Global Ivey Day | Ivey Business School
May 8, Vancouver On a memorable evening this May, I had the profound honor of addressing the vibrant Ivey School Alumni community during the Global Ivey Day celebration. The theme of the evening, From Stress to Success: The Art of Resilience in Wine and Business, wove together the artistry of winemaking with the tenacity of global business leadership. It was a night to celebrate how challenges, much like the stressors that shape the world’s finest wines, forge brilliance in both vineyards and boardrooms.
Global Ivey Day is more than an alumni event—it’s a testament to the enduring spirit of a community that thrives in turbulent times. As I stood before an audience of remarkable global business leaders, I felt deeply grateful for the opportunity to share a narrative that resonates across industries and borders. Our evening was curated to explore a powerful parallel: just as vines under pressure produce extraordinary wines, leaders navigating volatility—economic uncertainty, AI-driven disruption, geopolitical tensions, and ESG pressures—craft innovative solutions, resilient teams, and transformative legacies.
We began with a question: When was the last time you faced a challenge that felt insurmountable, yet led to a breakthrough? The stories shared that night, paired with the sensory experience of tasting five exceptional wines, illuminated the beauty of resilience in action.
The Vineyard as a Metaphor for Leadership
Imagine a vine in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, 1975, its roots stretching meters into rocky soils amidst the echoes of conflict. Or picture the arid, slate-rich terraces of Spain’s Priorat, where vines battle scorching heat and nutrient-poor earth. In South Africa’s Stellenbosch, vines have endured centuries of colonial exploitation and apartheid’s isolating sanctions. In Argentina’s Uco Valley, at 1,500 meters, vines face intense sunlight, cold nights, and dramatic temperature swings. And in Portugal’s rugged Douro Valley, terraced slopes and harsh continental climates test the limits of survival.
These vines don’t just survive—they thrive. Science tells us that moderate stress—drought, poor soil, or extreme weather—forces vines to focus their energy, yielding smaller, intensely flavored grapes with higher tannins and complex aromas. Too much stress starves the vine; too little produces bland fruit.
As global business leaders, you navigate your own vineyards of volatility. The rocky soils of market shifts, the droughts of resource scarcity, the battlegrounds of competition—these are your stressors. Like the vine, you dig deep into your creativity, networks, and core purpose.
A Tasting Journey Through Resilience
Our evening was elevated by a curated selection of five wines, each a story of triumph over adversity.
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Ken Forrester Sparklehorse Cap Classique (Stellenbosch, South Africa): Crafted in the traditional method, this sparkling wine reflects South Africa’s resilience through centuries of colonial exploitation and apartheid’s isolating sanctions. Post-1994, the industry’s revival mirrors the nation’s rebirth, with vibrant Chenin Blanc leading the way.
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Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones Chardonnay 2020 (Uco Valley, Argentina): Grown at 1,500 meters in limestone-rich soils, these vines endure intense sunlight and dramatic temperature swings. The result is a wine of piercing minerality and creamy depth, a testament to how extreme conditions forge sophistication.
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Clos Mogador ‘Gratallops’ Priorat 2018 (Priorat, Spain): Born from rugged, slate-rich terraces, this bold Garnacha and Carignan blend thrives in arid, nutrient-poor soils. Priorat’s history of abandonment and revival echoes the resilience of its winemakers, crafting wines of dark fruit and earthy minerality.
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Château Musar 2017 (Bekaa Valley, Lebanon): A red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignan, this wine was born amidst Lebanon’s civil war. Harvested under gunfire and fermented through roadblocks, it embodies the defiance of winemakers like Serge Hochar, who said, “Wine does not care about war—yeast makes the wine, even if people are fighting.”
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Taylor Fladgate 50 Year Old Golden Age (Douro Valley, Portugal): Aged for half a century in oak, this tawny port transforms small, concentrated grapes from harsh schist soils into a luscious symphony of caramel, roasted nuts, and dried fig. A wine that lingers, like the legacies we strive to build.
Leading Through Turbulent Times
The parallels between winemaking and leadership are striking. Both require patience, adaptability, and a commitment to finding balance. Too much stress can break a vine or a leader; too little can lead to mediocrity. In today’s world, global business leaders face unprecedented challenges, from technological disruption to sustainability demands. Yet, like the vines we celebrated, you dig deep, drawing on resilience to turn obstacles into opportunities.
