Black History Month 2026 Keynote Event with Sabaa Quao
Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾'s Equity Team, in partnership with the Desautels Faculty of Management, is thrilled to invite members of Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾ and the wider community to the 2026 Black History Month (BHM) Keynote Event featuring creative leader, career entrepreneur, and business strategist Sabaa Quao.Â
Join Sabaa Quao, founding President of PlusCo Venture Studio, the innovation spinoff launched from Cossette and the Plus Company marketing agency network, for the 2026 Black History Month (BHM) Keynote, One Step Back. Two Steps Forward.
Date:Â Thursday, February 12, 2026
Time: 5-8PM (Catered reception 5-6PM, Keynote with Q&A 6-8PM)
Location: Armstrong Building, 3420 rue McTavish, Montreal, Room 365/370, Donald
About the Keynote: Words from the Speaker
One Step Back. Two Steps Forward.
The 30th anniversary of Canada’s official recognition of Black History Month is a remarkable milestone. It naturally prompts us to reflect on the time that has passed and what has (or has not) been achieved.
Across many communities, we’re seeing clear signals of growing discontent. These signals point to the end of an era, which is ultimately a good thing. The status quo is long overdue for disruption. As a career entrepreneur, strategist, and creative lead, disruption is my daily assumption. Disruption is essential to meaningful progress.
It can feel as though we’ve taken one step backward on too many fronts. My response is creative, optimistic, and intentionally simple: one step back, two steps forward. In this keynote, I will share a collection of delightful and disruptive ideas inspired by what I’m observing at the intersection of technology, finance, and culture.
About the Speaker
Sabaa Quao is the founding President of PlusCo Venture Studio, the innovation spinoff launched from Cossette and the Plus Company marketing agency network. Sabaa previously held the role of Chief Creative and Innovation Officer at Cossette, Canada's largest integrated marketing and advertising agency. He now advises and maximizes the growth of seven AI and fintech companies in the venture studio's first cohort.
Sabaa is also the co-founder of Wealthie.Works, a fintech startup that initiates investment accounts and builds financial resilience for young families. Building a business around kids, long-term investing, and intergenerational wealth is relevant because we all have a lot of kids in our lives: friends’ kids, your own kids, your kids’ friends, some good kids, some rotten kids, some nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. If we build long term stability and well-being for children, we improve the odds of building a better society.
As a creative leader, career entrepreneur, and business strategist, Sabaa has worked on projects and with teams in over a dozen countries. He believes that the "innovation" mandate is urgent, not only for companies and business leaders but also for individuals and communities as we all face disruption.
Sabaa holds degrees in Marketing, Communication and Design, and an MBA. He sits on the Cannes Lions Advisory Board with The Globe and Mail and on the board of Campfire Circle, a camp that supports kids and families affected by childhood cancer or serious illness.
