Rick Mercer is presenting a keynote that will make you appreciate, as never before, this unique nation we all call home. It’s a heart-soaring and laugh-out-loud funny affair, and a perfect way to celebrate what our great country has to offer.
Few people know Canada like Rick Mercer knows Canada. Whether prodding at our institutions, celebrating our unsung heroes, or illuminating everything wonderful and weird about our country, Mercer is a galvanizing speaker. He’s our fiercest critic, our sharpest mind, and our most hilarious comic. This is a one-time talk that gathers together all his—and our—strengths. It is a talk that connects to the past, evaluates our present, and looks forward, hopefully, into the future.
The Conference Board of Canada
Over the next decade, the world is facing political, social, environmental and technological transformations that will have profound implications for investors and businesses operating in Canada. In this session, Jane Cooper will elaborate on some of the key research findings from the Conference Board’s research series on trends and disrupting forces that will impact Canadian business in the next ten years.
Robert Walters
Moderator
University Health Network (UHN)
Cineplex
CBC/Radio-Canada
The year is 2019; we now have more companies, competitors and innovative business ideas than we have ever had before. The speed of technological advances has undoubtedly shaken up and disrupted various industries.
Because of this, businesses, regardless of their current size and success, have had to remain nimble and sometimes pivot to find new ways to stay relevant and successful.
The CFO panel will discuss how their businesses have made the necessary changes to not just survive in today’s disruptive economy, but thrive in it and nail it!
Cresa
Moderator
Waterfront Toronto
Metrolinx
Toronto Finance International
Morneau Shepell
New digital technologies are being used to help cities manage congestion, improve public safety, reduce energy consumption, and allocate resources based on real time data. A “smart city” is an urban area that uses different types of electronic sensors to collect data, data which is then used to manage assets and resources efficiently.
Smart cities have the potential and are specifically designed to improve all aspects of their inhabitants’ lives, from how they move around and use energy, to how they make a living and interact with the natural environment.
The panel will discuss how smart cities are not only helpful to inhabitants’ lives but increasingly essential in an ever more populated and congested world.
After winning gold in London 2012, Rosie MacLennan immediately turned her attention to Rio 2016 and thought she could ride the momentum through the next four years, building on her previous successes. But, what do you do when you come home and everything crumbles- not once, but seemingly over and over again? In the four years between London and Rio, Rosie learned that nothing goes according to plan; that it is not about the disruption you face but how you nail it. Join RosieMacLennan as she shares her experiences about overcoming the disruption in her career and how she moved from point A to point B, from London to Rio, ultimately standing in exactly the same spot, but with an entirely different perspective.
FEI Canada
Luminari
Intact Financial Corporation
CPA Canada
Moderator
Deloitte Toronto
Crowdlinker
Trophy Foods Inc.
The launch of the FEI Young Luminaries mentor/protégé program has allowed financial executive protégés to learn from senior financial executives who have been there, done that and worn the t-shirt for numerous years in the C-suite.
However, for as much wisdom as the mentors impart on their protégés, the fresh outlook of the protégés certainly makes this relationship a two-way street.
So when does the career of the financial executive start? Is it the first excel spreadsheet a child makes to track his or her allowance? Is it the graduation day from their University degree? Is it when they have their own office at work? Or when they sit at the head of the boardroom table?
Please join the panel as they discuss the life cycle of the senior financial executive in a TED Talk format. Listen to examples of when they faced #Disruption at work, and what they did to counter this and make sure they #NailedIt.
ADP Compliance Solutions
Moderator
Former Airbnb, Co-Founder & President, ShareShed + Guiides.com
Wealthsimple
Uber
The twenty-first century has brought us a plethora of new, innovative business ideas which were brainstormed, created and developed to serve the needs of an ever more demanding and technology focused marketplace, some needs that we did not, at the time, even know existed, until they were serviced.
The panel will discuss how their companies and organizations came to the market. From what started as ideas in a boardroom has now, for many of them, expended into multi-billion dollar powerhouses that have caused controversy, disruption and admiration in equal measure, and what the future holds for these companies and organizations as we move further into the twenty-first century.
Few industries have been turned upside down, beaten to a pulp and disrupted as much as the music industry. Go back twenty years and the landscape is almost entirely unrecognizable. The way we engage, listen to and access music has completely changed.
Technology was clearly the enabler, but how did it all happen? What caused the turmoil? How did so many global companies and their executives get caught flat footed?
