Speakers

Anne Belliveau

With over 30 years of dynamic experience, Anne Belliveau has built a reputation as a visionary leader who transforms organizations and inspires teams to achieve extraordinary results. Her career spans telecommunications, performing arts, and sports & entertainment, with impactful contributions in North America and on the international stage.

Currently serving as Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cirque du Soleil, Anne is at the forefront of innovation, driving digital transformation to revolutionize the fan experience. Her leadership enhances customer engagement across meaningful touchpoints, reshapes the audience journey, and uncovers new revenue opportunities. Through her strategic vision, Anne ensures that Cirque du Soleil remains a global leader in entertainment, blending creativity with cutting-edge technology to deliver unforgettable moments.

Before joining Cirque, Anne was Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer at Tennis Canada, where she led transformational initiatives that generated unprecedented revenue growth. She introduced scalable, tech-driven revenue streams and elevated the organization’s global brand presence through innovative marketing strategies and advanced sales infrastructure.

Anne’s expertise in digital transformation was also instrumental during her tenure as CMO at Just For Laughs Group, where she spearheaded the organization’s shift to digital-first strategies. Her earlier leadership roles include Vice President, Business Brand and Marketing Communications at TELUS, where she redefined national branding strategies, launched data-driven campaigns, and earned global recognition for her work, including a Cannes Lions d’Or nomination for a B2C loyalty program.

Beyond her professional achievements, Anne is a passionate community leader and advocate for the arts. She served until recently as Chair of the Board for the Dr. Clown Foundation, dedicated to spreading joy through therapeutic clowning, and previously sat on the Board of the Montreal International Triathlon organization. As a member of the Triathlon Canada Age Group Team, she proudly represented Canada at the 2018 Triathlon World Championships, embodying her commitment to growth, resilience, and excellence in all areas of life.

Anne’s dynamic leadership, digital acumen, and passion for driving growth make her a recognized force in mobilizing teams and elevating brands to new heights. Her story is one of innovation, impact, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Leonard Brody

Called a “a leader of the new world order”, Leonard Brody was recently named one of top 30 management thinkers in the world. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and bestselling author, and a two-time Emmy-nominated media visionary. Brody has helped raise hundreds of millions in capital for startup companies, taken a company to a six billion market cap IPO, and been involved in the founding and successful exit of numerous companies to date. In his compelling, customized talks—with clients ranging from the United Nations to Visa and Pepsi—Brody addresses the rapid pace of change, innovation, and disruption facing us all, and what to do about it.

After selling his company in 2009, Brody became the president of the Innovation and Digital Group for the Anschutz Company, one of the largest live sport and entertainment businesses in the world. The company owns assets such as the O2 Arena in London and Staples Center in LA; sports teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Galaxy, and the Los Angeles Kings; and is one of the premiere concert promotion businesses in the world, seating hundreds of millions of people a year.

Today, Brody is the co-founder and executive chairman of Caravan, a joint venture with CAA (Creative Artists Agency), the largest sports and entertainment agency in the world. He oversees the building of new ventures for some of the most well-known celebrities and political leaders in the world like Carrie Underwood, Tom Hanks, and President Joe Biden. Brody is also one of the proud owners of the professional soccer team Coventry City in England.

Brody is also working on a new book in partnership with Forbes magazine entitled The Great Re:Write. It is based on the successful documentary series Brody and Forbes produced, which garnered an audience of over 7 million in the last year. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Queens University, a law degree from Osgoode Hall, and is a graduate of the Private Equity Program at the Harvard Business School.

Mike Downie

Mike Downie is a celebrated documentary filmmaker and philanthropist. Most recently, he directed and produced The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, a powerful exploration of the band’s legacy and its deep connection to Canada’s cultural identity. It premiered at TIFF 2024, where it won the prestigious People’s Choice Award for Documentary, and recently won seven Canadian Screen Awards. Downie is also the co-founder of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, the largest reconciliation fund in the country, and, along with his brother, Gord, created Secret Path, the groundbreaking multimedia project that tells the tragic story of Chanie Wenjack. Through his work and speaking engagements, he inspires audiences to embrace storytelling as a means of connection, change, and creating cultural identity.

Downie’s work has earned multiple Canadian Screen Awards, including the prestigious Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary. His other award-winning documentaries include Invasion of the Brain Snatchers, The Hockey Nomad, One Ocean, and The Covid Cruise, all of which showcase his ability to tell compelling, wide-ranging stories.

Downie’s keynotes weave personal storytelling with powerful insights, drawing from his experiences growing up in a small town, working in a northern mine, and traveling the world as a filmmaker. His talks resonate with audiences looking for inspiration,  authenticity, and a deeper understanding of the stories that shape us.

With a background spanning science, economics, and adventure—including time as a deep shaft miner, medical researcher, and windsurfing instructor—Downie brings a unique perspective to every stage. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours from Queen’s
University, and an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business.

Chris Sankey

Chris Sankey is committed to “strengthening communities, one person at a time to achieve communal prosperity”, helping him do business with small, mid-size and large corporations throughout Canada, United States, and overseas in the Oil and Gas sector.

Chris was effective in implementing the first ever Emergency Response and Marine Safety table in the Coast Tsimshian territory and was a part of a team that negotiated the $36 billion dollar Pacific Northwest LNG agreement where he was one of the two negotiators to reach the first ever Environmental Monitoring Agreement between the Coast Tsimshian and Provincial and Federal Governments of Canada.

He built the Blackfish brand from his grass roots and heritage, which includes a heavy civil operations company, an energy stakeholder and Indigenous relations consultancy, and is currently working on an energy project in partnership with indigenous communities. Mr. Sankey is a serial entrepreneur and loves to take on new challenges. He is a member of the Coast Tsimshian community of Lax Kw’Alaams near Prince Rupert, British Columbia and was a former elected Councillor for the Lax Kw’alaams Band where he served his community for six and a half years, and the former Chair of the Economic Development Committee for the Governing Council.

During his tenure, Chris was instrumental in establishing the new DevCorp for his community and Council where he separated the politics from business. In addition to his work with the Lax Kw’alaams Band, he sat as Board of Directors for Lax Kw’Alaams Business Development Ltd, Chaired the Human Resources Committee, was Chair for the Finance and Audit Committee and also sat on 2 other local community based business boards.

Doug Stephens

Doug Stephens has been called “the futurist that futurists follow”. As one of the world’s foremost business futurists and retail industry experts, he decodes the forces reshaping commerce and translates them into strategic advantage. As the founder and CEO of Retail Prophet, Stephens is the go-to authority for global brands like IKEA, Nike, Coca Cola, and Louis Vuitton. His dynamic keynotes don’t just explore business transformation; they reveal the surprising competitive advantages waiting for organizations bold enough to reimagine their future in this era of unprecedented disruption.

Stephens is an internationally bestselling author of three books on the future of consumerism including his most recent, Resurrecting Retail: The Future of Business in a Post-Pandemic World. His insights provide a roadmap for businesses seeking to thrive amid radical shifts in technology, consumer behaviour, and competitive landscapes.

Stephens’ unique perspectives on trends in economics, technology, and consumer behaviour have made him a sought-after voice in leading global publications and media outlets, with features in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, and on the BBC and CBC. He also sits on multiple corporate and academic advisory boards, including the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retail at St. Mary’s University.

As one of the world’s most sought-after business speakers, Stephens offers an ever-evolving array of cutting edge and compelling topics, suitable for any business audience.