Opening remarks from our chairperson. This opening session sets the tone for the day ahead, framing the conversations, themes and questions that will run through every session.

What if the biggest driver of revenue isn’t strategy, systems, or headcount — but the conversations leaders avoid? In this session, Kishorn Henry, a 17-year HR veteran and VP-level HR Business Partner at M&T Bank, challenges the gap between people strategy and business performance. With experience across Pinterest, Gusto, and Booking.com, Kishorn brings a rare lens on how truth-telling inside organizations directly shapes outcomes outside them. This session explores what changes when HR stops avoiding friction and starts using it through candid conversations and clearer accountability. Discover how a sharper link between people decisions and commercial outcomes can materially improve business performance. Key Takeaways: - A practical framework for closing the gap between HR initiatives and business outcomes, so your organization stops rowing in opposite directions. - Why retaining underrepresented talent isn't a tick-box exercise, and how values-driven cultures outperform those that don't walk the talk. - How direct, uncomfortable conversations aren't a culture risk, they're a growth strategy tied directly to your bottom line.

A chance to reflect on the day's learnings before the event wraps up.