology. There’s something incredibly satisfying about working with my hands and seeing a project come to life.

Over the years, I’ve also done a few commission pieces by request. My time is limited, so I can’t take on every project — but it never hurts to ask!



Examples of my Work

Collaborative Work

I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredible creative teams to bring digital experiences to life. Creating memorable customer and employee experiences has always been at the heart of my ideas and creative instincts.

Collaborating with talented teams like Red Paper Heart and The Taylor Group has made the process even more rewarding.



Digital Lake

The Digital Lake was an interactive and immersive digital experience created in partnership with The Taylor Group. It showcased unique interactive experiences representing each of Canada’s provinces, blending technology and storytelling into a truly engaging installation.


DAY

One of the most exciting collaborations of my career was bringing building data to life by visualizing a day in the life of an office.
In partnership with the incredible team at Red Paper Heart, we used real-time building sensor data to create an immersive and interactive customer experience.