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Pierre Petelle is the president and CEOof CropLife Canada, the trade association that represents the Canadian manufacturers, developers and distributors of pest control products and plants with novel traits. Pierre joined CropLife Canada in 2008and is now responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of the association. Prior to joining CropLife Canada, Pierre worked in the policy office at Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency where he worked on a wide range of issues relevant to Canada’s plant science industry. Pierre holds degrees from Carleton University and the University of Guelph.
Gitane De Silva is a public policy leader with executive experience at the provincial, national, and international levels and expertise in the areas of energy and environment, intergovernmental relations, and Canada-U.S. relations.
As CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator from 2020 to 2023, De Silva ensured the safe and efficient delivery of energy to Canada and the world, while also protecting the environment, advancing Reconciliation, and providing relevant and timely energy information and analysis. As Alberta’s Deputy Minister for International and Intergovernmental Relations, De Silva directly served four Premiers and advocated for Alberta’s interests domestically and internationally.
De Silva is a seasoned diplomat and a specialist in Canada-U.S. relations, having served as Alberta’s Senior Representative in Washington, DC during the first Trump Administration, and as Canada’s Consul General in Chicago, among other roles. She promoted trade, investment and energy infrastructure, and was also involved in the negotiations of several trade and environmental agreements, including the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement, the Canada Free Trade Agreement and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
De Silva is the Founder and President of the consulting firm, GDStrategic. She is also a Managing Director with Negotiations Collective, a Special Advisor at Blue Rock Law, a former Global Fellow with the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, and a Board Member with the Public Policy Forum. She is a sought after speaker and strategist who is known for her ability to explain complex issues in an accessible way. She loves talking about geopolitics, Canada-U.S. relations, Canada’s energy sector, how Canada works, and why Wonder Woman is the superhero of diplomacy.
Michael Graydon is Chief Executive Officer of Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP) the national association voice of Canada’s food, health and consumer products sector. A seasoned business executive, Michael has more than 25 years of visionary CEO leadership across multiple industries, driving proactive and collaborative stakeholder engagement and consistent corporate results. Since joining FCPC in 2016, his leadership has dramatically repositioned the organization into a driving force on industry issues as diverse as Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy, free trade and tariff issues, environmental sustainability, product labelling and the changing dynamics of the supplier/retailer relationship (Grocery Code of Conduct). Before joining FHCP, Michael was the President of Parq Holdings (PHLP). He joined PHLP in 2014 after six years at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation where he led the company to become a recognized leader in the worldwide gambling and entertainment industry.
Michael is currently the Chair of the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct Board of Directors. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Center for Food Integrity as well as a member of the Ontario Food Panel Advisory Committee. His previous community commitments have included serving on the Advisory Board of the School of Business and Economics at Thompson Rivers University, the Board of Directors of the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation and the Board of Directors of Brand Source USA. He was recently awarded with Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) and was also named to the Grocery Business Hall of Fame in 2024.
Roger Chevraux is a 4th generation farmer whose family farm started in 1912. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1988 and holds his Professional Agrologist (P.Ag) Designation. While farming Roger spent 30 years with Bayer Crop Science, gaining extensive experience in crop protection and industry relations. He is sitting Past Chair of both Alberta Canola and CCGA. He also serves as a director on Grain Growers of Canada and Canada Grains Council. Roger lives in Killam, Alberta with his wife, Heather and farms with his son Derek, who plans to take over the family operation.
Tyler Groeneveld is the Chief Executive Officer of Protein Industries Canada, one of the country’s five Global Innovation Clusters dedicated to advancing growth in Canada’s food production, ingredient manufacturing and agriculture ecosystem.
With more than 31 years of leadership experience in Canada’s agriculture and food industry, Tyler has built a career focused on advancing innovation, sustainability, and value creation across the agri-food value chain. Before joining Protein Industries Canada, he held senior leadership roles with Corteva Agriscience and its legacy companies, most recently serving as Commercial Lead for North America.
