APEX is excited to announce the 2024 Recognition of Entry into the Executive Ranks Ceremony – a highly anticipated in-person and virtual event, exclusively for Canada’s Federal Public Service executive community. This year’s learning event and ceremony will take place on November 13, 2024, at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, where we will recognize and celebrate approximately 715 new executives entering the senior ranks of the Federal Public Service.
This annual signature celebration aims to inspire, motivate, and encourage the new executives of the community to embrace the “Power of an Opportunity” recognizing the potential that new executives have to make a positive difference in their work, ultimately inspiring new generations of public servants, and serving Canada and Canadians with pride and excellence. The event will feature a combination of keynote addresses from distinguished senior public service leaders and leadership development expert Fahd Alhattab. Having spent 10+ years researching and building extraordinary teams, Fahd Alhattab will discuss the key ingredients that sets high-performing teams and their leaders apart.
At APEX, we are dedicated and committed to supporting, advising, and inspiring you to become an exceptional leader throughout your career in the Public Service. We look forward to welcoming you as new executives and to see the positive impact you will make.
Invitation and departmental process
Participation to this important annual learning event is done by invitation only of new executives who were appointed between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 and is traditionally funded by the current department of each new executive.
To find out more about your department’s process, please contact your Human Resources Executive Development Advisor and/or your APEX Organizational Ambassador.
Event Agenda
All times Eastern
Reception area
14:30 – 15:30 Outside theatre
Check-in, refreshments and networking
Welcoming remarks
15:30 – 15:50 Theatre
Jean-François Fleury, CEO, APEX
Geneviève Binet, Chair, APEX Board of Directors
Message from Treasury Board Secretariat
15:50 – 16:00 Theatre
Jacqueline Bogden, Chief Human Resources Officer
Keynote speaker
16:00 – 17:00 Theatre
Fahd Alhattab, Founder, Unicorn Labs | Leadership Development Expert
Christa Gillis, Chief Research Officer, APEX
Transition, networking and professional pictures
17:00 – 18:00 Great Hall
Transition to dining area, networking, seating arrangements and headshot pictures
Jeremy Stowe, Chief Learning Officer, APEX
Message from the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet
18:00 – 18:20 Great Hall
John Hannaford, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet
Celebratory dinner
18:20 – 20:30 Great Hall
Sit-down dinner with colleagues and Deputy Ministers, networking and pictures
Fahd Alhattab
Founder, Unicorn Labs | Leadership Development Expert
Having spent 10+ years researching and building extraordinary teams, Fahd Alhattab found the key ingredient that sets high-performing teams apart — their leaders prioritize team performance over individual success. He calls them “unicorn leaders”. A millennial workplace expert who specializes in transformative leadership and team dynamics, Alhattab shows audiences how to become the architect of effective teams through his principles of unicorn leadership.
Alhattab has spoken to more than 70,000 people across North America on leadership and has been named a “Rising Star Speaker” and “Most Entertaining Speaker” by the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Through his consultancy, Unicorn Labs, Alhattab also offers customized training programs and team-building retreats geared towards upgrading staff and managers into self-driven leaders.
Alhattab’s personal path to leadership began with philanthropy. Compelled by his background as an at-risk immigrant from a low-income family, he raised over $1 million for local charities and founded a camp for underprivileged children. He was awarded Canada’s Top 20 Under 20 Award in recognition of his work. Alhattab’s furthered his passion for leadership and entrepreneurship in university, where he launched a student entrepreneurship centre while serving as president of the student union. It has since founded more than 50 student startups and helped raise over $450,000 in seed capital.
John Hannaford
Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet
John Hannaford was named the 25th Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet on June 24, 2023. Prior to becoming Clerk, John served as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Canada, from 2022 to 2023, where he helped advance some of the government’s signature clean energy initiatives. He contributed to the public service for the preceding two decades representing the Canadian government on key international files, from free trade to foreign and defence policy.
After graduating from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in history, he earned a Master of Science in international relations at the London School of Economics, before completing a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Toronto. John joined the federal public service’s Department of Foreign Affairs as a newly minted lawyer in 1995, working on a range of issues including maritime jurisdictions, environmental law and trade.
His following career included being Deputy Minister of International Trade at Global Affairs Canada from 2019–2022, after having served in several high-profile senior leadership positions in the public service, including:
– Foreign and Defence Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister (2015–2019);
– Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Privy Council Office (2012–2015); and
– Ambassador of Canada to Norway (2009–2012).
John’s first act as Clerk was to launch a broad discussion on public service values and ethics to ensure the civil service is equipped to serve Canadians’ changing needs in today’s dynamic and increasingly complex environment. He believes the values of the public service are the cornerstone of our democracy and the compass to ensure “the peace, order and good government” it provides remain relevant and real to every Canadian, every day. He is married to Anne Lawson. Together they have two adult children.
Jacqueline Bogden
Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board of Canada
Geneviève Binet
Chair of the Board of Directors, APEX
Geneviève Binet is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Affairs at the Department of National Defence (DND). Prior to joining DND in 2023, she spent 16 months in the Emergency Preparedness and COVID Recovery Secretariat at the Privy Council Office (PCO) supporting the government in transforming, with partners, how it mitigates, prepares for, responds to, and recovers from emergencies, and playing a significant leadership role in supporting the work of the recent Public Order Emergency Commission. Before joining PCO, Ms. Binet was the Vice President and the Director General of the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Chief Transformation Officer Branch, where she played an integral role in providing leadership and stewardship of the CBSA’s transformation program and its journey towards building the Border of the Future. She also worked in CBSA’s Information, Science and Technology Branch, where she led the development of corporate applications and a renewed culture in the IT sphere. She joined the CBSA in 2018, after 8 years in progressively increasing executive roles at the Canada Revenue Agency, including in Public Affairs, federal-provincial affairs, and as Chief of Staff to the Commissioner of Revenue. She joined the federal public service after a career in the market research industry.
