Global PR Summit Canada 9

5-6 December in Toronto

BOOK NOW AND SAVE $200

Global PR Summit Canada 9

BOOK NOW AND SAVE $200

5-6 December in Toronto

About the Event

Welcome to the Global PR Summit Canada 9 – where the pulse of the public relations world beats strongest. Join us in Toronto from December 5th to 6th for an electrifying exploration of the latest PR trends and strategies shaping the industry today.

As Canada's premier PR event, our summit gathers the most influential minds in PR from both Canada and around the globe. Immerse yourself in enlightening keynotes and engaging panel discussions led by top PR leaders, as we delve into critical topics driving the future of communications. This year's theme, "PR in an Age of AI and Permacrisis," promises to provide deep insights and practical strategies for navigating the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of public relations.

Book now and SAVE $200! Group discounts available!

Are you an IABC Toronto member? Reach out to us today to get your exclusive 15% discount code!

Why attend?

  • Gain insights into critical business trends in PR with Daniel Tisch from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
  • Understand ethical considerations of AI in PR with Dr. Alex Sévigny from McMaster University.
  • Utilize custom GPTs for content generation with Rowan Toffoli from Lockheed Martin.
  • Understand the impact of AI on DEI goals with Priya Bates from A Leader Like Me.
  • Gain insights into NASA's crisis planning strategies with Allard Beutel from NASA.
  • Build and maintain stakeholder trust with Trisha McDonell from Expedia.
  • Prepare for potential cancel culture crises with Kurt Heinrich from the University of British Columbia.
  • Learn proactive crisis communication strategies with Sukhi Sahni from Wells Fargo.

Don't miss out on this unparalleled opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with the best in the industry. 

Mark your calendars for December 5th and 6th and join us in Toronto for the Global PR Summit Canada 9 – where the future of PR unfolds before your eyes.
 

Only

52days

11hours

32min

UNTIL THE EVENT

Facts & Figures

  • Canada’s Leading PR Event: The Global PR Summit Canada is the country's most innovative PR event, now in its 9th year, setting the standard for excellence and innovation in the industry.
  • Extensive Participation: Over the past eight years, more than 2000 PR professionals from various industries have attended the Summit, making it a cornerstone event in the Canadian PR landscape.
  • Top-Tier Speakers: This year’s Summit focuses on "PR in an Age of AI and Permacrisis" and features speakers from renowned organizations such as NASA, Expedia, McMaster University, 7-Eleven, and UBC.
  • Diverse Delegate Profiles: Attendees include Chief Communications Officers, Public Relations Directors, Corporate Communications Managers, Media Relations Specialists, and more.
  • Networking Opportunities: The Summit provides unparalleled networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with industry leaders and potential clients.
  • Companies in Attendance: The Summit has seen participation from a wide array of esteemed companies, including Google Ads, BMO Financial Group, Canada Goose, CBC/Radio-Canada, Home Hardware Stores Limited, Metro Vancouver Regional District, Sobeys Inc., York University, Edelman, General Motors, FortisBC Energy Inc, BMW Group Canada, Bell Media, AbbVie, Siemens Healthineers, RBC, Toronto Police Service, Scotiabank, Ontario Health, Publicis Canada, Rogers Communications, L'Oréal Canada, Air Canada, TD Bank Group, Enbridge, TELUS, Sun Life Financial, Manulife, Canada Post, Walmart Canada and many more.

Speakers

Kristen Dattoli Boston Children's Hospital

Lisa Covens Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, Central Canada, Leger

Kurt Heinrich The University of British Columbia

Sukhi Sahni Wells Fargo

Andrew Forgione Gilead Sciences

Rob McEwan Argyle

Trisha McDonell Expedia

Allard Beutel NASA Office of Communications

Aaron Kwittken PRophet

Aksel Bedikyan Leger Analytics

Alex Sévigny University of McMaster

Mark Dollins North Star Communications Consulting

Victor Vrsnik 7-Eleven Canada

Rowan Toffoli Lockheed Martin

Paruul Maheshwary Meta

Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS, ICD.D Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Priya Bates A Leader Like Me

