Event category: Plenary

Events

February 25, 2025 , 2025

04:40 PM - 04:45 PM

Closing Remarks

5 Minutes Main Room
Chair

Judi Hess

Former CEO

Copperleaf (Acquired by Industrial and Financial Systems)

04:00 PM - 04:40 PM

Portrait Of A Leader

What does it take to grow a company to exit? We take an introspective deep dive with two prominent entrepreneurs as we explore the intersection of leadership, M&A, personal exits, and mental survival. Hear first hand, the highs and lows of building successful companies, the type of exits and deal structure each founder had, sacrifices, and  personal and professional lessons learned along the way. Learn tips, tricks, and key metrics that all work together in order to see success. This session is guaranteed to offer invaluable insights from those that have gone before, are still standing and more importantly are still building. 

40 Minutes Main Room
Moderator

Devon Thompson

Managing Director

RBCx

Bill Hunter

Founding Member & CEO

Canary Medical

Geordie Rose

Founder & CEO

Snowdrop Quantum Applications Corporation

03:20 PM - 04:00 PM

Anatomy Of An Acquisition

No acquisition is the same, and in this session, leaders will share their personal journeys through a variety of M&A experiences, revealing how they identified the right buyers and tailored their approach based on the type of acquisition. From strategic acquisitions and acqui-hires to partial exits, roll-ups, and carve-outs, learn how to evaluate and aligned with the right partners through first hand accounts.

40 Minutes Main Room
Moderator

Ben Slager

Partner

MDS Law

Kris Hartvigsen

CEO

Dooly (Acquired by Mediafly)

Jason Leeson

President

Squirrel Systems (Acquired by Volaris Group)

03:00 PM - 03:20 PM

AI Impact On Growth – What Sales & Marketing Looks Like In 2025

Discover how artificial intelligence is set to transform the sales and marketing landscape, enabling smarter strategies, personalized customer experiences, and accelerated revenue growth. We’ll delve into upcoming trends, innovative technologies, and actionable insights that will position your business at the forefront of this revolution.

20 Minutes Main Room

Nathan Yeung

Founder

Find Your Audience

01:05 PM - 01:50 PM

Building Strong To Exit Strong – The Copperleaf Story 

Explore the remarkable journey of Copperleaf, a leader in decision analytics, through the perspective of Judi Hess, the company’s former CEO, along with key players instrumental in its acquisition. Learn how Hess drove the company’s growth by assembling a world-class team, fostering a culture of innovation, and aligning Copperleaf’s strategy to meet critical industry needs. Discover how her visionary leadership and strategic focus, combined with support and collaboration within the company and its advisors culminated in Copperleaf’s CAD 1 billion acquisition by IFS, leveraging its robust valuation, unmatched customer retention, and globally adopted asset management solutions.

45 Minutes Main Room
Moderator

Sean Silcoff

Business Writer & Technology Reporter

The Globe and Mail

Ally Bharmal

Partner

Fasken

Judi Hess

Former CEO

Copperleaf (Acquired by Industrial and Financial Systems)

Maria Pacella

Managing Partner

Pender Ventures

12:35 PM - 01:05 PM

From Startup To Salesforce: Greg Malpass On Building For Acquisition

Join Greg Malpass, founder of Traction on Demand, in a fireside chat with Brent Holliday of Garibaldi Capital Partners, as they explore the journey to Traction’s 2022 acquisition by Salesforce. Greg shares how he scaled the company from a one-person startup to over 1,200 employees, spun off ventures like Traction Guest, Traction Complete, Traction Rec and Hubbl and built for acquisition. Gain insights into his strategies, the deal process, and lessons learned post-sale.

30 Minutes Main Room
Moderator

Brent Holliday

Founder & CEO

Garibaldi Capital Advisors

Greg Malpass

Founder & Former CEO

Traction on Demand (Acquired by Salesforce)