Alan Cross, world renowned music geek, tells the inside story of technology’s impact on the music industry with insight to the disrupted, the disruptors and the ‘next new things’ that never caught on.
Tricon Capital Group
Moderator
Financial Executives International
KPMG
Goodmans LLP
Tax is something that has an impact on everyone; we all have questions about it and we would all love to be more knowledgeable about it. Please join us and listen to an informative and insightful roundtable discussion from experts in the field of tax. As we approach 2020, the session will discuss the global tax trends and the management of tax risk relevant for the c-suite.
Livingston International
Moderator
Jaguar Mining Inc.
MORNEAU SHEPELL
KPMG
Given technology evolution in the business world, CFOs and senior finance executives are facing disruption in finance relating to processes, systems and people in their organizations. During this session, you’ll learn about disruption in finance and how its impacting CFOs and senior finance executives. You will have the opportunity to hear solutions and engage in a discussion with industry professionals on how disruption is impacting the finance function and assess readiness in your organization for future financial disruption to drive value and efficiency in today’s fast-paced, technology-based business environment.
VERCERTA
Moderator
Toronto Police Services
IBM Canada
Blackberry
Much has been reported in the media about the involvement of governments in cybersecurity. In this session, we will explore the current developments in cybersecurity: who the key perpetrators of industrial espionage are, the threats they pose to businesses and citizens, and what steps should be taken to mitigate.
J.P. Morgan
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
While both Canada and the United States were both under British rule at one point, there are significant differences in how their financial systems have evolved.
Joe Martin, co-author of, “From Wall Street to Bay Street: The Origins and Evolution of American and Canadian Finance” explains how the US financial system has historically been much more innovative than the Canadian system, and as a result, the American system has been much more volatile (and gotten into more trouble, both in the 2008 financial crisis and in the Great Depression).
One could argue that while the US Financial System has been more #Disruptive (innovative), the Canadian Financial System #NailedIt by adopting an evolutionary path.
FEI CANADA
Moderator
BDC
HSBC
Ultimate Software
In an ever more globalized world, with increasingly adversarial political agendas and differing economic ideologies, what exactly does this mean for the future of the Canadian and the Global economy moving forward?
Cambridge Global Payments
A technological revolution has gotten underway – one that is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that has come before. New ideas are sweeping across the global economy, unleashing powerful forces that are shifting the flow of goods, money, and ideas across borders – while creating a whole new set of challenges for treasurers and financial executives.
In this session, the key technologies that are changing how the global financial system functions will be discussed, setting the stage for another round of turbulence in Canadian markets. From a foreign exchange trader’s unique perspective, Karl Schomatta will explore the risks and opportunities that are emerging for finance organizations – giving you the knowledge needed to confidently step into the unknown.
Marsh
Moderator
Payments Canada
Ricoh Canada Inc
League Inc.
More and more, organizations are recognizing “disruption” as a top risk. The speed and scale of disruption continues to intensify, as technology, societal expectations, and regulations evolve at increasing speed. These forces are fundamentally changing business models and introducing new competition. Effectively managing these risks is not just a necessary ingredient for success but for survival. Just ask Sears, Kodak or Xerox.
But how do you identify disruption risks and appropriately adapt your business strategy? Disruption does not neatly fit into traditional risk management models and involves a high degree of uncertainty and complexity. Risk management practices must evolve to meet these challenges.
Toronto Botanical Garden
Moderator
Farber
CFO Services
D’Four Group
The CFO Centre
With the rise of the micro-business culture, globalization, technology advances, and greater regulation the need for the CFO skill set has never been greater. Many small to midsize businesses or start-ups in North America are finding themselves at a tipping point – they can no longer keep up with their financial and accounting needs, but equally are not large enough to justify a full-time CFO. Equally, organizations of all sizes are looking for the flexibility to bring on CFO skills that align to their needs or life-cycle, without the risk or long-term commitment. One option that companies in this position are taking advantage of is a fractional or part-time CFO solution that allows for the benefits of an experienced CFO, without taking on the cost of a full-time employee. The fractional CFO model, well established in Europe, is a disrupter in the industry and is rising in popularity in North America due to its flexibility and “pay for what you use” appeal, for both clients and CFOs.
For years, CFOs and financial professionals have identified key challenges when it comes to business payments, but disruption in this industry is helping remove these pain points and create value add opportunities for businesses. Join this interactive session led by Dwain Neckles, Vice President, Large Market, Global Commercial Services at American Express Canada to learn about game changing innovation in business payments and how it’s helping financial professionals enable more streamlined processes, increased speed and efficiency, improved security, and greater access to working capital. American Express Canada will lead the conversation, joined by Sunwing Travel Group and Palliser Furniture Holdings Ltd to offer perspective on real business impacts of innovation and disruption.
