IN-PERSON

Toronto CHRO Executive Summit

December 12, 2024 | Chelsea Hotel

December 12, 2024
Chelsea Hotel

APPLY TO PARTICIPATE

Collaborate with your peers

Get together with Toronto's top CHROs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CHROs today:

Developing Next-generation Leaders Who Thrive in Times of Change

Reshaping a Corporate Culture that Exemplifies Efficiency and Resiliency

Delivering a Meaningful and Engaging Employee Experience to Improve Overall Performance

Toronto CHRO Governing Body


The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven by CHROs, for CHROs.

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Sonia Boyle

Gore Mutual Insurance Co.
Chief People Officer

Barb Keenan

Liquor Control Board of Ontario
Chief People Officer

Frank Monteleone

Rexall
SVP & Chief People Officer

Brigid Pelino

Definity Financial
Chief People and Culture Officer

Norm Sabapathy

Cadillac Fairview
Executive Vice President, People

What to Expect

Interactive Sessions

Hear from CHRO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.

Community Networking

Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Toronto CHRO community.

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Evanta's Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

Agenda


December 12, 2024

7:45am - 8:30am  Registration & Breakfast

8:30am - 9:15am  Keynote

You Speak, They Swarm — The Power of Story in Reaching Your Audience

Arthur Zards headshot

Arthur Zards

Thought Leader, TED/TEDx Speaker, Coach & Producer

Guest Speaker

"Those who tell the stories rule society." (Plato) Busy executives don’t have time to learn complex communication models or esoteric storytelling processes — you need a simple, effective framework that can help you not only connect with any audience, but also elicit real change. Enter the SWARM Effect.

Join this session with Arthur Zards — an expert on storytelling, TEDster and provocateur — to:

  • Hone your skills in executive influence
  • Adopt a more authentic and engaging approach to speaking
  • Take your next presentation from “understandable” to “compelling”

9:15am - 9:40am  Networking Break

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

Total Rewards Revisited — A New Approach to Elevating the Employee Experience

Ryan Jensen headshot

Ryan Jensen

Workplace Culture Strategist

O.C. Tanner

Organizations everywhere have used Total Rewards programs to attract and retain talent by offering a buffet of benefits to highlight the investment they make in their people. Yet despite these efforts, research shows that workers feel these strategies often fail, not only in addressing their most important needs, but in enhancing their overall employee experience. This session will unveil the latest insights from the 2025 Global Culture Report and foster discussion to help you redefine your Total Rewards programs and provide the right mix of offerings to better communicate authentic care.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Why employee-centered care must be at the core of Total Rewards strategies that align with what matters most to employees
  • Why recognition done well throughout an organization can make a difference in fostering positive mental health practices
  • How organizations can approach employee job transitions with the same care and attention given to new hires  

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Putting a New Focus on Financial Wellness

Sally Benn headshot

Sally Benn

SVP Group Customers

Venngo Inc

Employees are placing greater importance on financial benefits amid the economic uncertainty of the past several years. CHROs who align their total rewards offerings to workforce needs can move the needle on employee engagement while remaining competitive within the market.

Join this session to discuss how to:

  • Deliver meaningful financial benefits to support holistic well-being
  • Improve the employee experience and boost adoption
  • Measure the effectiveness of total rewards offerings

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Where Do I Fit In? Creating Belonging at Work

Nicole Lichowit headshot

Nicole Lichowit

Vice President, Head of Human Resources

Alamos Gold Inc.

CEOs recently rated culture, engagement and morale as their top concern in a Gartner executive survey. CHROs have the opportunity to improve employee job satisfaction, mental health, productivity and lower burnout by making employees feel they belong.

In this boardroom, HR leaders will discuss:

  • Identifying the framework to create models of belonging
  • Establishing metrics and goals to help retention through sense of purpose
  • Creating a culture that positively impacts employees

10:25am - 11:05am  Networking Break

10:30am - 10:55am  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

11:05am - 11:50am  Breakout Session

Keeping Culture Central During Disruption

Barb Keenan headshot

Barb Keenan

Chief People Officer

Liquor Control Board of Ontario

According to Gartner, only one in four employees feel connected to their company culture, posing a significant challenge during times of disruption. LCBO has worked diligently to establish a strong purpose-driven, accountable and inclusive culture, which was tested during the organization’s first strike in history.

Join this session for a case study in:

  • Developing a purpose-driven culture to align actions to values
  • Proactively preparing for disruption
  • Incorporating lessons learned to rebuild trust

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Filling in the Gaps for Stronger Leadership

Erin Gordon headshot

Erin Gordon

Vice President HR

Lindt & Sprungli (Canada), Inc.

A Gartner survey finds only 34% of HR executives are satisfied with the quality of senior leaders within their organization. Even fewer are confident they have emerging leaders to meet future needs.

In this session, CHROs will discuss:

  • Identifying key leadership capability gaps
  • Building foundational skills and behaviors at all levels of your organization
  • Integrating time for learning amid competing priorities

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Futureproofing Skillsets with Strategic Planning

Elizabeth McSavaney headshot

Elizabeth McSavaney

VP, Head of Human Resources

Zurich Insurance

Margaret Wu headshot

Margaret Wu

EVP, Corporate Operations

Brookfield Residential

A Gartner study found 33% of the skills needed in an average job posting from 2019 are no longer necessary in 2024. As job responsibilities continue to evolve, CHROs must anticipate the versatility of future skillsets. Shifting from a tactical short term approach to a strategic long term plan can set the workforce up for success.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Planning for challenges that result in talent gaps
  • Anticipating evolving job responsibilities
  • Implementing a formal development program aimed at future skills

11:50am - 12:35pm  Lunch Service

12:35pm - 1:10pm  Keynote

Bringing EVP to Life

Caroline Walsh headshot

Caroline Walsh

Managing Vice President, HR Practice

Gartner

In the face of massive shifts in employee expectations over the past few years, many organizations have been focused on activating their employee value propositions to attract and retain talent. Yet many are not seeing the desired ROI.