Cam Gordon Seneca Polytechnic

Charles Muggeridge FleishmanHillard HighRoad

Jennifer Vincent Danone

Catherine Thomas Loblaw Companies Limited

Nicolette Addesa EY Canada

Agenda

09.00

Registration and Morning Coffee

10.00 

Business Trends and PR: Navigating Reputation in a Rapidly Changing Environment
In today's fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, PR professionals face unprecedented challenges and opportunities in managing and safeguarding reputations. Join Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS, ICD.D, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, as he delves into the critical business trends reshaping the field of public relations. Tisch will provide invaluable insights on how PR professionals can navigate these changes effectively. Discover strategies to stay ahead of the curve, maintain public trust, and build resilient reputations in a world where the only constant is change.
Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS, ICD.D, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

10.40 

Purpose-Driven Brand Integration: Strategies for Authentic Connection and Reputation Management in the Age of AI
Join Jennifer, as she explores how brands can authentically integrate their purpose into their strategy and communications. In an age of AI, purpose is a crucial tool for reputation management. Learn key approaches to ensure your brand's purpose is effectively woven into every aspect of your operations and messaging, driving genuine connections and enhancing your brand's reputation. Gain practical insights and actionable steps to leverage purpose in reputation management.
Jennifer Vincent, Head of Communications, Danone

11.20

Interactive Panel Discussion: Future-Proof Your PR Career: Must-Have Skills for the Next Decade
Join industry leaders in this dynamic panel discussion as they explore the top skills every PR professional needs to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. From mastering digital communication and crisis management to fostering media relations and strategic thinking, our experts will share insights and practical tips on how to develop and enhance these critical competencies. Gain valuable knowledge to stay ahead in the competitive field of public relations and ensure your continued professional growth.
Catherine Thomas, Vice President, Communications, Loblaw Companies Limited
Rob McEwan, Senior Vice President, Health & Wellness, Argyle
Nicolette Addesa, Public Relations National Lead, EY Canada

12.00

Lunch for Speakers and Delegates

13.00

Navigating Ethical Frontiers: AI's Role in PR and Responsible Practice
Join Alex as he leads a crucial discussion on the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in PR. In this session, participants will explore the intersection of AI technology and ethical principles, examining key issues such as data privacy, transparency, bias mitigation, and algorithmic accountability. Through real-world examples and case studies, Alex will illuminate the ethical dilemmas that PR professionals may encounter when leveraging AI tools and strategies. Gain practical insights and best practices for promoting ethical AI use in PR, ensuring that your initiatives prioritize fairness, inclusivity, and integrity.
Dr. Alex Sévigny, PhD, APR, Professor of Communications Management, McMaster University

13.40

Adapt or Get Lapped: How To Be an AI-Enabled Communications and Social Media Engineer
The complex nature of modern-day communications and an increasingly competitive and transactional media environment requires an innovative approach to news and social media strategies that sits at the intersection of art and science. The next era of communicators will have to modernize their approach to media relations by embracing technology in order to be more performative, predictive and productive — enter the communications engineer.
Join this session to hear about the emerging need for a culture shift across the PR and social media industry that intersects both art and science to stay ahead of the curve, and how to adopt the mindset, tech stack and workflow of a communications engineer to future-proof the careers of content creators, communication professionals, agencies and brand teams alike. You'll learn:
- How vertical AI can provide a competitive advantage when interacting with the media.
- How social media content programs can benefit from AI-enabled strategies.
- How your teams can be confident using AI to improve social media and PR activities.
- How to be an AI-leader in your media organization.
Aaron Kwittken, Founder and CEO, PRophet

14.20

The Future of PR: Integrating AI with Human Creativity
In this session, Rowan will showcase how Lockheed Martin is pioneering the use of AI in media relations to enhance workflows, boost brand presence, and establish thought leadership. Attendees will explore how the company uses custom GPTs for developing brand personas, analyzing online sentiment, and crafting engaging content. The session will cover the secure and generative capabilities of OpenAI's custom GPTs for augmenting content generation, generating pitch ideas, and creating images with Dall-E. Additionally, it will delve into executive persona innovation, integrating transcripts from tools like Otter.AI to train AI, and aligning brand personas to enhance communication across platforms. 
Rowan Toffoli, Executive Communications - Lead Social Media Writer, Lockheed Martin

15.00 

AI Revolutionizing PR: Advanced Data Analysis & Generative AI
Delve into the intersection of PR, data analytics, and generative AI technologies as we explore innovative strategies to elevate your PR efforts. From leveraging AI-powered analytics for insightful data-driven decisions to harnessing generative AI for dynamic content creation, this session offers a comprehensive understanding of how AI is reshaping the PR landscape.
Aksel Bedikyan, Vice President of Analytics, Leger Analytics
Lisa Covens, MA, CAIP, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, Leger

