Resilient Leadership in Canada’s Boardrooms

 

The 2025 ICD National Director Conference in Edmonton gathered over 600 governance leaders under the theme “Today’s Board: Resilient by Design,” spotlighting a shift in Canadian corporate governance. Governance is no longer merely about oversight—it’s emerging as a strategic asset in an era defined by disruption, whether from geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change, cultural divides, or accelerating innovation. As highlighted throughout the day, the boardroom is transforming into a center for adaptive leadership and long-term vision.

The conference featured compelling sessions that addressed pressing governance challenges. Opening keynote speaker Yvonne Camus set the tone with a compelling narrative on endurance, leadership, and the psychology of sustained performance. Her message—leadership is not about avoiding adversity but navigating through it with purpose—echoed throughout the day’s discussions.

In the plenary session Canada on the Global Stage: Economic Opportunity, Strategy, and Risk, moderator Laura Dawson led a dynamic discussion with panelists Jeff Nankivell, and Steve Verheul. Drawing on their extensive experience in international trade, policy, and diplomacy, the panel explored the complex interplay of economic opportunities, strategic positioning, and global risks facing Canada today. They also addressed evolving policy trends and shared key questions boards can consider helping their organizations remain proactive and resilient.

The morning sessions offered a broad view of the evolving responsibilities faced by directors. Discussions ranged from Canada’s place in a shifting global economy and building authentic Indigenous partnerships, to fostering innovative corporate cultures and navigating digital transformation. A data-rich keynote from political analyst Nik Nanos highlighted how public trust and policy volatility now require directors to act not just as fiduciaries, but as stewards of societal trust.

In the afternoon, sessions tackled complex issues including sustainability disclosure practices, governance of artificial intelligence, and managing polarization within and beyond the organization. These were not theoretical explorations—but pragmatic insights and frameworks for board leaders grappling with tangible, high-stakes decisions.

The closing plenaries continued the theme of actionable foresight. Irfhan Rawji and Anthony Ostler examined the transformative implications of digital currency on financial institutions. A panel featuring Lisa Raitt, Mac Van Wielingen, and Stephen Tapp delved into Canada’s productivity challenges and opportunities for economic resilience. The Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne brought the day to a thoughtful close by framing the country’s broader geopolitical and institutional landscape and outlined current issues with the US trade war and tariffs.

Consistent in every session, uncertainty has become a persistent condition rather than a temporary disruption. The confluence of transformative forces—ranging from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to climate change, cybersecurity, and intensifying sociopolitical divisions—is reshaping the context in which organizations operate. The notion of “returning to stability” is no longer realistic. In this business environment, resilience is not defined by recovery to a previous state but by the ability to remain anchored in core values while navigating volatility with agility, insight, and strategic resolve.

Canadian governance frameworks, long anchored in principles of accountability, transparency, and fiduciary responsibility, remain strong and necessary to move us forward. Additionally, today’s challenges demand a broader and more adaptive approach. Directors are moving beyond traditional governance paradigms as the accelerating pace and complexity of change expose the need to re-think conventional crisis management and enterprise risk methodologies.

This shift has profound implications for board conduct: it influences the nature of strategic inquiry, the composition and diversity of perspectives around the table, and the capacity to make sound decisions amid ambiguity.

What Directors Are Exploring

As boards navigate this new terrain, several themes are emerging—not as directives, but as areas of reflection that may help foster deeper resilience and better corporate governance:

1. Culture as a Strategic Asset

Culture has evolved from an internal concern to a key driver of strategic advantage. Resilient cultures are those that encourage learning, uphold shared values, and maintain accountability under pressure. Directors increasingly recognize that culture defines not only how organizations operate internally, but also how they are perceived and trusted externally.

2. Risk as Interconnected and Systemic

Today’s risks do not exist in isolation. One failure can trigger systemic consequences. Effective boards are expanding their view of risk to encompass complex interdependencies, requiring not just vigilance, but also curiosity and agility in response.

3. Strategy as Adaptive and Values-Based

Traditional strategic planning—anchored in static timelines and rigid KPIs—is giving way to adaptive, principle-guided decision-making. Resilient boards set a clear direction grounded in values, while maintaining the flexibility to recalibrate as external conditions evolve.

One of the most powerful insights from the conference was the necessity of continuous learning. Directors are no longer expected to have all the answers, but they are expected to ask better questions, embrace ambiguity, and foster environments of thoughtful experimentation. Institutions like the ICD are playing a critical role in equipping directors for this journey—through education, events, and convening forums to discuss and analyze emerging governance trends.

There is no definitive playbook for governing in this moment. But there is a clear orientation: leading with purpose, listening with intent, and acting with foresight. The most effective boards are those that embody resilience not as a response to crisis, but as a daily discipline. They are guiding organizations not only to survive change, but to shape it.