2018 APEX Annual Symposium Program

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Tuesday May 29

7:00 – Registration

8:15 – Welcoming Remarks by APEX CEO, Michel Vermette and Chair of APEX Board of Directors, Michael Whittaker.

Message from Deputy Minister Co-Chairs:

  • Christiane Fox, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
  • Chris Forbes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Day 1 Themes and Keynote Speakers

Mindful and Compassionate Leadership

  • Shauna Shapiro, Global Mindfulness Expert, Professor, University of Santa Clara, California
  • Rich Fernandez, CEO of Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (former head of Executive Education at Google, and of Learning and Organizational Development at eBay).

Canada’s Economic Outlook

  • Stéfane Marion, Chief Economist and Strategist & Executive VP, Financial Markets, National Bank of Canada

Canada’s Policy Priorities: Views from Think Tank Leaders

  • Graham Fox, President and CEO, Institute for Research on Public Policy
  • William Robson, President and CEO, C.D. Howe Institute
  • Martha Hall Findlay, President and CEO, Canada West Foundation

Moderated by:

  • Glen Hodgson, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board of Canada

Disruptive Technologies: The Future of Artificial Intelligence

  • Jean-François Gagné, Founder and CEO of Element AI

Keynote Address

  • Michael Wernick, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet

Concurrent Sessions – May 29th

Mindful Leadership: Wisdom at Work

  • Glen Orsak, Director, Telfer Executive Programs, University of Ottawa
  • Filomena Tassi, Member of Parliament, Government of Canada
  • Geoffrey Soloway,  Co-Founder of MindWell-U
  • Pam August, Director, Culture Activation, WestJet Airlines Ltd.
  • Peter Weng, Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute

Moderated by:

  • Scheherzade van Aarle, InnerSpace Mindfulness

Healthy Mind, Body & Soul (Workshop)

  • Tony Greco, Founder of Greco Fitness, Author, Motivational Speaker, Fitness and Nutrition Specialist, Celebrity Trainer
  • Nicole Loreto, Vice-President, Health Promotion and Communications, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre

Media Panel – Current Hot Topics

  • Daniel Leblanc, Parliamentary Reporter, Globe and Mail
  • Althia Raj, Ottawa Bureau Chief, HuffPost Canada

Moderated by:

  • Daniel Lessard, Author and Former Journalist, Radio-Canada

Innovation and Disruption: Transformation in the Financial Sector

  • Chadi Habib, Executive Vice-President Information Technology, Desjardins Group

Moderated by:

  • Alistair Croll, Founder, Solve For Interesting

APEX Awards of Excellence

Networking Reception: 5:00 – 6:30 pm 

Wednesday May 30

Day 2 Themes and Keynote Speakers

7:30 – Opening of Day 2

8:30 – Public Sector Leadership in an Age of Disruption

  • Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Company

Understanding the Rights of Indigenous Communities

  • The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Canada

Global Human Capital Trends and the Future of Work

  • Kate Morican, Partner, National Leader – Strategic Change, Deloitte Canada
  • Amir Rahnema, Partner, Global Leader – Organizational Design, Deloitte Canada
  • Stephen Harrington, National Lead – Talent Strategy, Deloitte Canada
  • Linh Nguyen, Consultant and former COO at W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The WE Generation: New Models of Social Impact

  • Craig Kielburger, Co-Founder of the WE Organization

What it Takes to be a Great Leader:  Leading with Purpose

  • Dan Pontefract, Chief Envisioner, Telus (formerly Chief Learning Officer) and author of The Purpose Effect and Flat Army.

Concurrent Sessions – May 30th

How Government and Fortune 100s are Tapping into the Next Generation of Talent and Ideas

  • Dave Wilkin, Founder of TenThousandCoffees.Com
  • Brien Convery, Director, Early Talent Acquisition, The Royal Bank of Canada
  • Marie-José Beaudin, Soutar Career Centre, McGill University, Desautels School of Management

International Trade: What’s Next for Canada?

  • The Honourable Perrin Beatty, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
  • Meredith Lilly, Simon Reisman Chair in International Affairs, Carleton University
  • Patrick Leblond, CN-Paul Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy, University of Ottawa, School of Public and International Affairs
  • Don Stephenson, Former Ambassador to the WTO and Assistant Deputy Minister, Trade Policy & Negotiations, Global Affairs Canada (Retired)

Moderated by:

  • Aaron Shull, Managing Director and General Counsel, Centre for International Governance Innovation

Role of Government & Accountability: The Westminster Model

  • Mel Cappe, Professor, School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Toronto; Former High Commissioner for Canada to the United Kingdom; Former Clerk of the Privy Council

Moderated by:

  • Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office

The Benefits of Diversity & Inclusion:  How to Make a Real Impact in the Workplace

  • Hadiya Roderique, Lawyer, Journalist, Diversity and Inclusion Ph.D. Researcher and Advocate
  • Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, President and CEO, Digital Nova Scotia – WXN top executive
  • Mona Ghiami, Diversity and Inclusion Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Nicholas Greschner, HR Director, Canada at Accenture

Moderated by:

  • Sema Burney, Burney Consulting

The Role of Science in Government

  • Katie Gibbs, Executive Director, Evidence for Democracy
  • Supriya Sharma, Chief Medical Advisor, Health Canada
  • Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Moderated by:

  • Paul Dufour, Fellow & Adjunct Professor, Institute for Science, Society & Policy, U of Ottawa

Closing Remarks

  • Michel Vermette, APEX CEO
  • Michael Whittaker, APEX Chair of the Board of Directors
  • Christiane Fox and Chris Forbes, Deputy Minister Co-Chairs