CMA Annual Conference 2013
 
Keynote Speakers 

  • Amanda Lang, Co-Host of the Lang & O'Leary Exchange, CBC News
  • Bill Strickland, CEO, Social Architect, Community Leader, and Visionary
  • Craig Wright, Chief Economist, RBC Royal Bank

 

Amanda Lang:
The Power of Why – Taking Ownership of Innovation
 
Through an entertaining mix of examples from the business world, insights from innovation gurus, little-known research, the experiences of business leaders and her own candid stories of life off-camera, Amanda Lang explains how asking the right questions has changed the world and how it can change you, too.
From the invention of the curved shower curtain rod to the introduction of an elevator that creates electricity as it moves from floor to floor, The Power of Why persuasively spells out the connection between innovation and productivity that is so crucial in the knowledge economy.

Amanda Lang, Co-Host of the Lang & O'Leary Exchange, CBC News

As the co-host of CBC TV’s Lang and O’Leary Exchange, Amanda Lang has a front-row seat to the world’s daily top stories in business, politics, and economics.

Lang is also senior business correspondent for CBC’s The National. She was part of the team that launched BNN in 1999 and, shortly thereafter, moved to CNN as a reporter and anchor. She returned to Canada in 2002 to rejoin BNN and CTV, before moving to the CBC. Lang is author of the bestseller, The Power of Why: Simple Questions That Lead to Success, a book that shows readers how to reignite curiosity at any age to become more innovative and productive.

Bill Strickland:
The Art of Leadership and the Business of Social Change

Strickland is a mesmerizing speaker who will inspire you to make a difference, in your life and in the lives of those around you. Ever-gracious, he delivers a profoundly simple, optimistic message for leaders: give people the tools they need, treat them with respect, and they will perform miraculous deeds.

He also delves into his story of hope: of how a kid from Pittsburgh's ghetto would go on to lecture at Harvard and serve on the board of the National Endowment of the Arts; of his meeting with a pottery teacher who would change his life; of growing a near-bankrupt community center into one of the most acclaimed social organizations in the world.

Throughout, he shares his powerful set of beliefs: for example, that we all make ourselves "poor" in one way or another when we accept that we are not smart, experienced, or talented enough to accomplish something. "A successful life is not something you simply pursue -- it is something that you create, moment by moment."

Bill Strickland, CEO, Social Architect, Community Leader, and Visionary

As president and CEO of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation—an extraordinary jobs training center and community arts program—he and his staff work with corporations, community leaders, and schools to give disadvantaged kids and adults the opportunities they need to build a better future.

Recently, Strickland was named as one of the 25 members of the White House Council for Community Solutions by President Obama. And for years now, in front of enraptured audiences, this MacArthur Genius has shared his unshakable message of leadership, self-worth and the intrinsic ability in all of us to achieve remarkable transformation in our lives. He was also honored by the US Senate for his contribution to social innovation.

Strickland is also the author of Make the Impossible Possible, a recipient of The White House's "Coming Up Taller" Award, and the founder of the Grammy-winning MCG Jazz, the most successful jazz subscription series in America.
 
 

Craig Wright, 
An Economic Outlook – Leaning into the Headwinds
Craig Wright delivers an engaging keynote that explores and demystifies current economic trends and offers practical solutions to many issues that Canadian companies face on a daily basis.

Chief Economist, RBC Royal Bank
 
Craig Wright is a highly sought-after speaker. Quoted by numerous media outlets, his expertise in economic analysis benefits not only his clients and his profession, but also the public-at-large. As Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Wright leads a team of economists providing economic, fixed income and foreign exchange research to RBC clients. He is responsible for analyzing and forecasting macroeconomic and financial market developments in Canada, the United States and key overseas economies.