Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Start the day right with a nourishing CEO Networking Breakfast with fellow CEOs from across Canada. 

CCI President Benjamin Bergen will kick off the day with an exciting welcome followed by remarks from our Chair and Co-Founder Jim Balsillie. 

Hear from Derek Holt, Vice President & Head of Capital Markets Economics at Scotiabank, on the current state of Canada’s innovation economy in a global context. 

Following this presentation, John Ruffolo, CCI co-founder, vice chair, and managing partner at Maverix Private Equity, will participate in a discussion with Scotiabank's David Rozin and Derek Holt on the economic trends shaping the landscape for innovators.

Geotab’s Neil Cawse and Petal’s Patrice Gilbert, in conversation with Gowling WLG's Aimee Halfyard, will explore the many faces of growth, from disciplined scaling and culture to capital efficiency and customer-driven expansion. Both leaders have built world-class companies through very different paths, and this conversation will surface hard-won lessons from the frontlines. 

Sana Remekie of Conscia AI and Brent Lane of BigGeo, in conversation with Gowling WLG's Parna Sabet-Stephenson, will take on one of the defining issues of our time: sovereignty in the digital age. From data residency and sovereign AI to procurement reform and IP strategy, their dialogue will show how Canada can balance innovation with autonomy.

After the on-stage discussions, CEOs will break out into smaller groups around the hotel for peer-to-peer discussions.

For this special lunch, CEOs will be encouraged to sit amongst other leaders from their respective regions in Canada. 

At 5:30PM, we'll reconvene Canada's CEO Summit at a new venue for a special dinner gathering that will also mark CCI's 10th Anniversary! 

CCI President Benjamin Bergen will provide his annual report to the membership of the Council of Canadian Innovators, including upcoming priorities, programs, and advocacy initiatives CCI will be leading in the coming year. 

Fresh off a $12.3B USD deal to take Dayforce private, David Ossip will join David Rozin of Scotiabank for a candid fireside chat. From scaling a global firm out of Toronto to navigating capital markets and staying sovereign – this is a story of growth, grit, and conviction.

Ten years ago, CCI was founded around a single dinner table. Today, it’s a national institution helping shape innovation policy across the country. Hear from CCI’s co-founders, Jim Balsillie and John Ruffolo, in conversation with CCI President Benjamin Bergen, on their reflections on where we’ve been — and what’s coming next.