Ivey’s MBA students gained leadership insights from a variety of industry leaders, including the co-star of a new Netflix show and a well-known corporate sustainability leader, for the 2022 Ivey MBA Leadership Conference speaker series.
Featuring multiple events over several weeks, from February 8 to March 8, the goal of the conference was to provide perspective on the changing nature of the leadership landscape, specifically the impact of sustainability, technology, and Equity, Diversity, and inclusion (EDI) on the future of leadership.
“With the support of an outstanding roster of industry leaders, we hope to inspire the 2022 cohort, and those joining us from the 2023 cohort, and build excitement around our responsibility as future industry leaders and changemakers,” said Alec Sweeney, an MBA ’22 candidate who co-organized the conference along with fellow classmates, Brendan Petersen and Constantina Varlokostas.
The conference kicked off with an event on February 8 called Leading into the Future. It featured a presentation from Frances Edmonds, Head of Sustainable Impact at HP Canada, and a fireside chat with Sarah Sklash, HBA ’07, co-founder of the June Motel and co-star of Netflix’s Motel Makeover. Mathieu Ruffe, an MBA '22 candidate and founding President of the Ivey MBA BIPOC Club, also gave a talk on the history and meaning behind Black History Month.
Sustainable business practices
Edmonds discussed the need for transparency in a carbon-constrained world and reflected on the critical need to activate changes in procurement to build towards a more sustainable future.
“Less than 50 Canadian-based companies follow a science-based target for sustainability,” she said.
Career left turn
Sklash shared highlights from her courageous journey from working in the public sector to launching an entrepreneurial venture and her experience building talent during a global pandemic.
“As a leader, I want to support others in their growth,” she said.
Additional events in the series focused on technology, EDI, and careers. The conference wrapped up with a keynote address from Canadian singer-songwriter Peter Katz.
The 2022 Ivey MBA Leadership Conference was supported by the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, Ivey Career Management, and the Centre for Building Sustainable Value.
