HIGHLIGHTS
NAVIGATING A DYNAMIC
WORLD
AVES F CHANGE 2023 CEO & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
MAGAZINE SPONSORED BY
CEO WRAP UP
My sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for the 2023 CEO & Executive Leadership Conference at the beautiful White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa. Your energy and enthusiasm are a big part of what makes this event a success each year. FHCP’s CEO Conference is designed to offer a rare opportunity for senior leaders to pause from the chaos of their everyday operations, connect with peers, and gain fresh perspectives on our ever-evolving industry. Niagara-on-the-Lake’s charm continues to provide the ideal backdrop for both reflection and foresight, balancing seclusion with accessibility. Our industry leaders, the best in their fields, display remarkable resilience and adaptability, keeping Canadians supplied with essential products, no matter the challenge. This year, we focused on sustaining that resilience and recognizing our capacity for adaptation. Like expert surfers, our leaders know when to either take risks or hold steady, ensuring both our industry’s vitality and the availability of goods on store shelves. The diverse lineup of speakers this year included tech experts, public opinion analysts, strategists, educators, podcast hosts, authors, economists, and an Olympic gold medalist – all of whom brought their unique perspectives to the notion of
riding the waves of change. They offered invaluable insights on navigating change, managing teams, leveraging technology, understanding Canadian consumers, and leading authentically to shape our industry’s future. We also make sure to include top-notch culinary experiences and networking, which have become a cornerstone of the conference’s appeal, providing a space for relaxation and engagement. I hope the conference left you invigorated, connected, and ready to tackle whatever lies ahead with confidence. Change is constant, but as leaders, we have the acumen to master it. Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s keep riding the waves of change together. I look forward to seeing you next year for the 2024 CEO & Executive Leadership Conference, on October 17 – 18, 2024.
Until then,
Michael Graydon
CEO, FOOD, HEALTH & CONSUMER PRODUCTS OF CANADA
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BOARD DINNER After a day of productive meetings, the FHCP Board of Directors was welcomed to the unique Wayne Gretzky Estates for an evening of relaxation and camaraderie. As Ontario’s first winery and distillery combination, the space is beautifully integrated into the surrounding vineyards. The attendees had the pleasure of choosing between enjoying breathtaking outdoor views or exploring Canadian hockey history through the lens of Gretzky’s personal photos and memorabilia indoors.
The evening featured a handpicked selection of wines from Niagara and the Okanagan regions, accompanied by delicious food and a guided exploration of Wayne Gretzky Estate’s fine spirits. This year’s Board Dinner was a perfect occasion for members to reconnect with long-standing colleagues, build new relationships, and unwind in good company before the onset of the upcoming conference activities.
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS “THE CALIBRE OF SPEAKERS AND RELEVANCE OF CONTENT WAS TRULY EXCELLENT!”
“Change has never happened this fast before and it will never be this slow again.”
“How do you start thinking bigger and differently to protect your businesses and to create the differentiator? We’re not always fighting for just the good; we’re fighting for the competitive edge.”
AMBER MAC
AMY KARAM
DIGITAL MAVERICK; AUTHOR; PODCAST HOST; PRESIDENT, AMBERMAC MEDIA
GLOBAL COMPETITIVE STRATEGIST; EDUCATOR; AUTHOR; & FOUNDER, GLOBAL BUSINESS INNOVATION ACADEMY
Considered by many to be the go-to expert on anything tech, Amber Mac is known for helping companies and audiences stay ahead of the curve, offering clarity on and a passion for digital innovation in all forms. Named one of Bay Street Bull’s Women of the Year in 2021, Amber is President of Amber Mac Inc., an award-winning content development agency. Amber encouraged attendees to become relentless adaptors, presenting lessons to help us thrive in today’s fast-paced world: lead with values, build trust around artificial intelligence, and create a business environment where wellness is a top priority.
Business, politics, and innovation are increasingly interconnected. Amy Karam, a seasoned professional with 15 years of experience in Silicon Valley and a wealth of international exposure, working with people from over 50 countries, stands at the forefront of global trade and innovation. As a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, she offers expert guidance on fostering collaboration between public policy and the private sector to enhance global competitiveness. Amy’s presentation equipped attendees with insights and strategies to successfully navigate challenging and ever-changing global trade dynamics.
