Welcome to
the Canadian Club
of Montreal
For more than 120 years, the Canadian Club of Montreal has been the preferred platform for CEOs and influential leaders shaping the business world. Through more than 20 events each year, attracting an average attendance of nearly 500 guests, the Club provides a prestigious and open forum for distinguished speakers.
Presented in chronological order, this guide will support you throughout the preparation of your event with the Canadian Club. It brings together key information, outlines what will be required at each stage, and presents the various event formats available. You retain complete editorial independence and are free to choose the format that best suits your message.
Our shared goal is to create a relevant, engaging, and memorable experience for both speakers and participants in the room.
Event Promotion
As soon as your CEO’s participation is confirmed, our team will prepare the announcement and launch your event online. To begin promoting it as quickly as possible, we will need the following materials.
Information to Provide First |
These elements will allow us to prepare the first communications announcing your participation. |
Additional Information |
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To complete the event page, please provide the following information in both French and English:
Our team can assist you in drafting or refining the title and description to ensure they accurately reflect your message while appealing to the business community. |
Event Promotion
The Canadian Club will implement a communications campaign to promote the conference among its members and the broader business community.
This campaign will include:
- The creation and publication of the event page
- Email marketing campaigns sent to our network of 18,000 contacts
- Posts and promotion on LinkedIn
- Visibility for your participation through various media outlets, including La Presse, Les Affaires, and Revue Gestion
Mobilizing Your Network |
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The involvement of your team will directly contribute to the success and visibility of the event. We encourage you to share the announcement through your social media channels and invite your employees, partners, clients, and business contacts to attend. To support your outreach efforts, our team can provide:
By working together, we can attract a large, relevant, and engaged audience. |
Your Experience on Stage
Your CEO will have 35 minutes on stage to share their vision, experience, and key initiatives. You retain complete editorial freedom and may choose the format and language that best suit the speaker.
Whether it is a keynote address, a one-on-one conversation, a hybrid format, or another approach, our team is happy to explore with you an experience tailored to your content, personality, and desired impact.
Available Formats
Your appearance on stage can take different forms or combine several formats:
Keynote Address |
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Share your vision directly with the audience, either from the podium or by moving freely across the stage. A note of caution: In many cases, information about the organization presented at the beginning of a speech is already well known to the audience. We recommend keeping this section brief and focusing instead on insights, ideas, and perspectives that will have greater impact. |
Interview Format |
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Engage in a conversation with a moderator who will guide the discussion and help explore the topics that matter most. The interview may be conducted by:
If you prefer the interview format, you may choose from the individuals recommended by the Canadian Club, whose services are provided at no additional cost, or invite someone from your own network to serve as moderator. Please note that if you choose the latter option, any professional fees associated with that person’s participation will be your responsibility. |
Audience Q&A |
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We use Slido to collect questions during the event and, if desired, in the days leading up to it. All submitted questions will be reviewed by a member of your team who will be present at the technical control room. You will also be asked to provide three opening questions to help encourage audience participation. Depending on the format selected, the moderator or master of ceremonies will facilitate the Q&A session on stage together with the speaker. |
Hybrid Format
You may combine any two of the three formats presented above, depending on your preferences. For example, you may choose: a keynote address followed by an interview, a keynote address followed by an audience Q&A session using Slido, an interview followed by an audience Q&A session.
Please note that a minimum of 10 minutes is required for each segment.
Making Your Event Memorable
Engage the Audience with Live Polling
Using Slido, you can also conduct live polls during the event and display the results on screen in real time. Participants particularly enjoy interactive moments that allow them to engage using their mobile phones.
A Special Touch for
Your Audience
Some speakers choose to enhance the audience experience by offering small extras that make the event even more memorable. Examples include draws for tickets to a sporting event, cheese tastings, promotional gifts, or other thoughtful gestures that create a more engaging and enjoyable experience.
Additional Information |
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We recommend keeping the introductory overview of your organization brief, focusing on a few key statistics or highlights. This approach allows more time to explore the challenges facing your sector, the solutions being advanced by innovative organizations, and your personal perspective on the business landscape. On several occasions, we have invited members of our Board of Directors to submit questions or topics they would like the speaker to address. This approach has proven highly valuable for speakers, as it helps shape the discussion around issues that generate genuine interest within our community. Language: However, we recommend choosing the language in which the speaker is most comfortable. Bilingual presentations are also welcome. For the benefit of our members, the language of the presentation will be indicated on the event page of our website. |
Required Actions |
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Canadian Club
Moderators
If you prefer the interview format, you may choose from the moderators recommended by the Canadian Club, whose services are provided at no additional cost, or invite someone from your own network to serve as moderator. Please note that if you choose the latter option, any professional fees associated with that individual will be your responsibility.
Logistics
As the event approaches, the Canadian Club team will coordinate with you on the final details required to ensure a seamless and successful experience.
You will have the option of displaying a PowerPoint presentation and/or video content on the venue screens.
