09/04/2026
The first full day of the hosted by
Lavery in Montréal brought together business leaders, policymakers, academics, and legal professionals to explore issues shaping today's global economy.
The program began with a panel on The Geopolitics of the North & Critical Minerals, moderated by André Vautour of Lavery, featuring Killian Charles, CEO of Brunswick Exploration Inc., and Dr. Timothy Naftali of Columbia SIPA. The discussion explored how climate change, critical minerals, sovereignty concerns, and growing global competition are reshaping the Arctic and the future of the North.
The conversation shifted to Infrastructure, Energy Transition and Collaborative Projects, where David Tournier of Lavery led a discussion with Éric Lachance of Énergir; Alex Petre of Deep Sky; and Dominique Anglade of HEC Montréal. Panelists examined resilient infrastructure models and the regulatory, climate, and liability challenges of the energy transition.
During lunch, attendees heard from Alexandre Lagarde of Montréal International and Véronique Proulx of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, moderated by Selena Lu of Lavery, exploring Montréal and Québec's growing role as a global investment destination, driven by strengths in AI, clean technology, advanced manufacturing, and renewable energy.
The afternoon continued with AI Strategy: Build or Buy? Rethinking AI Governance, Trust and Control, moderated by Benoit Yelle of Lavery, featuring Sophie Fallaha of CEIMIA, Loïc Berdnikoff of Lavery, and Alejandro Padín of Garrigues, exploring whether organizations should build proprietary AI platforms or adopt commercial solutions, while addressing governance, trust, and control.
The day concluded with The Shift of Value Towards Intangibles in M&A, moderated by Selena Lu of Lavery, with Raimondo Premonte of Gianni & Origoni, Steven Wang of MinterEllison, and Heather Buchta of Quarles & Brady exploring how intangible assets, Manufacturing 4.0 technologies, and AI are shaping transaction strategy, valuation, and corporate value.
Following the program, WSG members gathered at Cirque Éloize at Montréal's historic Dalhousie Station in Old Montréal for an immersive dinner, live circus performances, and dancing — a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues from around the world.