15.40

Networking and Refreshment Break

16.00 

Navigating AI in Internal Communication: Strategies, Tools, and Considerations
In this session, explore the evolving landscape of AI in internal communication with our expert, who will provide an in-depth analysis of the tools, strategies, and considerations for leveraging this rapidly growing technology. From chatbots to sentiment analysis, participants will gain valuable insights into the various AI-powered solutions available for enhancing employee communications. Delve into the pros and cons of adopting AI in internal communication, understanding its potential to streamline processes, improve engagement, and foster a more connected workforce. Whether you're considering implementing AI or looking to optimize existing strategies, this session will equip you with the knowledge and resources needed to navigate the AI landscape effectively and harness its full potential for internal communication success.
Mark Dollins, President, North Star Communications Consulting

16.40

DEI & AI: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges in Communication
Join Priya Bates as she leads a candid and insightful discussion on the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with artificial intelligence (AI) in communication. In this session, Priya will explore the potential of AI to both advance DEI goals and inadvertently perpetuate biases. Through honest dialogue and real-world examples, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how AI algorithms can impact various groups within organizations. Priya will navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in promoting inclusive communication practices, providing practical strategies for leveraging innovation to foster a more equitable and diverse workplace. 
Priya Bates, Co-Founder, A Leader Like Me

17.20

End of Day One

09.00

Morning Coffee

10.00

Interactive Panel Discussion: Essential Crisis Scenarios: Ensuring Your Plan is Ready for Anything
Join our interactive panel discussion as crisis management experts delve into the most critical scenarios that should be included in your crisis plan. From cyber-attacks and natural disasters to reputational threats and product recalls, learn how to anticipate and prepare for a wide range of potential crises. Our panelists will share real-world examples, best practices, and actionable strategies to ensure your crisis management plan is comprehensive and effective. Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate any crisis confidently and protect your organization’s reputation and operations.


Cam Gordon, Director, Communications, Seneca Polytechnic


Charles Muggeridge, Sr. Vice President & Partner, FleishmanHillard HighRoad

10.40 

Leveraging the iPESO Model for Proactive Crisis Communications
The last three years have shown us that a crisis can strike at any time. In an era where news travels faster than ever, the potential for your organization to be impacted by controversial issues has grown exponentially. Simultaneously, organizations are facing increasing pressure from customers and employees to comment on challenging topics. In a world where reputations can be shattered in a second, proactive preparation leads to smarter crisis communications.
In this insightful session, Sukhi Sahni, Senior Vice President and Head of Brand Communications at Wells Fargo, will explore how communicators can leverage the iPESO model to counter potential crises. Learn how to anticipate issues, prepare effective responses, and maintain your organization’s reputation even in the face of unexpected challenges. Discover practical strategies and real-world examples to enhance your crisis communication plans using this innovative approach.
Sukhi Sahni, Senior Vice President, Head of Brand Communications at Wells Fargo

11.20 

Adapting Crisis Communications to Modern Challenges: Essential Techniques and Best Practices
Join Andrew Forgione, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Canada at Gilead Sciences, as he guides you through the fundamentals of crisis communications in today's ever-changing world. This session will cover how to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from a crisis. Andrew will emphasize the importance of anticipating potential crises and understanding the associated risks. Additionally, he will highlight the critical role of effective media relations during and after a crisis. Gain valuable insights and strategies to enhance your crisis communication plan and navigate challenges in this dynamic environment.
Andrew Forgione, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Canada at Gilead Sciences

12.00

Lunch for Speakers and Delegates

13.00

Update Your Crisis Plan for the Cancel Culture Era
Companies should be prepared for any situation that might lead to cancel culture. You should be proactive in monitoring online conversations, reviewing your policies, and engaging with stakeholders. In addition, you should have a plan of action in place in the event of a crisis. As part of this keynote, Kut will assist you in rewriting your crisis plan and safeguarding your reputation in the age of cancel culture.
Kurt Heinrich, Senior Director, Media Relations, University of British Columbia

