On November 25 leaders in all sectors across the city joined us for the fourth annual Axis Connects Leadership Forum, powered by ATB.
The day offered bold conversations sparked by a full slate of exciting speakers. More than 550 mid-to senior-level professionals gathered to forge deeper connections, inspire collaboration, and empower each other to elevate gender diversity in the workplace.
Missed the Forum? Here’s a recap.
Dr. Scott Tinker kicked off the day with a fireside chat moderated by Canada Powered by Women CEO Tracey Bodnarchuk. They explored the moral importance of energy access, energy’s connection to economic empowerment, and the role Canadian energy can play in strengthening global security and opportunity.
Vassy Kapelos, CTV’s Chief Political Correspondent, offered honesty, humour, and fierce intelligence to her keynote and fireside chat.
“Vassy was by far the best part of the whole day — her candidness and vulnerability in discussing leadership, her experiences, and the consequences of them were truly inspiring and thought-provoking. Those are the types of conversations that can’t be easily found, but are among the most valuable” – forum attendee.
The morning breakout sessions were absolutely packed!
Leaders filled every room to dive into today’s most urgent conversations, from power and influence (Joanna Shea) to AI bias (Danielle Gifford), to Alberta’s evolving economic landscape (Heather Exner-Pirot and Rob Roach).The afternoon breakout sessions sparked some of the most honest and impactful conversations of the day.
- Dr. Erin Brennand and Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc reframed leadership through the lens of women’s biology and life transitions.
- Geoff Bertram (TD Securities) and Marnie Smith (Russell Reynolds) shared candid stories from high-stakes environments where trust, clarity, and resilience matter most.
- And in a packed room, Judith Athaide and Sue MacKenzie pulled back the curtain on what really happens inside the boardroom, strategy, service, and evolution.
In the afternoon, Hetty Pye (Russell Reynolds Associates) took us into The Artemis Effect: Redefining Succession Pipelines for the Future. From systemic bias to the future of CEO succession, she brought bold truth, clarity, and actionable insight. Her talk was recorded live as part of the Quiet Part Out Loud podcast.
Anthony Viel, CEO of Deloitte Canada, closed off the day, sharing his insights on diversity as a driver of growth, AI and the future of work, and how inclusive leadership has shaped culture and engagement at Deloitte.
The day concluded with a networking reception sponsored by TC Energy.
Thank you to everyone who made this incredible day possible: the speakers, moderators, sponsors, market vendors, volunteers and guests. We cannot wait to see you at the next one!
Missed out on this year’s forum? Become an Axis member today, and get the news first for future events.