Shift your mindset from "what is" to "what if" with world-renowned global futurist speaker Nikolas Badminton. He has spent the past 30+ years working with leadership at over 450 of the world's most impactful companies, helping them to enhance their strategic foresight capabilities, identify trends re-shaping their industry, and anticipate unforeseen risks and opportunities. His energetic and inspiring presentations empower audiences to embrace futures thinking and create bold visions that deliver increased revenues and explosive growth.

As the Chief Futurist at Futurist Think Tank, Badminton has mentored top executives and officials at the highest levels of government to create bold visions by exploring desirable futures, anticipating opportunities and risks, and strengthening strategic planning. His past clients include leading organizations at the frontline of foresight, strategy, and disruption including The White House, NASA, Disney, United Nations, Google, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, JP Morgan, Verizon, VISA, TD Bank, American Express, Dyson, Mondelez, BISCI, ISACA, Rolls Royce, Procter & Gamble, US Department of State, UK Home Office, and many more.

Badminton's essential research has been featured by the BBC, VICE, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Business Insider, Forbes, Sunday Telegraph, and many other major media outlets. He appears regularly on SiriusXM and CTV and was a key advisor to the YouTube Originals series, "The Age of AI", with Robert Downey Jr. Badminton also appears in the Franklin Institute's six-part docuseries “The Road to 2050.”

A #1 bestselling author, Badminton's book, Facing Our Futures: How Foresight, Futures Design, and Strategy Creates Prosperity and Growth, was named a "Top 50 Business Book of 2023" by The Next Big Idea Club and was one of JP Morgan Private Bank's "Next Gen Pick" for their 2023 “Summer Reading List” to guide young executives to embrace futures thinking. 

David Frum is a writer at The Atlantic and the author of the 2018 New York Times bestseller, TRUMPOCRACY: The Corruption of the American Republic, his ninth book. In 2001-2002, he served as special assistant and speechwriter to President George W. Bush during and after the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

Frum is a recognized intellectual leader of the American conservative movement. His first book, DEAD RIGHT, was praised by William F. Buckley in 1994 as "the most refreshing ideological experience in a generation" and by Frank Rich in the New York Times as "the smartest book written from the inside about the American conservative moment." His memoir of his service in the Bush White House, THE RIGHT MAN, was a New York Times bestseller in 2003.

Frum has served as a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, as a trustee of the Republican Jewish Coalition, and as chairman of the board of trustees of Policy Exchange, the leading center-right think tank in the United Kingdom. A native of Canada, he was a driving force in the "Winds of Change" movement that reunited that country's splintered Conservative party in the early 2000s. In 2009-2012, Frum created and edited the FrumForum group website devoted to the modernization of the Republican party. More than a dozen young writers who started their careers on Frum's site have gone on to success in politics and journalism.

Frum was one of the first and foremost conservative Republicans to sound the alarm about the challenge posed by the Trump presidency to US global leadership, open international trade, and democratic institutions. His prophetic 2017 cover story in the Atlantic, "How to Build an Autocracy," has been one of the most cited of the Trump years.

Frum appears frequently on CNN, MSNBC, and the Australian, British, and Canadian Broadcasting Corporations. A profile in Esquire in December 2017 described Frum as "first among equals" in the conservative anti-Trump movement.

Frum earned a BA and MA in history at Yale, then a JD at Harvard, where he served as president of the Harvard chapter of the Federalist society. He taught history Yale in 1986-87.  Frum is now at work on his tenth book, about how to renew American world leadership after Trump.
Frum is married to Danielle Crittenden Frum, a journalist, author, and podcaster. They have three children and live in Washington DC and Wellington, Ontario.  

Amanda Lindhout is an unparalleled voice on the topics of resilience, extraordinary mindset, and transformation. After enduring 460 days as a hostage in Somalia, she has become the award-winning author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, A House in the Sky, an internationally renowned keynote speaker, and a go-to resource for leaders and teams looking to navigate the world we live in today.

Lindhout goes beyond her personal experiences to leave audiences with wisdom that can be applied to their lives and businesses and help them overcome change, uncertainty, and adversity at all levels. She has delivered over 500 keynotes in 28 countries for some of the biggest brands in the world, crafting tailored experiences that inspire leaders and organizations to achieve what they never thought possible. Her expertise is rooted in both lived experience and years of working with experts who study the impact and science of resilience to understand how we can take on any challenge that comes our way.

Lindhout’s story and writing has been featured in media around the world, including on the cover of the New York Times Magazine. Dateline NBC dedicated two full episodes to sharing her incredible experiences and her story is in the process of being retold as a four-part limited series by A24 in 2026. 

Commander Paul Smith is an accomplished leader in the Royal Canadian Navy and a decorated officer whose operational experience, leadership acumen, and dedication to service have distinguished him across the Canadian Armed Forces. He currently serves as the Commanding Officer of HMCS YORK, the largest Naval Reserve Division in Canada, where he is responsible for the leadership, mentorship, and operational readiness of a diverse and dynamic unit.

