Celebrations for the 15th annual Global Ivey Day were in full swing across the globe on May 9, as alumni, faculty, and students came together to commemorate and honour what it means to be an Ivey graduate.
With 29 regional events taking place across 11 countries, this year’s gatherings brought together more than 2,100 alumni from Canada to Australia – serving as a powerful reminder of the global reach and influence of Ivey’s alumni community. Among the attendees were incoming Ivey Dean Julian Birkinshaw, MBA ’91, PhD ’95, and Western University President Alan Shepard, who both attended an event in London, U.K.
Melanie Devereux, EMBA ’15, the Global Ivey Day (GID) Committee Chair for the Ivey Alumni Network (IAN), said the corporate events at BMO, RBC, CIBC, and TD were particular highlights drawing more than 350 alumni, with one event selling out within hours.
“The dedication displayed by our community of alumni is crucial to the success of Global Ivey Day,” she said. “Our committee is made up of graduates from the HBA, MBA, and EMBA programs with a wide range of graduating years and perspectives and that helps to bring in fresh ideas every year.”
This year’s GID lineup featured several events underscoring Ivey’s mission and values including networking with the Ivey Women Investing in Leadership initiative in Calgary, a corporate sustainability panel in Toronto, and a virtual case study class on inclusive leadership. Traditional events like the Power Lunch, an Ivey Academy livestream, and virtual Pledge Ceremony were also among the festivities, in addition to the Toronto Celebration at Chefs Hall – the largest of all GID events this year.
GID also fell on the heels of the launch of Ivey’s new Alumni Hub, which allows alumni to easily engage with the network of more than 33,000 graduates spanning 100 countries globally and is another way to stay connected all year round.
“It’s been incredible to see the growth and evolution of Global Ivey Day over the past 15 years,” said Jenni Denniston, HBA ’04, Director of Alumni Relations at Ivey. “I was involved in the early days as an alumni volunteer, and what makes me most proud of the event is how many alumni it brings together.”
Highlights from the 15th annual Global Ivey Day
Power Lunch honouring IAAA recipient Ray Sharma
This year’s Power Lunch recognized Ray Sharma, HBA ’96 and Founder and CEO of Extreme Venture Partners, as the 2024 Ivey Alumni Achievement Award recipient for his significant achievements in investment banking and venture capital and commitment to giving back to the community. During the lunch, Nicole Haggerty, HBA '89, PhD '04, Ivey’s Acting Associate Dean, Faculty, led a fireside chat with Sharma to learn more about his career and life.
Watch the Power Lunch interview with Nicole Haggerty and Ray Sharma.
Watch Ivey’s video honouring Ray Sharma.
Global Ivey Day podcast special with Shane Skillen
Marketing research and innovation expert Shane Skillen, HBA ’00 released a special podcast episode on The Entrepreneur Podcast in collaboration with the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship powered by Ivey. In the episode, Skillen shared insights about his journey as the leader of Hotspex, an award-winning market research firm.
Virtual Pledge Ceremony
In honour of the 20th anniversary of the Ivey Pledge Ceremony, this virtual event commemorated existing alumni while honouring new pledges as they committed to respect the obligations and responsibilities that come with the honour of joining the Ivey Alumni Network (IAN).
Ivey Academy livestream: Reimagining talent with a neurodiversity lens
Rob Austin, Professor of Innovation and Information Systems and Evolution of Work Chair, and The Ivey Academy engaged livestream attendees in a conversation about how neurodistinct individuals contribute to the workplace. Guest panelists included Thorkil Sonne (Founder, Specialisterne and the Specialisterne Foundation), Moish Tov (CEO, JoyDew), and Denise Arnold (Founding Principle, Denise R. Arnold LLC and PhD Candidate Disability Studies, University of Illinois Chicago).
Leading People in Organizations (LPO) for alumni
Alumni were invited to relive Ivey’s case-method approach to learning with Professor Hayden Woodley in a discussion about inclusive leadership. Focusing on organizational behaviour, attendees gained valuable insight into topics like performance in organizational success, the important role of confidence in addressing discrimination, and improving decision-making skills.
Global Ivey Day highlights
Ray Sharma, HBA ’96 and Ivey Alumni Achievement Award recipient; with Nicole Haggerty, HBA '89, PhD '04, Acting Associate Dean, Faculty; and Jenni Denniston, HBA ’04, Director of Alumni Relations at Ivey.
Lisa Dymond, MBA ’06, Chair of the Ivey Alumni Network Board.
Ivey MBAs celebrating in London, Ontario.
A corporate event at BMO.
A group of Ivey alumni in Hong Kong, China.
Festivities in Toronto, Ontario.
Ivey alumni and Western President Alan Shepard (centre) in London, U.K.
Ivey alumni in Vancouver, British Columbia celebrating Global Ivey Day with a pottery class.
Festivities in Calgary, Alberta.
Festivities in Kingston, Jamaica.
Ivey alumni celebrating in San Francisco, California.
Festivities in London, Ontario.