She has a degree in Business and Anthropology from Carleton University, and a master’s Certificate in Innovation Leadership from York University’s Schulich School of Business. She is passionate about government transformation, public affairs, culture change and being a servant leader.
Jean-François Fleury
Chief Executive Officer, APEX
Jean-François Fleury joined OCHRO in 2018 where he served as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Governance, Planning and Policy Sector before being appointed as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Strategic Direction and Digital Solution Sector (SDDS). He has provided strategic leadership on improving HR and Pay, on publishing more disaggregated data to support our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and on modernizing our Public Service Employee Survey. He has helped think strategically about ‘Future of Work’ considerations for the federal public service and guided the establishment of the hybrid work model with our return to our physical workplaces following the pandemic.
Prior to joining TBS, Jean-François was Vice-President of the Learning Programs Branch at the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) since 2013, where he led the School’s digital transformation, re-design of its business model, and helped to shape the design and delivery of Public Service common learning. Jean-François held various Director General positions at the School.
Before joining the CSPS in 2010, Jean-François served as Director General of Communications Services at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). He was also the Champion for the Communications Community Office Interdepartmental Working Group on Communications and Social Media.
Prior to joining AAFC in 2005, Jean-François held various communication executive positions with Public Works and Government Services Canada, the Privy Council Office and Communication Canada where he served as Chief of Staff and as the lead for the crisis communications teams overseeing the sponsorship scandal communication efforts.
Jean-François holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a specialization in Political Science, International Relations and a concentration in History from the University of Ottawa.
Jeremy Stowe
Chief Learning Officer, APEX
Jeremy is an executive with over 32 years of combined experience in the Federal Public Service and the Canadian Armed Forces. He is an experienced leader of national programs, line operations, diverse teams, and end-to-end transformation initiatives. Jeremy served in an executive role for over 11 years at the Canada School of Public Service in various roles including the Director General of Events and Operations as well as the Director General of the Government of Canada and Public Sector Skills business line. He also has extensive experience in defining and setting a vision to deliver on organizational priorities that improve outcomes for the department and the client(s) it serves. Jeremy has been formally recognized with awards for his exemplary efforts related to innovation, teamwork, education, and leadership, and for his overall dedication to the public service. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award in recognition of his contributions, achievements, and dedicated service to Canada.
Attend in-person
Join us on November 13 at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau
Time: 14:30 to 21:00
Address: Canadian Museum of History, 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, QC, K1A 0M8
Coat check will be available free of charge. Individuals with dietary restrictions or needing accommodation to access the event, please indicate it in your registration and it will be a pleasure for APEX to help you.
$ 490
(QC taxes included)
Attend online
Attend virtually on November 13
Time: 15:30 to 18:20
Individuals needing accommodation to access the event virtually, please indicate it in your registration and it will be a pleasure for APEX to help you.
$ 190
(QC taxes included)
Welcome to APEX.
Your journey starts here.
Congratulations on joining the future of the federal public service as part of our new cohort of executives. This is a remarkable opportunity for you, your team, and the future teams and leaders you will develop. As you embark on this exciting journey, know that APEX will support you every step of the way.
As a new APEX member, we are delighted to invite you to your first networking event. Here, you’ll connect with peers who have also recently assumed their roles. This event offers an unparalleled opportunity to build valuable relationships and benefit from the unique advantages of being an APEX executive.
Empowering Your Own Learning
APEX Resources
APEX Research
APEX Learning Events
Learning with others
I did not receive an invitation. Should I register anyway?
There are several reasons why you may not have received an invitation:
- You do not qualify for this year’s cohort. Please note that this ceremony is only open to people who started an EX position between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
- This may be an error. The list of new executives is sent to us by each ministry every year. Occasionally, the list is incomplete. If you think you are eligible, please contact your HR department. If you meet the requirements and this is a mistake, they will contact us to add your name to the list and an invitation will be sent to you.
- Firewall problems may prevent our e-mails from reaching you. Please contact info@apex.gc.ca to find out if you should be on the list.
Is the registration cost covered by my department?
Yes, this event is part of your professional development and should be covered by your department’s executive training budget. Please contact your supervisor, your HR department, your management training advisor or your APEX ambassador to find out how to go about having this expense covered. Each department uses a different process.
How does payment work?
There are many options to pay. When you fill out the registration, you will be asked to either pay via credit card right away or request an invoice. It’s up to you and your department’s process to determine what is best.
If paying via credit card
You will receive an emailed receipt which you can then submit for reimbursement or tracking (if using corporate card).
If requesting an invoice
You will receive a copy of the invoice via email after registering. This invoice can be either paid via:
Cheque: Payment can be made out to APEX and mailed to our office
Direct Deposit: Contact us to request banking information details
Credit card: Payment can be made online by logging into the registrant’s member profile, submitting a credit card authorization form or by calling us at 613-995-6252.
For more information about payments, please contact our team at registration-inscription@apex.gc.ca
Is the online experience the same as in-person?
Given the networking opportunities available in person, it is very difficult to replicate the event online. We strongly encourage you to participate in-person to get the most out of the experience, meet colleagues and have the opportunity to dine with your deputy minister or representative. The online experience will only allow you to listen to the remarks, speeches and learning session.
A rare and wonderful occasion to celebrate the leadership of the public service in a personal, connected and meaningful way.
(Past inductee)
