Keynotes
Chris Hadfield
Astronaut, Business Leader, Tech Entrepreneur, and Bestselling Author
Wednesday, September 10, 10:00am-11:00am
Book Signing: Noon-1:00pm
Colonel Chris Hadfield is an astronaut, business leader, hi-tech entrepreneur, five-time bestselling author, and global speaker on leadership, change, and managing life. Having commanded the International Space Station and directed companies, he has deep experience with best practices and tactics on guiding teams through extreme circumstances of complexity and change, while also recognizing the importance of sharing the marvels and wonders of science and spaceflight.
Formerly NASA’s Director of Operations in Russia, Hadfield spent more than three decades serving the military, NASA, and the Canadian Space Agency. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been a fighter/test pilot, flown three space missions, built two space stations, performed two spacewalks, crewed the Shuttle and Soyuz, and commanded the International Space Station. His many awards include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Cross (twice), and the Order of Canada.
Today, Hadfield serves as a director and advisor to multiple tech companies, including SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo, chair of the Open Lunar Foundation, and is assisting King Charles III with space business practices for the Sustainable Markets Initiative. Hadfield also co-founded the Space Stream at the Creative Destruction Lab tech incubator, which has created $1.6 billion of new business equity value in the past five years.
Hadfield’s keynote presentations have been called “an astonishing display of visual storytelling” by Harvard Business Review, and his TED talk, “What I Learned From Going Blind in Space,” has been viewed over 20 million times. He is frequently featured on national and global media outlets, has taught a MasterClass, and is the co-creator and host of the internationally acclaimed BBC series, “Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?” as well as co-host of National Geographic’s “One Strange Rock” documentary series.
Hadfield is the author of five internationally bestselling books: two non-fiction works, “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth” and “You Are Here”; a children’s book, “The Darkest Dark,” which has been adapted as an award-winning stage play for young audiences; and two fiction books, “The Defector” and “The Apollo Murders,” now under contract to become a television series. His third book in the Apollo Murders series, “Final Orbit,” will be released in October 2025. A musician, Hadfield has also released an album called “Space Sessions: Songs From a Tin Can.” It is the first album to be recorded in space and includes the video version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” that has been seen over 50 million times.
Keith Pelley
President and CEO, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
Thursday, September 11, 9:00am-10:00am
Keith Pelley is a sports and media executive renowned for driving innovation, expanding audiences, and transforming the fan experience.
As President & Chief Executive Officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), Pelley leads one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment companies. MLSE owns the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA), Toronto FC (MLS), Toronto Argonauts (CFL), Toronto Marlies (AHL), Raptors 905 (NBA G-League) and Toronto FC II (MLS Next Pro), hosting more than 3.8 million fans at its venues each year.
In addition to its sports franchises, MLSE’s LIVE division has established Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena as one of the leading music and entertainment venues in the world. The organization’s charitable arm, MLSE Foundation, has invested more than $65 million to support the community over the last 15 years and has impacted more than 30,000 youth annually through community programs.
Pelley joined MLSE following his role as CEO of the European Tour Group. Under Pelley’s leadership, the European Tour Group introduced the Rolex Series, secured DP World as title sponsor, launched the G4D Tour for golfers with disabilities, and pioneered mixed-gender events. He also led the Tour through the pandemic, delivered record-breaking Ryder Cups in Paris and Rome, and forged key alliances with the PGA TOUR and other global tours to better align the sport worldwide. Pelley also held the role of Chairman of the International Golf Federation.
Prior to joining the European Tour Group, Pelley served as President of Rogers Media from 2010 to 2015 where he was responsible for leading the overall operations of the company’s diverse portfolio including television, radio, publishing, digital media, The Shopping Channel, subscription-based content services, the Toronto Blue Jays and Rogers Centre. During his tenure, Pelley led the effort to secure the company’s groundbreaking 12-year broadcast and media rights deal with the NHL.
From 2007 to 2010, Pelley was Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning at CTVglobemedia and President of Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, where he led Rogers’ and CTV’s unprecedented coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, delivering the fifth most-watched event in Canadian television history.
Pelley served as President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts from 2004 to 2007, winning the Grey Cup in his first season with the club, following his role as President of The Sports Network (TSN), the company he first joined in 1986. In 1994, Pelley left TSN for FOX, where he worked as a game producer for the NFL, NFL Europe, NHL, and MLB, returning to TSN in 1997 as Senior Vice-President of Programming & Production. Pelley was appointed President of TSN in 2001.
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