Join this keynote to learn how to:

  • Differentiate your organization with a meaningful employee value proposition
  • Address stakeholder and process barriers to deliver on the promise of your EVP
  • Drive key outcomes including engagement and intent to stay

1:10pm - 1:35pm  Break

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Breakout Session

A Roadmap to Innovation — Crafting Your AI Strategy

Karen Scott headshot

Karen Scott

SVP, People & Growth

Softchoice

Craig McQueen headshot

Craig McQueen

VP, Innovation

Softchoice

The potential of AI is on every organization’s agenda, yet creating true value will require more than the technology itself. How can CHROs evaluate potential use cases and ensure the right frameworks are in place to support implementation and iteration?

Join this interactive session to:

  • Gain foundational knowledge that can support your AI journey
  • Hear and share examples of how to utilize new technologies in HR workflows
  • Strategize on change management and risk mitigation

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

Making Manager Roles More Manageable

Eryn Campbell headshot

Eryn Campbell

Chief People Officer, Canada

GroupM

Esther Zdolec headshot

Esther Zdolec

Senior Vice President, People and Culture

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation

Managers are struggling with responsibility overload as they face simultaneous pressure from organizational leaders and employees to deliver on expanding aspects of their roles. As CHROs seek to increase managerial effectiveness, Gartner research finds that improving job manageability has five times more impact than focusing on individual skills.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Resetting manager role expectations to align workload with ability
  • Increasing process efficiency to promote high-impact tasks among leaders
  • Designing purposeful leadership development programs to build managerial competence

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

Retention Red Flags — Identifying Warning Signs of Attrition

A Gartner survey finds one in five employees are actively seeking new job opportunities to fulfill unmet needs in compensation, recognition, work-life balance and personal growth. How can HR leaders address immediate retention risks while developing sustainable strategies?

Join this session to discuss:

  • Identifying key drivers of attrition within your organization
  • Partnering across the business to deliver a high-quality employee experience
  • Delivering positive moments that matter to retain top talent

2:20pm - 3:00pm  Networking Break

2:25pm - 2:50pm  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

Enabling Better Career Paths and Conversations

Stephen Satchel headshot

Stephen Satchel

Chief People Officer

Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited

Many employees are unsure how to chart their careers within their organization, while managers often struggle to prioritize career conversations and further support individual growth. As Coca-Cola Canada Bottling works to increase transparency, it’s building a competency framework and career pathing to equip all employees with resources to make better decisions grounded in a shared vocabulary.

Join this case study for insights into:

  • Incorporating new tools into established organizational processes
  • Rooting succession plans and career paths in actionable competencies
  • Increasing confidence in talent decisions through consistent, objective metrics

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Change as a Constant – Building Agility and Adaptability

Angella Alexander headshot

Angella Alexander

CHRO

ATS Automation

Organizational change is no longer a single event, as leaders navigate simultaneous initiatives that challenge readiness and employee trust. How can CHROs develop a clear sense of purpose to steer their workforce through transitions and achieve business goals?

Join this session to discuss ideas for:

  • Designing an effective and agile change management process
  • Bringing change programs to life through storytelling
  • Encouraging active employee participation to reduce fatigue and drive retention

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Enhancing Decision-Making with Data-Driven HR

Frank Monteleone headshot

Frank Monteleone

SVP & Chief People Officer

Rexall

Andrew Pateman headshot

Andrew Pateman

Vice President, People, Culture and Performance

Canadian Blood Services

Despite a push for increased data access and literacy, business leaders don’t always use the available information to make better talent decisions. How can CHROs build a data-driven culture and drive better workforce outcomes?

Join this session to discuss:

  • Identifying the data that leaders need to make decisions around human capital
  • Increasing data capability within the HR function
  • Building trust and credibility in talent analytics

3:45pm - 4:10pm  Break

4:10pm - 4:45pm  Keynote

Transformation From the Heart

Janine Pajot headshot

Janine Pajot

VP, Human Resources

Bayer

Enterprise changes have drastically increased in the past few years, and employees are searching for stability and guidance. Many organizations are going through global overhauls including significant restructuring, presenting key challenges for the HR function. How can human resources leaders balance the need for transparency while retaining critical talent and keeping engagement high?

Join this keynote for insights into:

  • Leading with authenticity in challenging times
  • Maintaining a culture of collaboration during transformation
  • Adopting a growth mindset and fostering workforce resilience

4:45pm - 5:00pm  Closing Comments and Prize Drawing

December 12, 2024

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming in-person gathering


Evanta cares about the health and safety of our community. Please review the following recommendations prior to attending the gathering.

Location


Venue & Accommodation

Chelsea Hotel
MORE INFORMATION

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Chelsea Hotel at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 1-800-243-5732. Please mention Evanta CHRO Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.

Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $189 CAD (plus tax) is November 18, 2024.

Your Community Partners


CHRO Thought Leader
Program Partner

Community Program Manager


For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.

Neiland Fitzgerald

Community Program Manager

5415148756

neiland.fitzgerald@evanta.com