We also provide:
- A timer positioned in front of the stage to help the speaker keep track of the remaining time
- A choice of microphones: podium microphone, handheld microphone, or headset microphone
- A confidence monitor located in front of the stage displaying the same content shown on the main screens for the audience
- A teleprompter:
- If you would like to use this option, it is essential that you notify us at least three weeks prior to the event so that we can arrange for a dedicated teleprompter operator. The final version of the speech must be submitted in Word format no later than three business days before the event. Please note that the document should not contain bold, underlined, or highlighted text. Instead, any words you wish to emphasize should be written in ALL CAPS.
The speaker is encouraged to test the teleprompter on the day of the event, at approximately 11:00 a.m. If desired, a remote rehearsal can also be arranged in advance to allow the speaker to become familiar with the pacing and scrolling of the text.
- If you would like to use this option, it is essential that you notify us at least three weeks prior to the event so that we can arrange for a dedicated teleprompter operator. The final version of the speech must be submitted in Word format no later than three business days before the event. Please note that the document should not contain bold, underlined, or highlighted text. Instead, any words you wish to emphasize should be written in ALL CAPS.
The Canadian Club of Montreal invites you to nominate 5 to 9 guests from your network to join the head table, along with 3 alternates in the event of cancellations. An Excel file will be provided for you to complete with the necessary information for your guests. The Canadian Club will handle the invitation process.
Guests may include business partners, clients, colleagues, a representative of the organization benefiting from your charitable contribution, or members of your board of directors. They will join Canadian Club guests to form a head table of approximately 15 to 20 attendees.
For any questions regarding the head table, please contact Claire Cerceau (ccerceau@cerclecanadien-montreal.ca).
Required Action
Please provide the names, titles, and email addresses of the individuals you would like to invite, as well as the contact information for their executive assistants, ideally 7 weeks prior to the event to maximize the likelihood of their availability.
The VIP Cocktail brings together members of the Canadian Club’s Board of Directors, Governor members, and guests seated at the head table. You may invite up to 10 people from your network who are already registered for the event, including a maximum of 5 individuals from your organization.
Please note that VIP Lounge access is limited to invitees on the official guest list.
Required Action:
Submit the names of your invited guests to Louise Ferland no later than three days before the event.
The safety of speakers and attendees is a priority and an essential part of delivering a successful high-profile event. Any concerns regarding individuals or groups that may potentially disrupt the event should be communicated to us as early as possible.
Based on the assessed level of risk, the Canadian Club may work with a specialized security firm to ensure a professional, discreet, and reassuring security presence on the day of the event.
Our objective is to provide a safe and professional environment that allows everyone to fully enjoy the experience.
Required Action : Please notify us of any security concerns at least two weeks before the event.
The Canadian Club covers the cost of attendance for guests seated at the head table, as well as for one member of your communications team seated at the media table.
You are responsible for reserving seats for individuals from your organization and any partners you wish to invite to your table(s). Registrations are completed directly through the event page on our website.
For any questions regarding ticket purchases, please contact Anne Maurer at amaurer@cerclecanadien-montreal.ca.
Required Action: Please reserve your seats no later than three business days before the event.
The Canadian Club welcomes members of the media who wish to attend the event, and a media advisory will be distributed via email to a targeted press list. Upon request, the VIP Lounge may be reserved to allow the speaker to participate in a media Q&A following the conference.
Any questions regarding media relations should be directed to Anne Maurer at amaurer@cerclecanadien-montreal.ca.
Required Action: Please inform the Canadian Club at least three business days before the event whether the speaker will be available to answer media questions following the conference.
A brand-new feature this year!
During lunch, we will showcase your organization in a unique and engaging way. Using a series of approved questions, we will display interactive content on the screens throughout the meal, giving attendees the opportunity to learn more about your company, its achievements, successes, and what sets it apart.
It is a great opportunity to highlight your accomplishments while creating an engaging and enriching experience for everyone in attendance.
Required Action: Review and approve the questions and answers submitted by the Canadian Club team 7 days before the event.
Your feedback matters to us. Following each conference, we will send you a brief survey to gather your impressions and help us continue enhancing the experience.
We also encourage you to share any immediate reflections or memorable quotes following the event. We would be delighted to include them in our Speaker Kit as testimonials highlighting the value and impact of these discussions.
Checklist and Timeline
Extending the Impact of Your Event
Your appearance at the Canadian Club continues long after the conference itself. Our team will create a variety of content to extend the reach of the ideas and insights shared with the business community.
This post-event visibility includes:
- A LinkedIn post featuring event photos
- To help us tailor the LinkedIn message as effectively as possible, we would appreciate receiving the presentation text or interview questions at least three days before the event.
- A selection of memorable quotations
- An executive summary of the conference
- A video replay with chapter markers, available on the Canadian Club website and Vimeo
- A podcast version with chapter markers, available on Spotify
Event photos will also be shared with your team, allowing you to continue promoting the event through your own communication channels and networks.
Contact
Louise Ferland
Event Logistics
lferland@cerclecanadien-montreal.ca
514-594-0242
"I will be your main point of contact throughout the preparation of your conference. My goal is to ensure that every step is carefully managed to support the success of your event. Several exchanges will be required during the planning process, but each of them plays an important role in validating the details and ensuring an experience that meets your expectations."
Presenting Partner
Season Partners
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