Tyler has a long history of sector leadership and governance. He previously served as Chair of Protein Industries Canada’s Board of Directors, helping guide the organization’s early growth and strategic direction. In addition, he has held board positions with CropLife Canada, the Canola Council of Canada, and Cereals Canada, contributing to national strategies that strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of Canada’s agriculture and food sector.
Tyler’s goal is to continue to strengthen Canada’s position as a global leader in sustainable, value-added food and ingredient production, creating opportunities for farmers, processors, and consumers across the country.
Rémi has farming in his blood. His family has been in agribusiness for over 100 years, including farming, equipment dealerships, ag retail, and ag tech software. He created Brilliant Harvest, an AI platform made to empower equipment dealer teams and their farm customers across the entire customer experience, from purchase to repair. Hailing from an Alberta farm, he boasts a remarkable track record with two successful exits of agriculture companies Decisive Farming and DynAgra to blue chip companies, TELUS and CHS. Beyond his business accomplishments, Rémi is a highly sought-after mentor and ag tech investor as the General Partner at Koan Capital.
Shaun Haney is the founder of RealAgriculture, a leading North American ag media platform delivering news and insights on policy, agronomy, and farm management. He hosts RealAg Radio on SiriusXM’s Rural Radio Channel 147 and RealAg on the Weekend across Saskatchewan and Alberta. Shaun is also a regular contributor to RFD-TV, Agritalk, and US Farm Report, and co-leads RealAgristudies, a farmer-focused market research initiative launched in 2019.
Dr. Jody Carrington is a renowned psychologist and a charismatic keynote speaker celebrated for her profound expertise in human connections. As a leading authority in addressing complex, human-centered challenges, Dr. Carrington excels in guiding individuals and organizations through the intricacies of re-establishing relationships in today’s increasingly disconnected society. She boldly believes that all humans have the capacity for good; however, so many of us these days, because of isolation and burnout, have lost access to that good.
Through her insightful analysis, Dr. Carrington explores how societal detachment occurs and outlines practical, meaningful solutions for reconnection. Her approach combines a deeper understanding of how necessary acknowledgment has become and she underscores how this need is so much bigger than recognition. Her dynamic and heartfelt presentations, infused with humor and honesty, captivate and energize audiences worldwide.
She is the Founder and Principal Psychologist at Carrington & Company, she has served as a civilian member of Canada’s national police force, the RCMP, and practiced with the most complex cases on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Dr. Jody’s balance as a devoted practitioner and brilliant communicator result in an ability to authentically connect through impactful presentations that has set a new bar in talking about the shifting landscape of mental health.
Dr. Jody has authored three best-selling books, including Feeling Seen (Harper Collins, 2022) and hosts the widely celebrated podcast, “Unlonely.” From major theatres and convention halls of 5,000 attendees, to boardrooms of 20 senior leaders, she revels in connecting and delighting an audience of any size, championing the profound need for genuine human connection in an era
often dominated by digital communication. Her work is trusted by many of the world’s Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, education and healthcare leaders, all working to solve similar core challenges in creating a new set of rules to support and motivate their teams.
Mike Downie is a celebrated documentary filmmaker and philanthropist. Most recently, he directed and produced The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, a powerful exploration of the band’s legacy and its deep connection to Canada’s cultural identity. It premiered at TIFF 2024, where it won the prestigious People’s Choice Award for Documentary, and recently won seven Canadian Screen Awards. Downie is also the co-founder of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, the largest reconciliation fund in the country, and, along with his brother, Gord, created Secret Path, the groundbreaking multimedia project that tells the tragic story of Chanie Wenjack. Through his work and speaking engagements, he inspires audiences to embrace storytelling as a means of connection, change, and creating cultural identity.
Downie’s work has earned multiple Canadian Screen Awards, including the prestigious Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary. His other award-winning documentaries include Invasion of the Brain Snatchers, The Hockey Nomad, One Ocean, and The Covid Cruise, all of which showcase his ability to tell compelling, wide-ranging stories.
