Confluence YYC: Business Development & Negotiations

Fraser Abbott is the Director of Business Development for the Champions Program at Tourism Calgary. The program connects with local thought leaders, collaborates with them on ambitious conference solicitation strategies, and provides them with the tools and networks to be successful hosts of major international events helping spur positive legacy outcomes in their respective fields of expertise as well as generate strong economic impacts for our “Blue Sky City.” 

Prior to joining Tourism Calgary, Fraser has enjoyed a lengthy hospitality career spanning over thirty years working in sales and marketing capacities for brands like the Hotel Arts Group, Village Brewery, the Calgary Hotel Association, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, as well as former hotel brands like Delta Hotels and Canadian Pacific Hotels. Fraser is also active in the community serving on various boards and advisory councils including the Mount Royal University Foundation and the Sam Centre Advisory Committee at Stampede Park, among others. 

Liz MacRae is the Co-Founder of Village Wellth, a technology platform supporting entrepreneurs through the business acquisition process. Over the course of her career, Liz has acquired three businesses, exited two, and worked on dozens more as a business broker and exit planning advisor. She previously built and sold a brokerage firm specializing in succession and transition strategy, giving her deep experience negotiating deals and protecting value from both the buyer and seller perspective. Today, she focuses on building strategic partnerships and alliances that strengthen the deal ecosystem in both Canada & the US.

Joanna Shea is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Negotiations Collective, bringing over 25 + years of specialized experience in complex negotiations across the natural resource, utilities, infrastructure, healthcare, and education sectors.

Over her career, she has led more than $2B in acquisitions, divestitures, and commercial transactions, and has negotiated agreements enabling over $1B in capital projects throughout Canada and the United States.

Joanna has held senior leadership roles spanning commercial negotiations, project delivery, and organizational restructuring, and is recognized for her ability to guide high-stakes, multi-party deals with clarity, strategy, and discipline. Joanna has also served as a Board Director and President for national volunteer and professional organizations and currently sits on the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Breakthrough Fund.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from St. Francis Xavier University, is a graduate of British Petroleum’s Conflict and Negotiations Program and has earned graduate certificates in Project Leadership (Cornell University) and Negotiation Mastery (Harvard Business School).

As CEO of The Negotiations Collective, Joanna leads the organization’s mission to elevate negotiation capability across industries through experiential training, advisory services, and leadership development.

Ian Macdonald is helping emerging and high growth ventures connect, collide, and thrive. As Business & Innovation Leader with KPMG Canada, and leader of KPMG High Growth Ventures based at the Platform Innovation Centre, he is building and supporting Calgary’s rapidly growing tech ecosystem, facilitating meaningful connections between KPMG clients and tech scaleups, and connecting founders to tailored services and strategic advisors that help them grow.

In addition to his work with founders and community, Ian has supported major economic and innovation strategy efforts in collaboration with government and ecosystem partners, contributing to strategic discussions that advance Alberta’s innovation economy. His focus includes strengthening the conditions that enable tech companies to scale, through talent, capital, and ecosystem collaboration, and supporting programs and initiatives that drive long-term growth across the province.

With 13 years in community development across Western Canada and two years growing a tech startup across the Prairies, he is passionate about building community, growing our economy, and helping businesses prosper. Ian is also a proud Board Member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, where he supports initiatives that strengthen Calgary’s business community and economic future.