Be It Resolved

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with José Hernández, CEO of Orda Strategies AG, a global crisis management firm.  A CPA and CFA, José brings deep expertise advising boards and governments on fraud, corruption, and misconduct across five continents, helping organizations navigate complex regulatory and enforcement challenges.

An autho...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Jeff Hauswirth, a Board Advisor and seasoned executive search leader with extensive experience supporting boards and leadership teams in Canada and globally. Currently serving as a Board Member at Habitat for Humanity Canada and Fitzrovia, Jeff brings a wealth of insight from his leadership roles at ...

Welcome to Be It Resolved, the podcast where bold ideas meet courageous leadership. I am Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors in Canada. In each episode, I speak with experts to delve into pressing issues impacting directors and decision-making in the boardroom.

My guest today is Manal Corwin, Director of the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration at the Organisation for Economic Co-o...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, speaks with Chantal Guay, CEO of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), a federal Crown corporation advancing standardization and accreditation nationwide.

Chantal also serves as Vice President of Policy at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), becoming the first woman to lead SCC and represent C...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Peter Dey, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Paradigm Capital and one of Canada’s most influential voices in corporate governance. With a distinguished career that includes serving on numerous public company boards, chairing the Ontario Securities Commission, and leading the Toronto Stock Exchange Co...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, speaks with Victor Li, Executive Vice President, Governance Advisory at Kingsdale Advisors. A senior advisor to boards and institutional investors, Victor brings more than two decades of experience in shareholder-sensitive governance, activist defence, and contested M&A.

Drawing on his work at Kingsdale and his ...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj is joined by Mark Rigotti, Managing Director and CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Before joining the AICD, Mark served as the global CEO of Herbert Smith Freehills, where he chaired the firm’s global executive and held a number of senior leadership roles.

Mark is also a non-executive director of Smart Group Corporation Limited and chairs the globa...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Bill Furlong, executive in residence at the Ivey Business School and co-author of The Character Compass. Bill has spent more than a decade researching leader character, with work published in MIT Sloan Management Review, Business Law International, and the Global Risk Institute. A former vice chair a...

In this episode of Be it Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Stewart Beck, former President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and Canada’s former High Commissioner to India.

With more than forty years of experience as a diplomat, trade commissioner, and senior advisor, Stewart has advanced Canada’s interests across Asia and the United States—inc...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Duncan Sinclair, Chair of Deloitte Canada and Chile. With more than 35 years of experience advising clients across industries—from mining and telecommunications to consumer business, manufacturing, and government. Sinclair brings a global perspective shaped by extensive board leadership.

Throughou...

In this episode of Be It Resolved, Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Catherine McCall, CEO of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG), Canada’s foremost organization representing leading institutional investors managing approximately $5.5 trillion in assets. Together, they explore how strong governance practices and effective stewardship are shaping the futu...

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 ...

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 realit...

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,...

With cyber threats and AI-driven risks escalating, how can corporate directors ensure their organizations remain resilient and secure?

In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Stephen Burns, Partner at Bennett Jones LLP and Co-Head of the ITB Practice Group. This conversation explores why cybersecurity and AI governance must be viewed a...

Ethics in business is no longer a "nice to have — it's non-negotiable. In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj sits down with José Hernandez, Founder and CEO of Ortus Strategies, to break down why ethical leadership is not just about doing the right thing, but about safeguarding long-term value, brand integrity, and organizational resilience.

From the pressures of geopolitical tensions and trade tariffs to th...

As Canada seeks to strengthen its global economic position, how can Indigenous partnerships play a pivotal role in driving growth, innovation, and long-term success? 

In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with John Desjarlais, Executive Director of the Indigenous Resource Network, and Trent Zacharias, Director of Community and Indigenous ...

As the regulatory landscape grows more complex, how can corporate boards balance compliance with effective strategic oversight? In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, sits down with Jonathan
Goodman. He is a Vice Chair and member of the board of Deloitte Canada, where he leads the firm’s CEO and Boardroom programs, including Deloitte Canada’s Po...

Climate risk and sustainability are no longer peripheral concerns; they’re boardroom imperatives. From evolving ESG regulations to heightened stakeholder expectations, directors must ensure their organizations are equipped to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.

In this episode of Be It Resolved, host Rahul Bhardwaj sits down with Sarah Keyes, Partner in PwC Canada’s Sustainability Strategy & Transformation pract...