Seen & Heard at CCI’s 2025 Innovation Governance Summit

Canada’s business leaders gathered in Toronto this week for the 2025 Innovation Governance Summit, where the focus was clear: governance is evolving from a matter of oversight to a strategic lever for growth and resilience. Hosted by the Council of Canadian Innovators, the event brought together a national network of board directors, scale-up CEOs, and investors to discuss how boards can drive better outcomes for companies navigating volatility.

Prashant Masand, Partner and National Board Governance and Risk Management Services Leader at Deloitte Canada, opened the summit with a call for directors to become more active and engaged. "Boards must move beyond traditional oversight and become actively engaged in informing strategy development with management. In today’s volatile environment, directors need to lean in, ask the tough questions, and help steer their companies toward resilience and growth."

That theme continued in a fireside chat between Carol Wilding, President & CEO of CPA Ontario, and John McKenzie, CEO of TMX Group. The two discussed how strong governance can help companies scale responsibly in uncertain markets. “Strong governance is more than compliance. It’s about how to set up your firm for success,” Wilding said. “It’s about scaling responsibly, building companies that are competitive and dynamic, but also resilient. And resiliency has never been more important, given the uncertainty of the times. That all starts at the board level.”

McKenzie agreed. “Governance should not be viewed as a constraint but rather as an accelerant,” he said. “It provides companies with the credibility and clarity they need to scale confidently and responsibly in competitive markets.”

In a panel on governance amid volatility, Candice Faktor, CEO of Disco, addressed the board’s evolving role in a world of distributed teams, AI-driven decision-making, and economic instability. “Agility, resilience, and integrative thinking are key to not only surviving but thriving in the uncertain times our companies face.” Faktor said.

Iain Paterson, Chief Information Security Officer at WELL Health, added that boards must become fluent in cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern—it is a critical board responsibility,” Paterson said. “Directors must understand the evolving threat landscape and ensure their organizations are not only compliant but truly resilient.”

Craig McLellan, CEO of ThinkOn, made the case for treating intellectual property as a strategic priority. “In the digital economy, data is a company’s most valuable asset,” he said. “Boards need to know where their intellectual property resides and who controls it. Protecting IP is not just a business imperative—it is a matter of national strategy.”

The afternoon featured interactive breakout sessions led by governance experts. Artemis Canada hosted a session on succession planning, Deloitte led a workshop on board resilience, and Global Governance Advisors addressed evolving compensation strategies. Attendees left with practical tools and frameworks to bring back to their own boardrooms.

As the Council of Canadian Innovators approaches its tenth anniversary, the summit underscored a central message: building better companies starts with building better boards. Beyond the insights and workshops, the event highlighted the value of the community CCI has cultivated through its Innovation Governance Program. This network of forward-thinking directors and executives provides ongoing support and shared learning, helping Canadian companies navigate complex governance challenges. Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 session of CCI’s award-winning Innovation Governance Program, commencing in October.

This year’s summit was made possible by the support of Deloitte, CPA Ontario, Artemis Canada, Disco, and Global Governance Advisors.

For more information about iGP and other education programs, contact Gabriella Boulos, CCI’s Director of Programs and Events.