In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Drew Fagan, professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Fulbright visiting professor at Yale, and former senior government leader. Together, they explore why geopolitical fluency is no longer optional for corporate boards.

From shifting U.S.–Canada trade relations to the rise of China, and from national security concerns to AI’s role in global power structures, Fagan unpacks how directors can ask smarter questions, strengthen oversight, and adapt to a rapidly changing global order.

Be It Resolved: It Is the Board’s Job to Be Fluent in Geopolitics. Which Way Will You Vote?

For more information on the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, please visit: https://munkschool.utoronto.ca.

For more information on the ICD, please visit our website: https://www.icd.ca/

Over the past few decades, there has been a significant transformation in how and where business value is created. In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj speaks with Drew Schardt, Co-Head of Direct Equity Investments at Hamilton Lane.

This episode explores the rise of private markets and the shifting role of the public company model in Canada’s economic landscape. Together, they explore the structural realities of Canadian capital markets, the growing appeal of staying private longer, and how Canadian companies are navigating global trade tensions, supply chain dependencies, and investor expectations.

The conversation also looks at how private companies structure compensation, build agile governance models, and create long-term value while maintaining transparency and trust in the absence of quarterly earnings pressure. From board composition and capital strategy to talent attraction and cross-border expansion, this episode offers key insights into why more Canadian businesses are rethinking the traditional path to going public—and what it means for boards, shareholders, and the broader economy.

Be it resolved: The public company model no longer serves Canadian business—

When the pressure is on, which way will YOU vote?

For more information on Hamilton Lane, visit:

https://www.hamiltonlane.com/en-us

For more information on the ICD, visit:

https://www.icd.ca/

Trust in business is no longer a soft skill—it’s a strategic imperative. In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj sits down with Bruce
MacLellan, Founding President of the communications consultancy Proof Strategies, and Kathleen McGinn, co-founder of TrustLab. This discussion explores why trust is not just the foundation of strong relationships but the lifeblood of effective corporate governance, culture,
and performance.
From the boardroom to the front lines, today’s leaders must understand what truly drives trust—and how to build it. Bruce and Kathleen unpack a working definition of trust grounded in vulnerability and introduce the ABI framework—Ability, Benevolence, and Integrity—as a practical lens for leadership.
Together, they examine why trust must be built from the inside out, how it can be measured, and what happens when it breaks down. Learn how trust reduces friction, strengthens collaboration, and enables better decision-making—because when trust is strong, organizations thrive. When it’s not, everything is at risk.

Be it resolved: Trust is a zero-sum game—when the pressure is on, which way will YOU vote?

For more information on Proof Strategies, please visit their website: https://getproof.com/.

For more information on the Institute of Corporate Directors, please visit the ICD website:
https://www.icd.ca/.