As chair you have agreed to take on an important role which will prove critical to the smooth operation – and ultimately the success – of the conference. Responsibilities of the chair are:

• Making opening and closing remarks of 10 to 15 minutes on each day that you are chairing. Before your opening remarks The Canadian Institute conference director will introduce you and provide any important administrative or logistical information (such as changes to the agenda or where lunch will be served) that may be important to delegates throughout the day. That will allow you to concentrate your remarks on the substantive issues that will be the focus of discussion during the conference.

• Acting as time guardian. Delegates have expressed to us how much they value the conference running according to schedule with sessions and breaks starting and ending as indicated in the conference agenda. As part of your role as time guardian, it is also important that you ensure speakers leave 5 to 10 minutes at the end of their presentations for questions from the delegates. We will provide you with time warning cards at the conference to assist you in this.

• Introducing, welcoming and thanking individual speakers (or moderators of panel sessions). A few days before the conference, we will send a list of all speaker biographies – to allow you to familiarize yourself with the backgrounds of the presenters. These complete speaker biographies will also be included in the delegates’ conference materials. As a result, delegates strongly prefer that you select highlights from the biographies in making your speaker introductions.

• Generating audience interest in the presentations, leading off question periods and providing continuity and value-added commentary throughout the conference. When a speaker finishes his/her presentation, we ask that you please initiate applause, and, if questions are not immediately forthcoming from the audience, break the ice by putting the first question to the speaker. We also encourage you, as someone who is a knowledgeable and respected authority in your field, to contribute additional comments or analysis throughout the conference. This will serve to tie the various presentations together as well as to offer delegates further information and insights. Finally, out of courtesy to participating speakers and conference delegates, please refrain from accessing your blackberries or other electronic devices, while the sessions are underway.

  
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