Canada’s economy faces many challenges and entrepreneurship is a crucial component of its future prosperity. This calls for the contribution of all entrepreneurs and of all their talents – tasks that directly align with BDC’s development role. Join Canadian Club Toronto on September 19 when BDC President & CEO, Isabelle Hudon, will look back at the past two years and at the impact that her organization has had with entrepreneurs across the country, and discuss how these achievements are now paving the way for even bolder ambitions. After her remarks, Ms. Hudon will be joined in conversation by Amanda Lang, Host of Taking Stock, Bell Media.
*For virtual attendees, please note that the live stream will begin at approximately 12:40pm ET & the link will be provided closer to the event date*
Isabelle Hudon
President & CEO, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Recognized as a mobilizing leader with a keen sense of strategy, Isabelle Hudon has systematically brought an ambitious and resolutely action-oriented vision to all of the organizations she has led. She was appointed President and CEO of BDC in August 2021, after serving as Ambassador of Canada to France and Monaco for four years and holding the positions of President and CEO (Quebec) and Senior Vice President (Canada) of Sun Life Financial.
Since joining BDC, Ms. Hudon has dedicated herself to putting the ‘D’ in BDC at the forefront of the activities and priorities of her 2,500 fellow colleagues. Driven by a strong desire to increase the organization’s contribution to the country’s development through its entrepreneurs, she is accelerating the deployment of multiple initiatives across BDC that will enable the organization to increase its impact and contribute to fair, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
In addition to her duties at BDC, Ms. Hudon has served as the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Canada for La Francophonie since 2017 and is the co-founder of The A Effect and co-chair of the Ordre de Montréal’s Council. She previously sat on the boards of directors of Hydro-Quebec, Groupe Marcelle, Holt Renfrew and the Canada Council for the Arts.
In 2021, Ms. Hudon received the insignia of the Commander of the Legion of Honour from the French government. She has also been honoured with the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec for her commitment to the cause of women’s ambition and received the insignia of the Ordre de la Pléiade from the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie for her contribution to the vitality of the Francophonie. Ms. Hudon was also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contribution to culture in Canada and was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Law by Concordia University.
Amanda Lang
Host, Taking Stock, Bell Media
Award-winning business journalist Amanda Lang has been covering business in North America for 25 years. Lang is the host of Taking Stock, a weekly national television program airing across multiple Bell Media networks including BNN Bloomberg, CP24 and CTV News Channel. Taking Stock also airs as a weekly podcast and on the iHeart radio network. She was previously host of Bloomberg Markets, a global program airing in Canada on BNN Bloomberg and on the Bloomberg Television network globally. Prior to that, Lang was CBC’s senior business correspondent, reporting for its flagship nightly news program, The National, and host of The Exchange with Amanda Lang, a daily business program airing on CBC News Network. For five years before that Lang hosted The Lang and O’Leary Exchange, with Kevin O’Leary. And prior to that the pair co-hosted SqueezePlay, on BNN, for 6 years.
Lang studied Architecture at the University of Manitoba, before becoming a journalist. Her first job in journalism was for the Globe and Mail, and subsequently Lang joined the Financial Post newspaper, where she became the paper’s New York correspondent. In New York she made the leap to television, where she first was part of the team that launched BNN and before long wound up at CNN as a reporter and anchor.
Lang is a senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Lang is chair of the board of directors of Covenant House Toronto, the largest agency in Canada serving homeless and at-risk youth.
Lang is also a best-selling author. “The Power of Why,” (HarperCollins, October 2012) explores the connection between curiosity and success. “The Beauty of Discomfort” (HarperCollins, April 2017) examines how difficult change can be, and set out strategies for how to achieve it.
