In early 2004, Hamilton based Steel manufacturer Stelco Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection. The ensuing court mandated restructuring was a grueling process with much at stake: 6,000 jobs, 10,000 pensions; the struggling economy of a company town; and the egos and pocketbooks of lawyers, investors, union leaders, politicians and hedge fund managers, each with a special interest to flog and no interest in compromise.  At the centre of it all was a CEO who had to clean up the mess, while protecting his reputation and satisfying his conscience.

In this unique session, Courtney Pratt will share his personal experience of Stelco's journey through CCAA bankruptcy protection. Courtney will, in telling the story, identify lessons learned, particularly in terms of the enormous leadership and management challenges that he and his team faced and how they responded to them. Rather than focusing on the complexity of the CCAA process, for the SCNetwork, Courtney will focus on the equally complex human and relationship issues that emerge through the process. He will share the particular challenge of the CEO as the only one forced to optimize a solution for multiple stakeholders.
 
Following the presentation, Liane Davey will interview Courtney to draw out his reflections and insights about the CCAA process and what it can teach us.  Through an informal and interactive discussion, Courtney will share insights about the role of the Human Resources function in crisis situations, the type of leadership we need to be building in Canada, and how to sustain employee engagement through challenging times. We'll also ask him to share his thoughts about the unique advantages of being a CEO who came up through the ranks of Human Resources.
 

Courtney Pratt

Courtney Pratt is one of Canada's most accomplished business executives. He has served as a board director, chairman, CEO and president at four large corporations over the past two decades, including Noranda and Toronto Hydro. He is now a director for some of the country's leading corporations and is involved with charitable, educational and health care organizations. In 1999, Courtney was awarded the Order of Canada for his many contributions to the health and prosperity of our country.
 
Liane Davey, Ph.D.
 
Liane Davey is Principal and Central Region Lead for Knightsbridge Leadership Solutions.  She works extensively with Executive teams at some of North America's leading financial services, high tech, and service organizations.  Her work is focused on enhancing executive team effectiveness, particularly in the realms of developing business strategy and building leadership capacity.  Liane is also a member of the Board of the Psychology Foundation and active in a variety of initiatives to enhance mental health in the workplace.