Wednesday, October 7, 2026
5:00PM - CEO Welcome Reception - Rosewood Hotel
Join fellow executives for cocktails and canapés at the CEO Welcome Reception, held at Rosewood Hotel Georgia.
7:00PM - Private CEO Dinners - Across Vancouver
Prepare to join one of ten private CEO Dinner Club gatherings, where you’ll share an intimate evening with peers from across the country at some of Toronto’s finest restaurants. Your dining location will be revealed when you check in at the CEO Summit.
Thursday, October 8, 2026 - Morning Programme
8:00AM - CEO Networking Breakfast at Rosewood Hotel
Start the day with a nourishing breakfast alongside fellow CEOs from across Canada.
8:40AM - Opening Remarks & Good News
CCI CEO Patrick Searle opens the day with a welcome and a look at the good things happening across Canada's innovation economy, followed by remarks from CCI Chair and Co-Founder Jim Balsillie.
9:00AM - Canadian Economic Forecast
Hear from Derek Holt, Vice President & Head of Capital Markets Economics at Scotiabank, on the current state of Canada's economy, capital markets and deal flow.
9:20AM - Panel Reflection on the State of the Canadian Economy
Following the forecast, Jack Newton, CEO & Founder of Clio, and John Ruffolo, Founder & Managing Partner of Maverix Private Equity, join Derek Holt for a discussion on the economic trends shaping the landscape for Canadian innovators.
9:50AM - Innovators on Innovators: Scaling and Capital
Nic Beique, Founder & CEO of Helcim, and Cato Pastoll, Co-Founder & CEO of Loop Financial, in conversation on what it takes to scale a Canadian company and secure the capital to fuel growth, followed by audience Q&A.
10:20AM - Coffee Break
10:30AM - Sector Updates
Three CEOs take the stage for rapid-fire, one-on-one interviews on the opportunities and challenges in their sectors: Scott Beatty, Founder & CEO of MarineLabs; Derek Ting, Co-Founder & CEO of TextNow; and David Goodman, Executive Chairman of Pharmascience.
11:00AM - CEO Breakout Groups
After the on-stage discussions, CEOs will break out into smaller groups around the hotel for peer-to-peer conversations on Global Expansion, Capital & Growth, AI, and Defence & Dual-Use Technology.
12:00PM - Sponsored CEO Lunch
Enjoy lunch with fellow CEOs. Seating for this special lunch is assigned.
Thursday, October 8, 2026 - Afternoon Programme
1:00PM - Geopolitical & Trade Diversification Panel
As global trade shifts, CCI's VP of Policy & Advocacy Laurent Carbonneau leads a discussion on how Canadian companies can diversify markets and navigate a changing geopolitical landscape with Rob Tinline, British High Commissioner to Canada; Rohit Sethi, CEO of Security Compass; Renée Touzin, President & CEO of GIRO; and Guillermo Freire, SVP, Mid-Market at EDC.
1:30PM - Innovators on Innovators: Data and AI
Two back-to-back conversations on the technologies reshaping Canadian business, each followed by audience Q&A. First, Shivalika Handa, Partner and Technology Leader at PwC, talks data with Jan Kestle, Founder & President of Environics Analytics, and Mike Cook, Co-Founder & CEO of IDENTOS. Then Parna Sabet-Stephenson, Partner at Gowling WLG, turns to AI with Tanya Woods, Head of Government & Regulatory Affairs at Questrade, and Zac Cohen, Chief Product Officer at Trulioo.
2:20PM - Coffee Break
2:30PM - Sector Updates
Three more CEOs share insights from the front lines of their industries in one-on-one interviews: Megan Leslie, Co-Founder & CEO of NanoTess; Stéphane Garneau, President of Micrologic; and Craig Rowe, CEO of ClearRisk.
3:00PM - CEO Breakout Groups
CEOs will break out into sector-specific groups around the hotel for peer-to-peer discussions.
3:40PM - Afternoon Break until Investors & Innovators Sunset Reception
Take some time to recharge before Canada's CEO Summit reconvenes for the evening!