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS “OUTSTANDING CONTENT, SPEAKERS AND EXCEPTIONAL ORGANIZATION BY THE FHCP TEAM.”
“I’m not saying that inflation is not an issue. It’s an issue and we have to fight it, but we have to measure it correctly.”
“In my world, perception is reality. Understanding the mood of the country, understanding what people are thinking, can add value to making sense of both your consumer and sales data.”
BENJAMIN TAL
DAVID COLETTO
DEPUTY CHIEF ECONOMIST, CIBC CAPITAL MARKETS
PUBLIC OPINION ANALYST; POLLSTER; SOCIAL RESEARCHER; & CEO, ABACUS DATA
Rated the top speaker by attendees for the sixth year in a row, Benjamin Tal is revered for his insight and analysis on economic issues that impact financial markets, consumers, corporations, and public policy. Back to present his annual and unparalleled economic update, Benjamin revealed what sort of economy Canadians can expect in the coming year; how inflation will impact consumer habits, debt, and the labour market; and the varying degrees of business turbulence we can anticipate in 2024. Attendees continue to rave about Benjamin’s clever analysis and ability to infuse complex and often challenging topics with humour.
David Coletto is a leading figure in marketing research and a renowned expert on demographic shifts in Canada, with over 15 years of experience in monitoring public opinion and market trends. As the CEO and co-founder of Abacus Data, as well as the official pollster for The Toronto Star, he is frequently sought after for strategic counsel and in-depth analysis across various sectors. David unveiled insights from a new survey commissioned by FHCP that delves into Canadian perspectives on pressing issues such as the cost of living, healthcare, and environmental concerns. His presentation shed light on the implications for industries, the influence on their reputations, and the domains where the public is anticipating government action.
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS “GREAT SPEAKERS, THOUGHTFUL INSIGHTS AND A SPECIAL CHANCE TO NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
“It’s one thing to be the best in the world but it’s completely another thing to be the best for the world. I believe the highest functioning teams, companies, and individuals can do both.”
“It’s not about looking for how can we do things 10 percent better than we’re doing them right now. It’s about where there are opportunities to do things 10 times better than we’re doing them right now.”
HAYLEY WICKENHEISER
JACK SHAW
FOUR-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST; MEMBER OF THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME; AGM, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS; FAMILY PHYSICIAN
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION; CHANGE MANAGEMENT; & TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser is celebrated as one of the world’s greatest female hockey players with seven world championships, six Olympic appearances, and five Olympic medals. A family physician, community advocate, and business leader, she inspires with her ethos of excellence. Hayley was a champion on the front lines of securing PPE for Canadians in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and drew on her experiences, both in the medical field and from the world of high-performance sport, to explore the importance of fostering personal and professional resiliency and strength at a time when these qualities were needed most.
With over three decades of expertise, Jack Shaw stands at the forefront of guiding today’s leaders through the evolving landscape of digital transformation. His extensive background in crafting and applying cutting-edge technologies informs his insightful assessments of their effects on business and society. In his engaging presentation, Jack painted a vivid picture of life in the near future, demonstrating how innovative tech can revolutionize business strategies, structures, and operations for the betterment of customers, employees, and organizations as a whole.
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS “ AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE EVENT. WELL DONE, FHCP…YOU CONTINUE TO RAISE THE BAR YEAR OVER YEAR.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
CHECK OUT WHO WAS THERE!
“What does the future of work look like? Understand yourself what your organization stands for; stay true to that and you will find amazing talent out there.”
ROCKY OZAKI BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION & CULTURE INNOVATION EXPERT; FOUNDER & CEO, NOW OF WORK
Rocky is the Founder & CEO of NoW of Work, a business transformation firm whose primary focus is helping leaders build future-proofed, resilient teams anchored in innovation and agility. He is considered an expert at identifying trends both in the market and within internal operations across all sectors, helping companies bridge the gap and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Rocky contextualized why the world is accelerating at breakneck speed and provided tactics to either begin or re-energize an organization’s transformative journey.