13.40

Preparing for the Unexpected: Crisis Planning at NASA
Join us for a riveting session with NASA's Allard Beutel, as he takes us behind the scenes of how the space agency meticulously prepares for the unexpected. Delve into the high-stakes world of crisis scenarios, where NASA's brilliant minds simulate a myriad of challenges, from technical malfunctions to unforeseen emergencies, in their tireless quest for exploration for the benefit of humanity. Discover the strategies employed to train and empower NASA's leaders to steer through adversity, collaboration across the agency, as well as commercial and international partners, and more to help ensure effective communications of NASA’s missions. Allard's insight will leave you in awe of the resilience and unwavering dedication that defines NASA's crisis planning, a testament to humanity's quest for the stars.
Allard Beutel, Director, News, Media, and Internal Communications Division, NASA Office of Communications

14.20

Stakeholder Engagement: Nurturing Trust and Credibility Through Crisis Management
In this informative session, led by Trisha, a recognized expert in stakeholder engagement, you will gain comprehensive insights into the art of managing relationships with stakeholders before, during, and after a crisis. In an era where stakeholder trust and credibility are paramount, Trisha will guide you through proven strategies to build, maintain, and strengthen these vital connections. Explore the proactive approach to stakeholder engagement, creating a robust foundation for trust that will withstand even the most challenging of circumstances. Learn how to tailor your communication and engagement strategies to various stakeholder groups, ensuring that your organization's message resonates and builds a lasting positive rapport. Trisha will also provide essential techniques for responding to stakeholder concerns with empathy and authenticity during crises, preserving the integrity of your organization's relationships. This session is your key to mastering the art of stakeholder engagement in the face of adversity, safeguarding your organization's reputation, and nurturing trust and credibility for the long term.
Trisha McDonell, Global Crisis Communications Director, Expedia 

15.00

Empower, Protect, Communicate: Crisis Management in Safeguarding Inclusivity for Gender Health Amid Threats
Explore the critical crisis communications principles and essential multidisciplinary components Kristen and her team put in place beginning on August 11, 2002, when Boston Children’s Hospital suddenly fell victim to a coordinated barrage of threats over its trans health program. Kristen will discuss the ever-changing severity of the crisis and highlight the importance of a crisis huddle, how external and internal communications and content must be aligned, and how video content from 2017 ignited a storm. Kristen will also discuss the importance of sustaining a safe and inclusive environment for all, even amid protests, challenges, and threats.
Kristen Dattoli, Director, Enterprise Communications, Boston Children's Hospital

15.40

Networking and Refeshment Break

16.00

PR-Led Product Growth: Leveraging Compelling Narratives to Drive KPIs and Strategic Coverage
Join Paruul from WhatsApp for an exclusive session on the transformative power of public relations in driving product growth and achieving key performance indicators (KPIs). In this session, Paruul will share her expertise on crafting compelling narratives that captivate your audience and secure strategic media coverage. Gain insights into integrating PR with your product strategy to enhance brand visibility, customer engagement, and measurable growth.


Paruul Mashehwary, Senior Communications Manager, WhatsApp

16.40

Turning PR & Public Affairs Departments from Cost Centres into Profit Centres
Public relations and public affairs departments can be more than a support function and cost centre for organizations. They can help set strategic direction and generate earnings too. Tune in to learn how 7-Eleven Canada leveraged PR and public affairs strategies to earn social licence and influence public policy that unlocked government-restricted access to liquor licences and sales. 7-Eleven Canada successfully navigated the minefield of the liquor retail politics and Canada’s prohibition legacy laws to be first to market in its channel with a growing number of licensed locations now selling and serving beer and wine alongside its robust fresh food menu.
Victor Vrsnik, Director Corporate Affairs and Business Development, 7-Eleven Canada

17.20

End of Global PR Summit Canada 9

Our partners

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Venue

Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown, Toronto, Canada

Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown
Address: 249 Queen's Quay West, Toronto, ON M5J 2N5, Canada
Phone: +1 437-886-9667

This harbourfront hotel in Toronto city centre features on-site dining as well as a rooftop patio with a seasonal pool. A mini-fridge and coffee maker are included in each guest room.

A large work desk and flat-screen TV are common to all rooms at Radisson Blu Downtown Toronto. A pool, harbour or city view may be featured in these rooms.

Showcasing regional ingredients, Watermark Restaurant specializes in Canadian cuisine. Light snacks are served at Radisson Admiral’s Watermark Lounge, along with local beers and wines.

A fitness centre is among recreational facilities available at Radisson Blu Downtown Toronto.

Union Station is about 15 minutes’ walk from this hotel. Several attractions, including the CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame and lively Chinatown, are also within 15 minutes’ walk. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is 2 km away.