
Toronto CHRO Community
Executive Summit
December 13, 2023 | Beanfield Centre
December 13, 2023
Beanfield Centre
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 leadership and change management capabilities to foster resilience
Increasing technological know-how to maintain a competitive advantage
Building a culture of engagement and continuous learning to flourish in the new world of work
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

Mohammed Chahdi
Appen
Global Vice President, Employee Experience

Barb Keenan
Liquor Control Board of Ontario
Chief People Officer

Marcia Mendes-d'Abreu
Foresters Financial
Global CHRO

Brigid Pelino
Definity Financial
Chief People and Culture Officer

Rashid Wasti
Weston Group of Companies
EVP & Chief Talent Officer
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
The AI Imperative in Recruiting Technology

Jackie Watrous
Senior Director, Recruitment Technology Analyst
Gartner
Instilling artificial intelligence into your recruiting capabilities is no longer a “should-do” but a “must-do” to maintain a competitive advantage and elevate the entire recruiting life cycle. In this keynote, Gartner Analyst Jackie Watrous will help you identify the best approach to AI-enabled technology based on your strategic drivers, recruiting type and organizational risk tolerance.
This keynote will demonstrate how AI can:
- Power an accurate, less-biased candidate selection process
- Deliver a tailored candidate user experience
- Make recruiting teams more effective and improve quality of hires
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Succession Planning as a Culture Enhancer

Elizabeth McSavaney
VP, Head of Human Resources
Zurich Insurance
The role of succession planning is becoming increasingly important in identifying and retaining future leaders through disruption and uncertainty. CHROs can leverage the planning process to not only ensure long-term organizational stability, but also offer clear career pathways for employees and create a culture centered around talent development.
Join this session for a case study on:
- Developing meaningful succession plans and adapting to changing priorities
- Communicating transparently with potential successors and ensuring exposure to growth opportunities
- Enhancing managerial competence to multiply talent at every level of the organization
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Appreciation, Recognition and the Employee Experience
Hosted by Venngo Inc

Sally Benn
SVP Group Customers
Venngo Inc

Brooke Ferguson
CHRO
Hudson's Bay Co

Barb Keenan
Chief People Officer
Liquor Control Board of Ontario

Janine Pajot
VP, Human Resources
Bayer Corporation
Recognizing what your employees do and appreciating who they are can make a positive impact on everything from recruitment and retention to wellness and performance. How can CHROs authentically integrate gratitude into the employee experience?
Join this session to explore ways to:
- Shape an organizational culture of recognition and appreciation
- Deliver tangible and intangible benefits through your total rewards program
- Connect the dots between appreciation and recognition and overall business strategies
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Leading Through Turmoil

Mary-Jo Hewat
SVP, Human Resources & Facilities
Sagen

Stephen Satchel
Chief People Officer
Coca-Cola Canada
When a crisis hits, CHROs are pulled in many directions. Between supporting employees, issuing statements and counseling leaders — the pressure to respond quickly yet thoughtfully becomes overwhelming. How can CHROs best prepare themselves and the organizations to navigate all of this effectively?
Join this session to discuss:
- Tools to help organizational leaders respond to crises or political issues
- Nuanced considerations when navigating hot-button topics
- How to prepare the organization to stay resilient amid shocks
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Adding Flexibility to Retain the Front Line

Scott Goodman
Chief People Officer
Traffix

Janet Joubran
Chief People Officer
KFC

Geoff Smith
SVP and Chief People & HSE Officer
Mattr
Gartner finds that half of the top ten attractors to frontline roles are linked to some form of flexibility, making it a crucial focus as organizations work to retain talent and improve their employee experience. But how can CHROs add flexibility to roles that are traditionally tied to a set location, schedule or workload?
Join this session to discuss ways to:
- Appeal to changing workforce expectations while meeting business needs
- Increase employee autonomy over daily workflow without sacrificing productivity
- Leverage technology to evaluate flexibility initiatives
10:25am - 11:00am 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.
11:00am - 11:45am Breakout Session
The CHRO at the Center
Hosted by O.C. Tanner

Gordana Terkalas
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Aecon
CHROs often operate at the intersection of many powerful stakeholders, requiring initiatives to be communicated with confidence as well as thorough preparation. This case study on executive compensation will demonstrate how to use storytelling to power up your presence in the boardroom and gain necessary buy-in.
This session will explore:
- A real-time example of balancing internal and external stakeholder perspectives to develop an executive compensation plan
- Ways to use storytelling and emotion to deliver compelling arguments
- How to navigate conflicting priorities and facilitate compromise
11:00am - 11:45am Executive Boardroom
Prioritizing Women’s Health for a Thriving Workforce
Hosted by Teladoc Health

Dr. Joby McKenzie
Managing Director, Canada
Teladoc Inc

Nicole Desloges
SVP, People
LifeLabs

Christine Greco
VP HR
HarperCollins
CHROs play a pivotal role in shaping a culture that empowers employees to reach their full potential and to do so must consider the unique health needs of women, where crucial gaps exist today. How can organizations support women through the key life stages they encounter throughout their careers?
Join this session to discuss how to:
- Recognize the impact of women’s health challenges, including fertility, pregnancy and menopause
- Prioritize comprehensive healthcare solutions and create environments that foster women’s holistic well-being
- Intersect diversity, equity and inclusion strategies with health and wellness initiatives
11:00am - 11:45am Executive Boardroom
Cultivate a Learning Culture

Tracey Brodie
Head of HR for Techtronic Industries Canada
Techtronic Industries, Inc.

Jo-Ann Giesbrecht
Vice President and Chief People Officer
Graymont
In order to equip employees with future-ready skills, HR leaders need effective L&D infrastructure in place. However, even thoughtful learning and development strategies can suffer from low employee adoption without the right culture.
Join this session to discuss:
- Creating an environment that encourages employees to proactively participate in learning and development
- Barriers to fostering a learning culture
- Tying L&D strategy to business skill needs while supporting individual employee development
11:00am - 11:45am Executive Boardroom
Expanding Talent Pipelines Through the Power of Potential

Kavita Kara
Head of HR Canada
Travelers Canada

Marcia Mendes-d'Abreu
Global CHRO
Foresters Financial
Organizations have long discussed diversifying their talent pipelines, and recent technological and labor market disruptions are forcing some to take action now to meet skill needs. How can CHROs help democratize job access to prioritize potential over credentials?
Join this session to discuss:
- Establishing inclusive and transparent recruitment practices
- Looking past outdated qualification requirements when assessing candidates
- Appealing to untapped talent pools, including workers from diverse industries and backgrounds
11:45am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Toronto CHRO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Beanfield CentreParking
Parking is available for $16 in the Enercare Centre underground garage. Use the East Garage Entrance off of Canada Blvd or the West Garage Entrance off of Nova Scotia Ave./Nunavut Road. Once parked, there are doors on the East End of the garage that access the underground tunnel that connects to the Beanfield Centre.
Hotels Nearby
111 Princes' Blvd, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3, Canada
290 m
550 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2V4, Canada
1.7 km
Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel
One Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON M5V 1J4, Canada
2.1 km
*Evanta does not have any affiliation with the suggested hotels listed. The list above is solely for informational purposes.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.