SCAN THE QR CODE ABOVE TO SEE THE FULL ATTENDEE LIST
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AWARD OF DISTINCTION “It is my absolute privilege to celebrate Dino’s leadership, passion, and contributions to the CPG industry through this award. This recognition pales in comparison to the high esteem in which Dino is held across industry, both as a visionary leader and as a supporter to the many individuals and organizations he has helped to reach their potential throughout his career, including FHCP.” MICHAEL GRAYDON, CEO; FOOD, HEALTH & CONSUMER PRODUCTS OF CANADA
DINO BIANCO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER KRUGER PRODUCTS L.P.
FHCP’s Governance Committee bestows this award to deserving individuals whose achievements and contributions to both FHCP and the Canadian food, health, and consumer products manufacturing industry demonstrate excellence. Recipients are customarily celebrated and honoured by their peers at our annual CEO & Executive Leadership Conference. On Thursday, October 12, in front of a crowd of industry peers, friends, and family, FHCP proudly presented the 2023 Award of Distinction to Dino Bianco, Chief Executive Officer, Kruger Products Inc. Dino has had an accomplished and highly successful career to date. As President of Kraft Canada, Dino successfully led a business with several billion dollars in sales, 23 brands, 11 facilities and with more than 5,000 employees. In 2018,
Dino joined Kruger Products as the CEO. Among many of Dino’s accomplishments at Kruger Products, one of the most rewarding would include the completion of the construction of the $575 million state of the art plant in Sherbrooke during Covid-19 and having the plant start-up on time and on budget. Dino has developed a strong relationship with Canadian retailers over his career and in 2013 was the recipient of the Food Industry Association of Canada’s “Golden Pencil” award, recognizing his lifetime contribution to the grocery sector. In August 2021, he was the recipient of The Grocery Business Hall of Fame.
READ! VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS ON DINO’S INSPIRING CAREER.
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MCCORMICK FLAVOR FORECAST McCormick returned to present the 23rd edition of their annual Flavor Forecast, sharing the exciting trends in flavour, from those on the verge of widespread appeal to subtle undercurrents just beginning to materialize, and everything in between.
Ahead of the meal, Executive Corporate Chef Juriaan Snellen and Senior Global Content and Communications Manager Hannah Force hosted a fun taste test, featuring cocktails with varying levels of spice and encouraging guests to guess the source of heat in their refreshment. What followed was a meal that both delighted our tastebuds and generated great conversation, encompassing this year’s forecasted trends: beyond heat, everyday French, and full-flavoured fats.
CHEF JURIAAN SNELLEN EXECUTIVE CORPORATE CHEF MCCORMICK NORTH AMERICA
HANNAH FORCE SENIOR GLOBAL CONTENT & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER MCCORMICK & COMPANY
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NETWORKING
Networking opportunities with industry peers to share best practices continues to draw attendees to this event year after year. Our networking breaks are where ambition meets mentorship, and where a “hello” can ignite an idea that sets our industry ablaze. Our guests aren’t networking to collect business cards; they’re networking to collect moments of connection that buzz with potential – making our conference a powerhouse of possibility.
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NETWORKING YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH.
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MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
SPECIAL THANKS FHCP’s annual CEO & Executive Leadership Conference is an exclusive, industry event for CEOs and senior executives to engage and connect with peers, build their networks, and learn from leading experts in their fields. The success of this event is driven by the dedicated members of our Membership Management Committee, whose expertise and commitment to exceptional member value helps to steer the event’s overall framework, ensures its relevance to their industry peers, and provides strategic direction on its theme, content, and speakers.
TREVOR SQUIRES
MICHAEL LINES
COMMITTEE CHAIR GENERAL MANAGER CANADA & NORTH AMERICAN FOODSERVICE MCCORMICK CANADA
PRESIDENT & CEO WELLNESS NATURAL INC.
JENNIFER CARLSON
JERRY MANCINI
CEO & CO-FOUNDER BABY GOURMET INC.
PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER CANADA DOLE FOODS OF CANADA LTD.