Downie’s keynotes weave personal storytelling with powerful insights, drawing from his experiences growing up in a small town, working in a northern mine, and traveling the world as a filmmaker. His talks resonate with audiences looking for inspiration, authenticity, and a deeper understanding of the stories that shape us.
With a background spanning science, economics, and adventure — including time as a deep shaft miner, medical researcher, and windsurfing instructor — Downie brings a unique perspective to every stage. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours from Queen’s University, and an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business.
Ken Smith Ramos served as Mexico’s Chief Negotiator for the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that led to the signing of the USMCA. He is also the former Head of the Trade and the NAFTA Office of the Ministry of the Economy of Mexico. Ken previously served as Coordinator General for International Affairs at the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, where he was responsible for agricultural trade negotiations and international cooperation.
Steve Verheul served as Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the USMCA and the Canada-European Union trade agreement and is the former special advisor on trade policy to Canada’s Deputy Minister of Finance. Steve served as Canada’s Chief Agriculture Negotiator, where he worked on the Urugruay Round of Multilateral Trade negotiations that led to the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Honourable Jason Kenney recently completed a distinguished 25 career in public service. In his twenties he built the Canadian Taxpayers Federation into one of Canada’s most influential advocacy groups, serving as its President and CEO. He was elected to Parliament in 1997, and was re-elected six times with an average of 76% of the vote. He served in key opposition roles, including Shadow Finance Minister. As a senior member of the Harper government, he led some of the largest federal departments as Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism; Minister of Employment and Social Development; and Minister of National Defence, while chairing the influential Cabinet Operations Committee. The National Post called him “perhaps Canada’s best immigration minister, ever.” In 2016 Jason launched a successful campaign to unite Alberta’s free enterprise parties, going on to win a landslide majority to become Alberta’s eighteenth Premier. His government focused on the successful renewal of Alberta’s economy, while working with Indigenous people to create economic opportunity. Jason holds two honorary doctorates and was voted “best overall parliamentarian” by his colleagues. He now serves as a Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones LLP, and BMO, is a Senior Fellow of the C.D. Howe Institute, and is a member of several corporate boards.
Dr. Darren Anderson is the co-founder and CEO of Vive Crop Protection and serves on the Board of Directors.
Anderson is passionate about using technology to improve the sustainability of agriculture while creating quantifiable results for growers. Anderson is on the Board of Croplife America and CropLife Canada, the trade associations for the pesticide industry in the USA and Canada. Anderson earned his PhD from the University of Toronto as an NSERC doctoral fellow.
Under Anderson’s leadership, Vive raised over $100M CAD of equity and debt, launched the first nanotechnology-enabled pesticide products that are approved by the EPA and PMRA, landed on Deloitte’s Fast 50 Cleantech List and Fast 500 Growth three years in a row, and built a patent portfolio of 112 granted patents
Martha Hall Findlay has been dedicated to shaping public policy for Canadians for many years. She served as Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Climate Officer for Suncor Energy, and before that was president and CEO of the Canada West Foundation. Over her career she has developed a reputation for being non-partisan, objective, and pragmatic by advocating for public policy solutions based on thorough research and objective analysis.
As a Member of the Canadian Parliament, she served in the Official Opposition shadow cabinet for International Trade; Finance; Transport, Infrastructure and Communities; and Public Works and Government Services. She served on the House of Commons committees for each of those portfolios. As a corporate lawyer and senior business executive, she developed extensive experience in energy, telecommunications, sustainability, trade (international and internal) and global markets. She is a member of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations; she was named a Canadian Climate Champion in 2021; a top global female oil and gas executive and one of the top 275 global women influencers; and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Kevin Brady represented the 8th congressional district of Texas for 26 years and served as Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. He secured the approval of 13 of America’s 15 free trade agreements and played a key role in the historic passage of the U.S.-Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). Kevin was also the main architect of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the first major reform of the Internal Revenue Code since 1986.