A career naval officer, Commander Smith previously commanded HMCS KINGSTON and HMCS SUMMERSIDE, two of Canada’s Kingston-class maritime coastal defence vessels. Under his leadership, these ships deployed on critical international missions, including Operation CARIBBE—Canada’s contribution to the multinational effort against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific—and Operation PROJECTION, strengthening maritime security and international cooperation in West Africa and beyond. His leadership during these missions underscored his ability to deliver operational success while navigating complex international environments and fostering multinational collaboration.

He is widely respected across the Canadian Armed Forces for his strategic thinking, calm under pressure, and ability to lead teams through complex operational challenges.
Commander Smith’s dedication and performance have been recognized through several prestigious honours. He is a recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), awarded for exceptional professionalism and leadership. He has also been invested as an Officer of the Order of Military Merit (OMM), one of Canada’s highest military honours, recognizing outstanding dedication and devotion to duty. His service medals include the Operational Service Medal, Special Service Medal, and the Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) for long and loyal service.

Beyond his deployments and honours, Commander Smith is a passionate advocate for leadership development, inclusive service, and operational excellence. He is known for his dynamic and engaging speaking style, drawing on lived experience in high-stakes environments to deliver powerful lessons on leadership, resilience, and teamwork.

As a keynote speaker, Commander Smith brings authenticity, strategic insight, and an inspiring message to audiences ranging from corporate leaders to youth, veterans, and public servants. His compelling stories and leadership philosophy resonate with anyone striving to lead with purpose, adapt to change, and build high-performing teams in today’s complex world. 

Mr. Tal is responsible for analyzing economic developments and their implications for North American fixed income, equity, foreign exchange and commodities markets. He also acts in an advisory capacity to bank officers on issues related to wealth management, household/corporate credit and risk.

Well-known for his ground-breaking published research on topics such as labour market dynamics, real estate, credit markets, international trade and business economic conditions, Mr. Tal not only contributes to the conversation, but frequently sets the agenda. He has over 25 years' experience in the private sector advising clients, industry leaders, corporate boards, trade associations, and governments on economic and financial issues.

National and global media regularly seek him out for his insight and analysis on economic issues that impact financial markets, consumers, corporations and public policy. He is also a frequent lecturer in the economics programs of various Canadian universities.

Mr. Tal is a member of the Economic Committee of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, The Economic Development Committee of the Toronto Board of Trade. He is also a member of the board of Governors of Junior Achievement of Central Ontario, and a board member of the Toronto Financial Alliance. 

Eric Termuende is the co-founder of NoW of Work, the bestselling author of Rethink Work, and a globally recognized thought leader on leadership, culture, and the future of work. His profound investigations into the DNA of the world’s most exemplary workplaces have unraveled the inner workings of exceptional leadership, and his enriching and engaging presentations provide the blueprints for building teams that are not only resilient and innovative but also forward-looking and primed for the challenges of tomorrow.

Termuende has delivered hundreds of keynotes around the world, with clients including category-leading companies like Amazon, Coca-Cola, Nationwide, IBM, Zoom, Nokia, John Deere, and Toyota, to name a few. His research and insights have also been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., and many other prominent publications, cementing his status as a thought leader whose perspectives are shaping the future of work.

Recognized as one of the “Top 100 Emerging Innovators” by American Express, Termuende’s influence extends far beyond the stage. His entrepreneurship spirit and leadership acumen have flourished in his role as co-founder of NoW of Work, a boutique firm helping to pioneer change and innovation in the workplace. This has positioned him as a pivotal figure in the collective journey towards understanding and navigating the future of work.

Termuende’s keynote programs transcend the conventional, offering a blend of entertainment, profound insights, and practical, actionable strategies. Attendees consistently laud his presentations as not only informative and enjoyable but also as catalysts for immediate, tangible change to help them excel and shape the workplace of tomorrow. 

He’s called “Electric Bill” for a reason. Bill Williams is on a mission to shock us out of our static daily routines. He is known for his unique brand of electrified methodologies for the workplace, now available to you in electric Life.

Bill’s honest, succinct, and enthusiastic approach to leadership has inspired and reshaped countless national organizations over the span of thirty years. Whether coaching an individual over Zoom, or speaking to rooms of more than a thousand delegates, Bill’s impact is equally felt. His power comes from hearing “No” and reformulating it as “Not Yet.”

Bill is the principal and president of the boutique leadership development firm, The B4 Group Inc, and the host and brand ambassador for The Art of Leadership Signature Summit / The Art of Leadership Women . Bill caters his solution-based strategies to individuals and corporations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.   

Hi! I am Cassandra.

Early on in my career, when my company was in the aftermath of a $5B acquisition, I almost quit. Fueled by frustration and stress, I found myself on the precipice of walking out of the office and never coming back. Had I done so, I would have become another statistic. Yet another African-American female departed from a STEM-driven industry. Top talent voluntarily resigning during a time of significant organizational shift. Another change victim.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I woke up one day and decided to view those feelings as a signal that I was sitting in a moment of opportunity. An opportunity to transform that chemistry, that feeling into something better. To choose every day to do something, say something, behave in some way that would move the needle of my work experience towards a better feeling. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was cultivating a teachable strategy to inspire anyone to become enthusiastic about change, to find their unique power of resilience during turbulent times.

Today, I help organizations disrupt “change as usual”. Through a practical and repeatable framework, I show them how they can transform their culture from surviving change to growing through change.