BRENT FALVO
DAN PILAS
SVP INTERNATIONAL & GM CANADA REYNOLDS CONSUMER PRODUCTS CANADA INC.
GENERAL MANAGER CANADA S.C. JOHNSON AND SON, LIMITED
STEPHANIE HAVERSTICK
TAMARA SEALES
SVP, HEAD OF OPERATIONS CANADA VITA HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
PRESIDENT SEAFORD PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
MARIA KAROUNIS
SIMON SMALL
GENERAL MANAGER, NUTRITION CANADA ABBOTT LABORATORIES, CO.
GENERAL MANAGER, THE AMERICAS THE JORDANS AND RYVITA COMPANY
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“I HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS EVENT AND IT DEFINITELY MET THESE EXPECTATIONS.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
It’s time to
expect more.
Thank you to our customers, partners and employees. You’ve helped keep shelves stocked, families fed and the supply chain moving through it all. Together, we can help every supply network be more sustainable, more efficient and more resilient. Now and for the future.
Expect more with CHEP.
Tell us how we can do more
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“ IT WAS AN AMAZING EVENT. REALLY EXTRAORDINARY!” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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“OUTSTANDING EVENT, BEST ONE YET!” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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“GREAT EVENT AND ONE THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO ANNUALLY. THIS CONFERENCE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET RE-ENERGIZED THROUGH EXTERNAL INSPIRATION AND INDUSTRY CONNECTION.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
Manage significant change with minimal disruption Making organizational change easier by offering breadth and depth of expertise across our Human Capital and Growth practice areas. Working in a collaborative manner and taking a facilitated approach. Developing relevant, practical solutions with you and your team.
IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE THROUGH PEOPLE www.lighthouse9.ca
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“I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A CONFERENCE WHERE IT WAS 100% RELEVANT!” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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“BEST CONFERENCE EVER!” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
When environmental sustainability impacts your sustainability, we’re there. nortonrosefulbright.com
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“ AMAZING EVENT AND SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT WITH FRIENDS AND CELEBRATE OUR AMAZING INDUSTRY.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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“INCREDIBLE NETWORKING, EXCEPTIONAL SPEAKERS.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
Join a trusted business community that’s been around for over 30 years, filled with of incredible experiences, stories of triumph, stories of getting back up to fight another day, and stories of leaders who never quit. PEO Leadership is a boutique community of business leaders committed to empowering each other by exploring important issues, challenges and opportunities from a holistic perspective. We provide our members the ability to leverage our collective knowledge, experience and network; to challenge and be challenged in a high disclosure, objective and trusted environment.
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“OUTSTANDING EVENT. WELLPACED AND BALANCED BETWEEN CONTENT AND NETWORKING.” CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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“ LOVED THE FUTURE LEANING CONTENT, DESIGNED TO PROVOKE BIGGER TRANSFORMATIONAL THINKING.”
Proven Canadian results since 2020. Learn more at shelfgram.com
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
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’The most modern, practical and challenging commercial transformation consultancy within the industry’
Many businesses benefit from in-depth advisory support. Our consultation services allow our commercial experts to support your teams in creating new omnichannel strategies, risk mitigation plans and executing plans.
Our offer covers Category & Channel Strategy, Revenue Growth Management Solutions, Customer Planning & Selling, and Negotiation Strategy.
We never work with retailers; we never provide support to your retail customers, but have a thorough understanding of how they operate.
www.totalnegotiation.com | info@totalnegotiation.com Follow us on LinkedIn to view our latest insights: www.linkedin.com/company/total-negotiation.com
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THANK YOU TO OUR CONFERENCE SPONSORS
DIAMOND LEVEL
GOLD LEVEL
SILVER LEVEL
BRONZE LEVEL
PLATINUM LEVEL
Making your data make a difference.
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PHOTO GALLERY Explore the essence of our unforgettable conference through our exclusive photo gallery:
Board Dinner Oct 11
Conference Highlight Video
Conference Day 1 Oct 12
Conference Day 2 Oct 13
Experience the energy and insights of our recent conference in a nutshell—check out the highlight video capturing the most memorable moments, inspiring talks, and vibrant atmosphere!
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