Our annual Women in Business Summit brings together some of the most influential thought leaders, business leaders and entrepreneurs from across Canada.
Together, as Canada’s most activated business network, we are working to create the conditions for our collective success. “This is not a women’s issue; it is an economic issue.”
Agenda
(All times are ET and subject to change)
| 9:30 a.m. – 9:35 a.m. | Opening Remarks by The Honourable Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce |
| 9:35 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Morning Fireside Chat with Diana van Maasdijk, Co-founder and CEO, Equileap and Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Speaker Introduction: Tina Ackermans, Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development, Suncor |
| 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | 1-on-1 Discussion and Health Break Moderator: Gayla Brock-Woodland, Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Speaker: Marie-Hélène Labrie, Senior Vice President and Chief Public Affairs, Communications and Strategy Officer, Cogeco |
| 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. | Panel 1 – High-Growth Sectors and the Corporate Pipeline Recent research has shown a dramatic decline in the representation of women in the pipeline to senior management roles. We are bringing together business leaders from high-growth sectors where women have been traditionally and significantly underrepresented. Speakers will highlight key actions that need to be taken to ensure women have full access and opportunity to thrive in these sectors. Introduction: Gabriel Friedman, Journalist, Financial Post, PostMedia Moderator: Robin Guy, Vice President and Deputy Leader, Government Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Panelists: Molara Awosedo, Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Greater Toronto Airports Authority Tim Coldwell, President, Chandos Construction Kimberly Doran, Vice President, Practice Lead, Geotechnical Engineering Services, Canada, SNC-Lavalin Rachel Moore, Executive Vice President, Corporate Services, Ovintiv |
| 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | 1-on-1 Discussion and Health Break Moderator: Candace Laing, Chair of the Board of Directors, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Speaker: Penny Wise, President and Managing Director, 3M |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Panel 2 – Leadership and the Gender Gap This panel will bring together diverse perspectives on the progress made to increasing women’s representation across leadership levels in the financial services and retail industries. Panelists will share their personal experiences and their organization’s progress on advancing gender parity. Introduction: Gayle Murdoch, Senior Vice President, Sales, Effectiveness and Performance, Canada Life Moderator: Alex Gray, Senior Director, Fiscal and Financial Services Policy, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Panelists: Stacey Bai, Vice President, Commercial Pricing, Aviva Canada Dilys D’Cruz, Senior Vice President, Wealth and Financial Planning, Meridian Credit Union Julie Dickson Olmstead, Managing Director, Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility, Pattison Food Group Rejean Roberge, Vice President, Optimum Mortgage, Canadian Western Bank |
| 12:15 p.m. – 12:55 p.m. | Lunch Break |
| 12:55 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Remarks with The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Speaker Introduction: Matthew Holmes, Senior Vice President, Policy and Government Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch Keynote and Q&A with Saadia Muzaffar, Founder and President, TechGirls Canada (TGC) and Co-founder, Tech Reset Canada |
| 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | 1-on-1 Discussion and Health Break Moderator: Diana Palmerin-Velasco, Senior Director, Future of Work, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Speaker: Julia Kelly, Vice President, Small Business Banking and Segment Strategy, TD Bank |
| 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Panel 3 – Pushing Boundaries and Disrupting the Status Quo Women entrepreneurs continue to face a variety of barriers to the growth and success of their businesses. This panel will feature women who are pushing boundaries, owning their narrative and making waves in what some would consider “male dominated sectors.” Introduction: Sarah Steele, Senior Director, Visa Small Business Products North America Moderator: Jennifer Cooke, Director, Inclusive Trade, Export Development Canada (EDC) Panelists: Jodi Huettner, Founder, Helga Wear Inc. Lara Murphy, Co-founder, Ryan Murphy Construction Rory Richards, CEO, NUQO Elevated Modular Emma Todd, CEO, MMH Technology Group |
| 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Health Break |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. | Closing Keynote/Fireside Chat Introduction: Noralee Bradley, Executive Vice President, External Affairs and Chief Sustainability and Legal Officer, Nutrien Moderator: Penny Wise, President and Managing Director, 3M Speaker: Karen Vecchio, MP, Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women |
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