Leslie O’Donoghue, Chief Legal Officer & Senior VP, Business Development, Agrium Inc.

Leslie is one of the most influential executives in Canada. Her intelligence and persuasive nature have been essential to the growth of Agrium, and she is recognized for helping develop the company into a global leader, largely through acquisitions worth over $3.5-billion. In 2009, Leslie was named Top Dealmaker of the Year at the Canadian General Counsel Awards, is a director of Pembina Pipeline, a member of the Queen’s Law Dean’s Council, and earlier this year was a finalist in the ILO Global Counsel Awards. She was instrumental in establishing the Agrium Women’s Leadership Group as her success has afforded her the opportunity to provide leadership, mentoring and development opportunities. Be inspired over lunch as this spirited woman shares lessons on the importance of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, recognizing opportunity, embracing change and, most importantly, being yourself.

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Highlights

• There are many routes and no route is the “right” one.
• Make contribution in a way that is relevant to business.
• Communicate with confidence and be prepared.
• Jump on opportunities; volunteer for difficult projects.
• Find mentors inside and outside of your company.
• Understand your own strengths and your team can support your weaknesses.
• Be open to change.
• Don’t let fear of failure not allow you to take risks.

Bio

Leslie has been with Agrium since 1999 and is Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President, Business Development, with executive responsibility for Corporate Governance, Legal Affairs, Internal Audit, and Environmental, Health, Safety & Security (EHS&S). Leslie works closely with Agrium’s Board of Directors, and is a member of Agrium’s Senior Leadership Team with involvement in mergers, acquisitions, expansions and strategic initiatives.

Leslie established the Agrium Women’s Leadership Group (AWLG), which continues to organize forums and networking with related professional groups. She was recently appointed to Pembina Pipeline Income Fund’s Board of Directors and is a member of the Queen’s Law Dean’s Council at Queen’s University. In 2009, the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) listed Leslie as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100. She was also named Top Deal Maker of the Year at the 2009 Canadian General Counsel Awards. In 2010, Leslie was a finalist in the ILO Global Counsel Awards. She is also a member of a number of professional organizations, including the Canadian and American Corporate Counsel Associations.

Agrium has been consistently recognized for excellence in corporate governance practices by institutional investor groups and governance rating organizations, including a runner-up award from the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance for exemplary corporate disclosure in Canada for 2007.

Prior to joining Agrium, Leslie was a partner in the national law firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. Leslie received her Economics Degree from the University of Calgary in 1984, and completed her Law Degree from Queens University in 1988. She was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1989.