Business Transition Forum 2026
Business Transition Forum 2026 takes place on 18 November 2026 at Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver. It is organised by Cube Business Media, and B2DB lists 40 speakers and 13 sessions announced so far.
The 12th annual Business Transitions Forum is a one-day conference for business owners and entrepreneurs on growth, business value and transition planning, including M&A, succession and exit planning. It takes place on November 18, 2026 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, with keynotes, panels and fireside chats, and is produced by Cube Business Media Inc.
Key facts
| Dates | 18 November 2026 (upcoming) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, Canada |
| Organiser | Cube Business Media |
| Series | Business Transition Forum |
| Speakers | 40 |
| Sessions | 13 |
| Stages | Plenary, Breakout |
| Sponsors | 20 |
| Official site | businesstransitionsforum.com/vancouver/program |
Speakers (40)
Compiled from the published agenda; speakers can claim and verify their own entry.
- Jack Dallaire Principal, SeaFort Capital Inc.
- Emma Richmond Chair, TEC Canada
- Natalie Michael CEO, Next Chapter, Transitions & Talent Succession
- Aurèle Courcelles Vice-president, IG Wealth Management
- Don Montgomery Principal & Sr. M&A Advisor, True North Mergers & Acquisitions
- Emily Savage Principal (Partner) - M&A and Business Law, Miller Titerle + Company
- Simone Brunton Partner, Transactions, Doane Grant Thornton LLP
- Tobin Hayward Managing Director, Roynat Capital
- Tyler Weese Managing Director, Private Equity Sponsor Coverage at Scotiabank
- Axel Christiansen Partner, Fort Capital Partners
- Kimberly Burns Partner and Business Lawyer, Dentons
- Stuart McConnachie Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
- Meghan Watson Vice President, Culture and Strategy Execution, Kicking Horse Coffee
- Phil Jewell Founder, Impact Leadership & The Irrelevant Leader
- Ashish Utarid Assistant Vice-President - Investment Strategy, IG Wealth Management
- Adrian Fluevog CEO, John Fluevog Shoes
- Chad Stewart Director, BDC Capital
- Chris Louis Director, M42 Partners
- Colin White President & CEO, Verecan
- Dale Lutz Co-Founder
- Duane Hepditch Founder, Pulse Hotel GMS
- Elizabeth Nolin Director of EOT Design & Implementation, Rewrite Capital Advisors
- Ernest Wyder Senior Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager, CG Wealth Management & Business Owner Solutions Group
- Geoff Bell Entrepreneur | Technology | Climate Solutions | Tourism
- Ivan Chan Chief Financial Officer, Kandor Management Corporation
- Jalal Jetha Managing Partner, Cascadia Equity Partners
- Jamie B. Schwitzer Chief Investment Officer, Westcap Mgt. Ltd.
- Jeff Linner Partner, Chief Investment Officer, PFM Capital Inc.
- Jessica Cullen Owner & Chief Ecosystem Officer - CEO, Dynamic Rescue Systems Inc
- Ji Yoon President & CEO, Canstar Group of Companies
- Justin McElhone Owner & Operator, Automotive Dealerships
- Karl Sigerist Author, Selling Your Canadian Business
- Kristina Williams Chief Executive Officer, Alberta Enterprise Corporation (AEC)
- Mackenzie Regent Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Kalos
- Matthew Latimer Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, ACT Capital Advisors
- Michael Matrick Senior Vice President of Sales, Canada, Improving
- Pauline Marshall President, CBIG
- Prentice Durbin Partner, Harper Grey LLP
- Ryan Volberg Founder & CEO, Guestologie
- William Donnellan President & CEO, IRL Construction Ltd.
Agenda (13 sessions)
Day 1 — Wednesday 18 November 2026
- Welcome & Forum Overview By Conference Chair 08:00–08:10 · Plenary — Natalie Michael
- Economic Intelligence: The 18-Month Window Shaping Your Exit Options 08:10–08:40 · Plenary — Ashish Utarid
- M&A Reality Check: What’s Actually Happening in the Deal Market and What It Means for You 08:40–09:20 · Plenary — Kimberly Burns, Ji Yoon
- The Growth Playbook: Build to Sell or Build to Keep? 09:20–10:00 · Plenary — Tobin Hayward, Mackenzie Regent, Ryan Volberg
- Selling A Business 101: The Who, When, What, How — and Why 10:45–11:45 · Breakout — Emily Savage, Jalal Jetha, Karl Sigerist, Pauline Marshall
- Mastering Business Acquisitions: The Serial Acquirer Playbook 10:45–11:45 · Breakout — Jack Dallaire, Chad Stewart, Ivan Chan, William Donnellan
- The Human Edge: How People and Culture Drive Enterprise Value 10:45–11:45 · Breakout — Emma Richmond, Meghan Watson, Adrian Fluevog, Colin White +1 more
- The Irrelevant Leader: How to Build a Business That Thrives Without You 12:40–13:15 · Plenary — Phil Jewell
- Cash Out Or Partner Up? Finding The Right Liquidity Strategy 13:25–14:15 · Breakout — Aurèle Courcelles, Elizabeth Nolin, Jamie B. Schwitzer, Justin McElhone
- Attract, Impress, Exit: Building a Buyer Ready Business 13:25–14:15 · Breakout — Tyler Weese, Axel Christiansen, Stuart McConnachie, Duane Hepditch +1 more
- Death by Due Diligence: The Mistakes That Kill Deals and How to Avoid Them 13:25–14:15 · Breakout — Simone Brunton, Geoff Bell, Prentice Durbin
- The Deal Tank: One Company, Three Buyers, Only One Wins 14:40–15:30 · Plenary — Don Montgomery, Chris Louis, Jeff Linner, Jessica Cullen
- Sold! Now What? The Deals, the Lessons, and the Letting Go 15:30–16:15 · Plenary — Natalie Michael, Dale Lutz, Kristina Williams, Michael Matrick
Organisers, sponsors and partners
Organiser (1)
Sponsors (20)
BDC · SeaFort Capital · The Shaughnessy Group · True North Mergers & Acquisitions · Harper Grey LLP · Westcap Mgt. Ltd. · Fort Capital · Kalos Transaction Advisory · ACT Capital Advisors · National Bank · Cascadia Equity Partners · Air Canada · Employee Ownership Canada · IG Wealth Management · Verecan · Roynat Capital · Miller Titerle + Company · Decisive Dividend Corporation · PFM Capital Inc. · dentons
Media Partner (1)
Supporting Partners (2)
Family Enterprise Canada · Vistage
Source: the published agenda. See how B2DB compiles its records.