Daniel McCann is a serial entrepreneur and agriculture technology visionary, currently leading Precision AI as Founder and CEO. Daniel combines his passion for innovation with cutting-edge expertise in artificial intelligence, empowering farmers to achieve higher productivity and more sustainable crop management using drone-driven solutions. Through his leadership, Precision AI equips growers with practical digital tools that reduce chemical inputs and foster more efficient, profitable, and eco-friendly farms.
Lawrence Zhangis Head of Policy at the Centre for Canadian Innovation and Competitiveness at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. He writes about how Canada can drive economic growth through innovation, technology adoption, and industrial strategy. Previously, he served as an advisor to several Canadian cabinet ministers at both the federal and provincial levels.
An award-winning business journalist, Amanda Lang has covered North America’s top business stories for 25 years. Today, she is the Chief Financial Correspondent for CTV News and the host of Taking Stock, a weekly national television news program airing across multiple Bell Media networks, including BNN Bloomberg, CP24, and CTV News Channel, and available as a weekly podcast on iHeart. She is also the host of the podcast, Wonk, which explores big ideas in unprecedented times. Known for her no-holds-barred approach to the people, companies, and stories making the news, Lang is available for keynote speeches or as an interviewer/moderator.
Prior to Taking Stock, Lang was host of Bloomberg Markets, a global program airing in Canada on BNN Bloomberg and on the Bloomberg Television network globally. Lang has also worked as CBC’s senior business correspondent, reporting for its flagship nightly news program, The National, and as host of The Exchange with Amanda Lang, a daily business program that aired on CBC News Network. For five years before that, Lang hosted The Lang and O’Leary Exchange, with Kevin O’Leary. The pair also co-hosted SqueezePlay on BNN for six years.
Lang studied architecture at the University of Manitoba, before becoming a journalist. Her first job in journalism was with the Globe and Mail and then she joined the Financial Post becoming their New York correspondent. In New York, she made the leap to television, joining the team that launched BNN before working as a reporter and anchor at CNN.
Lang is a senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto and also the bestselling author of two books. The Power of Why explores the connection between curiosity and success, and The Beauty of Discomfort examines how difficult change can be and outlines strategies for how to achieve it. Lang is currently a director of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and is the past chair and board member of Covenant House Toronto, the largest agency in Canada serving homeless and at-risk youth.
As a globally recognized innovation strategist and bestselling author, Shawn Kanungo has emerged as one of the world’s most sought-after voices on innovation and generative AI. He spent 12 years at Deloitte working closely with leaders to help them better plan for the opportunities associated with disruptive innovation. In his high energy keynotes, Kanungo draws on his extensive experience to provide audiences with an optimistic roadmap for the future; one that embraces unexpected approaches to innovation to remain competitive and relevant.
Called the “best virtual speaker I’ve ever seen” by Forbes and recognized as one of Edify’s “Top 40 Under 40”, Kanungo has spent over two decades working with and advising Fortune 500 companies. His expertise spans artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and behavioural economics, enabling him to guide organizations through complex transformations.
Kanungo made history as the first innovation expert with a streaming special on Apple TV and Prime Video. His bestselling book, The Bold Ones — celebrated by McKinsey as essential reading for decision makers — provides a thought-provoking blueprint for professionals and organizations to embrace bold innovation in an era of unprecedented change.
Featured in the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, CBC, and CTV, Kanungo is also a prolific content creator whose thought-provoking insights on innovation has attracted millions of followers across LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Goldy Hyder is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Canada (BCC), a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose membership is comprised of more than 170 chief
executives and entrepreneurs of Canada’s leading and largest companies.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of Open Text Corporation and has a long track record of service on behalf of several charities and non-profit organizations, including the Coalition for a Better Future and the Business + Higher Education Roundtable.
A regular commentator in Canadian media on business, politics and leadership, he hosts the “Speaking of Business” podcast, which features interviews with Canadian innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders. He holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Calgary.
