OPPI SECURES NICHOLAS THOMPSON, CEO OF THE ATLANTIC, AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) has secured Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, as keynote speaker for their annual conference taking place this fall.
 
Ontario’s municipalities and the planning community have spent most of 2020 responding to the pandemic. Now. What. On October 6, 13, and 20, the OPPI21 conference aims to answer this question by exploring what it means to move forward in economic development and sustainability, technology, and healing – issues that are fundamental to life in 2021 and beyond.
 
Thompson will kick off day one of the OPPI21 conference with a keynote presentation that will tap into the conference themes and change the way attendees think about everything from artificial intelligence and the future of work, to revamping business models for the digital age.
 
“As we’ve all learned from navigating through the pandemic, technology has played a greater role in our lives than ever before,” says Susan Wiggins, Executive Director at OPPI. “The connections between technology, economic development and sustainability, and professional planning are vital to the recovery of Ontario’s communities, and we’re thrilled to have Nicholas on board to explore those intersections.” 
 
As the former editor-in-chief of WIRED, Thompson’s bold, brilliant take on the complex relationship between ethics, technology, business, politics, and society continues to shape the nation’s understanding of the world at large. At WIRED, Nicholas championed the ways in which technology can enhance our lives and now at The Atlantic, he continues to challenge assumptions and pursue the truth about what life will look like after COVID-19—how privacy, labour, business, and human connection will be irrevocably altered, and how individuals and organizations can poise themselves to thrive.
 
The OPPI21 conference is Ontario’s most talked about planning event of the year, drawing professional planners and industry experts together from across Ontario for three days of insightful keynote speakers, thoughtful panel discussions, and meaningful breakout sessions.
 
“We are living in a historic moment of change and we, as professional planners, have an important role in guiding that change to ensure it sets future generations up for success,” says Justine Giancola, OPPI Council President and partner at Dillon Consulting Limited. “How we define Now. What. will be marked by our strength, compassion, and resilience.”
 
For more information and to buy tickets to Nicholas Thompson’s keynote presentation, visit ontarioplanners.ca/OPPI21.