WHAT IF A BUSINESS CONFERENCE DID MORE?N
More meaningful connections
More strategic tools
More interaction and immersion
More industry development
JUNE 18-20
THE POMEROY KANANASKIS MOUNTAIN LODGE
In this era of technology advancement and disruption conferences, retreats and those who attend, need to think differently. It’s time we disrupt ourselves. With 55 North, business leaders
get an exclusive wealth of benefits with unique experiences and genuine professional relationships that further business successes. Designed as an immersive and interactive exercise in
focused industry themes, the 55 North conference hand selects key business leaders, organizations, entrepreneurs and sponsors who will add to and gain experience from the event.
Encouraging Growth
The conference focuses on pushing industry to look at the way they do business differently by embracing disruption in whole new ways. Shawn Kanungo, a Partner of Queen & Rook Capital, will act as a keynote speaker at the 2018 conference and will bring his personal experiences and creative spin to the idea of growth, disruption and business.
Described as operating “at the intersection of creativity, business and technology,” Kanungo embodies much of what the conference stands for: a tool to bring together business leaders to create better, positive growth throughout Canada. Strategy in a World of Disruption Strategy in a World of Disruption, Kanungo’s keynote presentation, focuses on what it means to have technology disrupting business. The presentation will focus on creating opportunity out of disruption. Not just as new technology innovations, but as a way to broaden customer experiences and update business models to reflect a changing economy and society.
Thinking Beyond Technology
One of the most exciting and relevant viewpoints Kanungo brings to the conference is the idea that we need to think beyond technology. “With the democratization of technology, technology is no longer a way to differentiate your business. If you aren’t already using it, you are way behind.” As elements like crowdsourcing, open source software and cloud computing become more commonplace throughout the private and industrial sectors, having this technology simply isn’t enough of a way to keep your business relevant. Kanungo stresses the idea that companies must employ creativity and mix up traditional business models to stay relevant and to be competitive among peers who have similar tools and advantages. Instead of simply integrating new technology, companies must learn and develop ways of using it to improve customer experience and bring together team members from different sections of the business. They must also build areas of research
and development to foster their own growth.
WHAT IF A BUSINESS CONFERENCE DID MORE?
More meaningful connections
More strategic tools
More interaction and immersion
More industry development
Mitigating Threats to Traditional Companies
While much of Kanungo’s message is relevant to all businesses, it is especially important for established companies. “Established organizations are the most vulnerable to disruption because they get caught up in their business model and structure and forget to actually use technology to innovate.” Kanungo goes on to say these large, traditional companies are not kept from this by the great minds that they hire. Despite employing the best and brightest, the strict adherence to old business models keeps the company from changing and moving forward. Overturning this lack of meaningful disruption is one of the goals of the 55 North Conference and keynote speakers like Kanungo.
Going Big by Starting Small
Kanungo drives home the point about the importance of using disruptive technologies and applications in a thoughtful way, putting emphasis on “mission-driven” strategies that bring together teams across the company. When asked about how companies should get started with disruption, Kanungo said “The best way to deal with disruption is to experiment with it, to start with small teams, small sprints, small problems. The best companies in the world deal with disruption not by coming up with an amazing strategy to upend a particular market but by starting with something small at the edge of their business. This is the fastest and safest way to deal with disruption…” Staying Local, Thinking Globally As a native to Edmonton, Kanungo has a personal connection to the city and province. Not only did he grow up in the area, but plans to raise his children here. As a longtime resident, he knows the strengths of the city, and what needs improvement. Though Edmonton has a superior AI research reputation, success on the industrial side has not followed, which has made it difficult to impossible to compete globally.
After hearing about the “unbelievable… and immersive” experience that 55 North provided, Kanungo got involved knowing it could serve as a way to bring awareness to the importance disruptive technology will play in the future of the country. He believes in creating a future beyond what the oil industry provided Canada with in the past. It’s time to “build upon our strength, new markets, new industries and become relevant.”
2018 Conference
For the last three years, 55 North has received an average rating of 9/10 by participants and sponsors. Produced by Foundry Conferences & Events, 55 North also recently won a global award for best “Business Conference” by ILEA, an international live event association. 55 North attributes this to their goal of bringing delegates out of your traditional conference room and building unique experiences that focus on relationship building. With innovation at its helm, it is easy to say that 55 North is disrupting its own industry by being different.
Shawn Kanungo will be joined by a host of exciting presenters and speakers at this year’s conference which will be held June 18-20 at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. Semi-exclusive with an invitation only guest list, the conference offers additional information about their speakers and mission on their website, 55north.ca.
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