DWAIN NECKLES, Vice President, Large Market, Global Commercial Services,
American Express Canada
PETER BARNETT, Director, Large Market Sales, Global Commercial Services, American Express Canada
GREG MIXON, Director, Payments Consulting, American Express Canada
PERCY GYARA, VP Finance, Hotels & Resorts, Sunwing Travel Group
DARREN STEVENSON, VP Finance, Palliser Furniture Holdings Ltd
When was the last time you really thought about payroll in your organization – how it’s managed, who is managing it, or its role in your overall corporate strategy? If it’s been a while, it’s time to pay attention and refocus on one of your biggest expenses. Payroll in Canada is incredibly complex and even one error can put your brand reputation, employee trust, business continuity and finances at risk.
Using real-world examples, this presentation from the Canadian Payroll Association, the authoritative source for payroll knowledge, will highlight the importance of the payroll function to businesses, employees and governments alike. And, by the time you are done with breakfast, you will understand both the potential pitfalls of mis-management and the strategic advantages of re-prioritizing payroll in the days, weeks and years to come.
PETER TZANETAKIS, President, Canadian Payroll Association
As the finance leader of your organization, you are tasked with telling the company story on a
periodic basis through various report outputs. The focus is typically on external reporting, yet the internal
reports are arguably more crucial to driving strategic decision making – and the process is infinitely more
painful, disparate, and recurring.
In this seminar, you will hear survey data illustrating how internal reporting inefficiency might be impacting
your organization, learn methods to derisk the process in a disruptive era, and hear in-practice examples
of how global finance teams have improved controls with a more comprehensive approach.
KEVIN BECKBERGER, VP WW Solution Engineering
Does your organization get maximum value for the money it spends? Gain insight into how early adopters of market-leading SaaS solutions are reducing operating costs, improving internal controls, and eliminating paper by transforming procurement.
Join Timothy Nordin and Adam Fischer, co-founders of OPTIS Consulting for an informative perspective on the role of technology platforms for finance decision-makers within enterprise spend management. Why not RPA, why not outsourcing, why not your ERP, and plenty more – this session will get you
thinking about your organization’s roadmap and what you can do to shape how your spend is managed.
TIMOTHY NORDIN, Co – Founder, Optis Consulting
ADAM FISCHER, Co-Founder, Optis Consulting
CHRISTOPHER CRAXTON, Manager at OPTIS Consulting
Business today is still using the data & analytics tools of the past. Primitive IT infrastructure, information silos, spreadsheets or canned reports and IT as the bottleneck. Critical decisions are made using unreliable Excel spreadsheets, yet the Future of Finance is based on a transition to a data-driven culture, business collaboration with real-time analysis driving business transformation. How does Finance drive the change needed to become a company that understands, supports, and uses Data and Analytics? Learn how to evolve your organization to truly become the Finance Function of the Future.
KATYA FORSYTH, C-Suite Advisor
Payment processing can be rife with risk. High volumes and process inefficiencies can lead to errors, data loss, PCI non-compliance, inaccurate record-keeping, lengthy DSO and post-dated cheques that get misplaced & trigger late payment notices. It doesn’t have to be like this.
Join Purolator’s SVP & CFO, Roslyn Samtleben and Ricoh’s Ryan Beckwith as they discuss Purolator’s own experience in successfully leveraging AR automation and outsourcing to expedite payment processing and reduce errors, improve visibility and reporting, while driving material savings.
RYAN BECKWITH, Strategic Managed Services Specialist, Ricoh Canada
ROSLYN SAMTLEBEN, SVP & CFO, Purolator
Imagine if one of your colleagues approached you with a new business idea: let’s create a division that borrows money to make bets on the equity and bond markets, in the hope of generating excess returns for our shareholders. Unless you happen to work at a hedge fund, it’s not a business model that makes a lot of sense. So why do many companies follow this strategy for their defined benefit (DB) pension plans?
If your organization has a DB pension plan, attend this seminar to find out why this strategy has failed most companies over the last 20 years – making their pension plans more costly while putting their employees’ retirement security at risk. The session will cover real life examples of what forward-thinking financial executives have been doing to recast their pension business model and refocus their risk on their core business.
MATHIEU TESSIER
Managing Director, Client Relationships, Defined Benefit Solutions, Sun Life Financial
