CANADA’S LEADERSHIP MOMENT

Speakers

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  CHRIS HADFIELD

  Astronaut | Business Leader | Tech Entrepreneur | Bestselling Author

  Colonel Chris Hadfield is an astronaut, business leader, hi-tech entrepreneur, five-time bestselling author, and global speaker on leadership, change, and managing life. Having commanded the International Space Station and directed companies, he has deep experience with best practices and tactics on guiding teams through extreme circumstances of complexity and change, while also recognizing the importance of sharing the marvels and wonders of science and spaceflight.

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  Formerly NASA’s Director of Operations in Russia, Hadfield spent more than three decades serving the military, NASA, and the Canadian Space Agency. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been a fighter/test pilot, flown three space missions, built two space stations, performed two spacewalks, crewed the Shuttle and Soyuz, and commanded the International Space Station. His many awards include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Cross (twice), and the Order of Canada.

  Today, Hadfield serves as a director and advisor to multiple tech companies, including SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo, chair of the Open Lunar Foundation, and is assisting King Charles III with space business practices for the Sustainable Markets Initiative. Hadfield also co-founded the Space Stream at the Creative Destruction Lab tech incubator, which has created $1.6B of new business equity value in the past five years.

  Hadfield’s keynote presentations have been called “an astonishing display of visual storytelling” by Harvard Business Review, and his TED talk, “What I Learned from Going Blind in Space”, has been viewed over 20 million times. He is frequently featured on national and global media outlets, has taught a MasterClass, and is the co-creator and host of the internationally acclaimed BBC series, Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? as well as co-host of National Geographic’s One Strange Rock documentary series.

  Hadfield is the author of five internationally bestselling books: two non-fiction, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth and You Are Here; a children’s book, The Darkest Dark, which has been adapted as an award-winning stage play for young audiences; and two fiction books, The Defector and The Apollo Murders, now under contract to become a television series. His third book in the Apollo Murders series, Final Orbit, will be released in October 2025.

• 
  JANICE STEIN

  Geopolitical & Global Economics Expert

  Whether it’s economics, geopolitics, or international security and terrorism, few people have a better understanding of global issues than Professor Janice Gross Stein.

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  Whether it’s economics, geopolitics, or international security and terrorism, few people have a better understanding of global issues than Professor Janice Gross Stein. Her dynamic presentations provide a unique perspective into what’s really happening around the world—from China to Russia to the Middle East and Europe—and what it means to her audiences. Professor Stein’s presentations not only connect the dots regarding key events, but provide a look at where things are headed, and where the potential dangers and opportunities may lie. Both realistic and hopeful, she leaves her audiences with a better understanding of current global issues, and a clear, compelling vision of the future.

  Stein is the Belzberg Professor of Conflict Management in the Department of Political Science and the Founding Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and an Honorary Foreign Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

  Professor Stein was the Massey Lecturer in 2001, and a Trudeau Fellow. She was awarded the Molson Prize by the Canada Council for an outstanding contribution by a social scientist to public debate, and has received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Alberta, the University of Cape Breton, McMaster University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario.

• 
  DR. JOHN IZZO

  Bestselling Author | Leadership and Business Visionary

  Dr. John Izzo helps companies maximize their potential from the ground up. For over 30 years, he has been a pioneer in employee engagement, leading change, shifting employee and consumer values, and corporate social responsibility, and is known for his hard-hitting practical content, his inspirational storytelling, and the lasting impact he has on organizations.

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  In his career as a professional speaker and business advisor, Izzo has spoken to over one million people, taught at three major universities, and advised over 700 top companies on activating corporate social responsibility and purpose worldwide. Some of those companies include Ford, 3M, Manulife, McDonald’s, SAPA, RBC, Lockheed Martin, Qantas Airlines, Humana, Microsoft, and the Mayo Clinic.

  Frequently in the media, Izzo has been profiled by the likes of Fast Company, PBS, CBC, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Inc. magazine. He is also the bestselling author of nine books, including the international bestsellers Awakening Corporate Soul, Values Shift, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, The Five Thieves of Happiness, The Purpose Revolution, and Stepping Up.

  Izzo is a former faculty member of the University of British Columbia where he co-founded Blueprint, an NGO dedicated to changing the culture of men and boys. He served on the advisory board for Sustainable Brands for over a decade and is currently a board member for numerous non-profits in both Canada and the United States and a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Centre, a leading foreign affairs think tank.

• 
  ERIC TERMUENDE

  Bestselling Author | Leadership, Culture & Future of Work Expert

  After years spent studying the world’s greatest places to work, Eric has deciphered what sets amazing leaders apart from the rest, and what it takes to build incredible teams that are resilient, innovative, and ready for the future.

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  Eric Termuende is a best-selling author, internationally recognized thought leader, and keynote speaker on all things future of work, leadership, workplace culture, and talent management. After years spent studying the world’s greatest places to work, he has deciphered what sets amazing leaders apart from the rest, and what it takes to build incredible teams that are resilient, innovative, and ready for the future.

  His research and insights have inspired category-leading companies like Amazon, Coca-Cola, Nationwide, IBM, Zoom, Nokia, John Deere, and Toyota, to name a few. Eric’s perspectives and accomplishments have also been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., and many other prominent publications.

  In addition to the hundreds of keynotes he has delivered around the world, Eric is an entrepreneur and leader in his own right. As co-founder of NoW of Work, Eric has been named one of the world’s Top 100 Emerging Innovators by American Express, making him a trusted resource as we collectively navigate the future of work together.

  Eric’s keynotes aren’t just engaging and insightful, they’re a fun, practical journey loaded with actionable takeaways that audiences can implement right away. Those that attend Eric’s keynotes often share that his refreshing, down-to-earth messaging not only gets them excited about the future, but also provides the practical tools and know-how to build teams and thrive in it.