iTalk XIII

About the event

It’s undeniable; businesses are experiencing a cultural shift, as it encourages entrepreneurs to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges. Every day we hear more stories about the power of business to be a force for good. It’s no longer enough for an enterprise to earn a good profit. There’s a growing expectation that it will contribute to society and to a sustainable future.

Philanthropic and government resources alone won’t be sufficient to address today’s greatest challenges.  Communities around the world will need committed entrepreneurs and investors to help drive the next wave of great social change and environmental conservation. Only through collective action can society build forward better from the global pandemic and become more resilient on a trajectory to achieve the SDGs.

In collaboration with United Nations Global Compact, Impact 17+1 club is pleased to invite impactors from across the world to iTalk XIII and honored that for this event, we will welcome Angus Rennie, from United Nations Global Compact as our keynote speaker.

Keynote Topic: Together Through The Power of Collective Action

Keynote Speaker: Angus Rennie, Private Sector Officer, United Nations Global Compact

Following the keynote address, 10 speakers are invited to share 60 seconds of their impact stories during the ‘iTalk 60seconds’ session on “What does impact mean to you?”

If you would like to speak during the iTalk 60 seconds session and share your impact vision, stories and actions, you can choose to register under the category ‘iTalk 60s Speaker’.

AGENDA

Introduction

12:00 – 12:05 – Erol Sami Guvener, Board Member, Head of Strategy and Social Purpose, The Salon

Keynote Speech

12:05 – 12:20 – “Together through the Power of Collective Action”

Angus Rennie, Private Sector Officer, United Nations Global Compact

12:20 – 12:30 – Q&A- Moderated by Erol Sami Guvener, Board Member, Head of Strategy and Social Purpose, The Salon

iTalk 60seconds

Moderator: Robin Titus, Global Strategic Alliances & Partnerships, The Salon

12:30 – 12:45 - iTalk 60seconds, Speakers

12:45 – 12:55 - Q&A

Summary & closing remarks

12:55 – 13:00 – Bo JI, Assistant Dean & Chief Rep. for Europe, CKGSB; Co-Founder, Impact 17+1 Club

13:00- 13:30 – Impact Cafe

SPEAKER PROFILES

Keynote Speaker: Angus Rennie, Private Sector Officer, United Nations Global Compact

Angus is passionate about bringing the United Nations and business together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – to leave the planet in better shape for future generations.

Throughout his purpose-driven career, he has worked to create impact as a writer, a strategist, a relationship-builder and someone who strives to speak truth to power. His path has included work as a political advisor and a Canadian lawyer before beginning a career in service of the United Nations advocating for more responsible, ethical, and principled business practices.

Angus arrived in New York in 2014 to start a journey he continues to this day with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the UN’s flagship corporate sustainability initiative. Founded twenty years ago, UNGC began when then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan challenged the private sector to embrace UN values. It has since grown into a global initiative involving over 12,000 companies worldwide committed to improving their responsible and sustainable business practices.

In addition to working with UN Global Compact companies to promote partnerships between companies and the UN, Angus has led a variety of UN system-wide activities aimed at strengthening the UN’s ability to engage the private sector and promote responsible business practices. He is an expert on cross-sector partnerships and a frequent presenter and workshop facilitator for a variety of global audiences.

Since 2020 Angus has been on a special joint assignment with the UN Development Coordination Office, supporting UN Resident Coordinators and Country teams to better engage the private sector at the national level.

Angus has experience practicing corporate and commercial law, civil litigation, criminal defence and international criminal law. Before being called to the Bar, Angus served as a Special Assistant to the Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons during a period when Canada’s Parliament was experiencing its first minority government in over 25 years. Before legal studies, he was a Policy Analyst at the Legislature of Ontario, where he worked for the McGuinty Government which phased out all coal-fired energy generation - an act of climate leadership which was controversial at the time, but which continues to yield positive health and environmental dividends. Angus has also been an advisor and organizer on numerous Canadian political campaigns.

Angus is a graduate of the McGill University Faculty of Law and Ottawa’s Carleton University Kroeger College of Public Affairs.

Co-Host: Metin Guvener, Founding Chairman of The Salon; Co-Founder, Impact 17+1 Club

Metin has evolved throughout his career creating and adding value in accordance with his self-reflective, philosophical, entrepreneurial and philanthropic values. He believes reflection brings realisation, which in turn creates transformation and a powerful resonance within ourselves and our interaction with others. That is, if we have the right tools available to us in our toolbox.

Metin has had an illustrious career integrating value as a founder, co-founder and investor through boutique platforms in financial services, real estate, private equity, hospitality, asset management and thought leadership.

Passionately connecting visions and enabling missions, Metin brings people together to innovate and appreciate heritage and succession.

As becomes evident in time, increased awareness positively correlates to our appreciation of how little it is we “know for certain”. As such, collaboration is necessary to pool our collective perspectives and resources. The Salon is founded on our mutual ability for empowerment based on increasing awareness and broadening horizons through innovative and authentic collaboration.

Carrying this spirit with him, Metin continues to participate as a panel speaker on:

· The Salon | Leadership Circle

· The FT Wealth Summit

· KPMG Family Office Network

· The Horasis Global Community

· Camden Wealth

· Prestel & Partner

Co-Host: Bo JI, Assistant Dean & Chief Rep. for Europe, CKGSB; Co-Founder, Impact 17+1 Club

Bo JI is currently the Assistant Dean of Global Executive Education & Chief Representative for Europe at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB). Bo had an over-20-year successful business career in Global Business Development, Innovation, Strategy, Supply Chain Management, M&A, etc. He served as the senior executive at the headquarters of many Fortune 500 companies such as Monsanto, Cargill, Pfizer, Wrigley and Mars. After a long corporate life, Bo became a serial entrepreneur and investor, he is also an inspiring TEDx speaker, a China expert and an advocate of EU-China trade. Combining his extensive business experiences and in-depth knowledge, Bo serves as a mentor & advisor to startups and scaleups at incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces around the world. Meanwhile, he is a well sought inspiring speaker at renowned international conferences, forums, TV media and annual corporate meetings.