A leader in social finance and innovator in venture philanthropy, through her role at LEAP Narinder, catalyzes large-scale change for social ventures, and equips Canadian business, political and social sector leaders to “do good, better”. LEAP, Pecaut Centre for Social Impact is a Canadian non-profit that works to enhance social impact, by supporting and scaling […]
When The Scotiabank Women Initiative™ first launched in 2018, its primary focus was to support women-owned, women-led businesses through three key pillars: Access to Capital, Mentorship and Education. One year later, Scotiabank is expanding this bespoke program. Scotiabank’s Loretta Marcoccia, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Global Banking and Markets, explains how adding a […]
With a breadth of marketing and strategy expertise, Virginia is known for building and scaling high-performing customer-focused teams. A Business Strategist and Marketing Partner at ELIM5, a Toronto-based digital media company, she’s a valued member of the Women of Influence Advisory Board and an American Marketing Association mentor. by Virginia Brailey […]
As Senior Vice President, Global Engagement for Women of Influence, Jan Frolic has the privilege of connecting with people who are doing the work to advance women and are looking to do more. Passionate about inclusion, she’s also the founder of boypro-ject, offering in-school curriculum to encourage youth to be authentic in their unique […]
A co-op placement while earning a math and computer science degree introduced Shannon Kot to the consulting world. A few years later, at the urging of her mentor, she chose to complement her skills with an MBA from Smith School of Business. In just seven years, Shannon had made partner at Deloitte — a feat […]
Can changing a physical workplace foster inclusion? Barbara Mason, Group Head and Chief Human Resources Officer at Scotiabank, explains how an “Activity-Based Working” approach to their office design created a space that enables all employees to work when, where, and how they choose — demolishing barriers, increasing engagement, and ensuring everyone is enabled to be […]
Louise Fogharty is Vice President, Financing & Consulting for South Fraser Area at BDC. She is also the Executive Sponsor of the Bank’s Women Entrepreneurs’ initiative for the BC & North region. Louise leads a team of dedicated individuals who help Canadian entrepreneurs to grow by providing, financing, capital and advisory services. A passionate supporter […]
Farida Deif is the Canada Director at Human Rights Watch — one of the world’s leading international human rights organizations. Based in Toronto, she monitors human rights abuses across Canada and advocates for a rights-respecting foreign policy. Born in Egypt, she has dedicated her life to advancing human rights in the Middle East and around […]
After four years building and leading Deloitte Canada’s Diversity & Inclusion Consulting practice, Carolyn Lawrence is now Deloitte Global’s first ever Inclusion Leader. Passionate about creating inclusive cultures, Carolyn previously spent ten years at the helm of Women of Influence, growing the organization’s reach, offerings, and impact. by Carolyn Lawrence […]
The job title of Chief Technology Officer isn’t usually associated with diversity and inclusion initiatives — but Rahul Sekhon, CTO at Sun Life, sees things differently. A passionate advocate and ally for women, people of colour, indigenous people, and individuals with disabilities (among others), Rahul is using tech to contribute to a broader strategy of […]
Kristal has enjoyed a career of almost two decades in the financial industry, specializing in risk management, global transaction banking, and financial regulations. In her current role as SVP Innovation & Insights at Scotiabank, she is responsible for responding to the needs of the market by partnering across Scotiabank to accelerate strategic priorities powered by […]
As Group Head at BMO Wealth Management, BMO Financial Group, Joanna Rotenberg is one of the bank’s most senior women leaders. She’s on BMO’s Executive Committee, sits on several boards, is active in the community, and is also a mother of three. How did she do it? We asked Joanna to share the key lessons […]
During our recent trip to Singapore for the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network Summit, we caught up with Angela Fox, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Dell Australia & New Zealand. In this role, she leads the commercial and public sector strategy and direction of the business while maintaining a commitment to keeping customers at the […]
Maryann Turcke knows that her collection of career job titles seems out of the ordinary. But in the details, her path becomes clear. During her career, Maryann has moved up, down, sideways and even made a right turn, with an MBA from Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, to get to her current job […]
Caroline Drees is a passionate proponent of diversity and inclusion, and has spent much of her career working to support underrepresented groups, close gender gaps and promote equality in the workplace. The Global Editor, Editorial Learning and Culture, at the global news organization Reuters, her remit includes diversity and inclusion, training, talent and career development […]
The topic of “having it all” can quickly spark debate — not only about whether or not it’s possible but also about the unrealistic expectations just discussing this goal can impose on women. But, whether we talk about it or not, many of us are still experiencing the struggle of balancing work and life. Shemina […]
When Karen Malone moved to Canada from Ireland in 1989, she had a high school diploma. But the CFO of Cambridge Group of Clubs also had grit, determination, and a desire to learn. She continued adding to her education and experience (and her exercise routine) to get her to where she is today. Here’s what […]
The journey towards a diverse and inclusive workplace can be long and difficult — especially in an industry that’s overwhelmingly male-dominated — but David Pathe, President and CEO of Canadian resource company Sherritt International, knows that the benefits still outweigh the challenges. Here’s how his organization is making change. By Hailey Eisen […]
Under the watch of general manager Kimberley Hughes, the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort consistently ranks high in both guest satisfaction and employee satisfaction. How does she lead her team so successfully? By not only making sure they love the job that they do, but also encouraging them to make time for their life outside […]
At OMERS, diversity and inclusion isn’t just a goal on the horizon. Satish Rai, Chief Investment Officer with OMERS, explains how the organization has created a culture that puts respect and support first, with policies and daily actions that reinforce their inclusive message. By Hailey Eisen There’s no shortage of conversations about […]
In the often male-dominated tech industry, it’s rare to find a company with a good representation of women. At Wattpad, women are the majority, visible and in positions of power at every level. Allen Lau, co-founder and CEO, looks to his employees for guidance and diverse perspectives on what’s needed for an inclusive environment, and […]
Catherine Velie believes that the idea of “having it all” puts too much pressure on women. But she’s still found her own way to balance her role as general manager of the Delta Toronto hotel with marriage and motherhood — thanks to defined boundaries, a network that’s willing to lend a hand, and a supportive […]
Shirin Behzadi is Chief Executive Officer of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), which recently celebrated its 26th year as the top-selling family of direct-to-consumer brands in the home-related goods and services space. Under Behzadi’s direction, HFC has grown into one of the largest and most respected franchisors in the U.S., on track to reach $700 million […]
Debbie McGrath is an award-winning business strategy and marketing and communications expert with deep experience in professional services, financial services, real estate services and consumer retail industries. Best described as a visionary and architect of winning marketing campaigns and developer of client-first business initiatives this University of Western Ontario graduate and three-time RBC Canadian Women […]
Prior to 2014, Eva Wong had never started a business. Today, she is the leading lady of one of Canada’s largest fintech companies. By Kristen Sears Eva Wong doesn’t have the technical background or entrepreneurial experience that one might expect of a fintech startup founder. Before she launched the Toronto-based credit education […]
When Heather Stewart took over at BBE Expediting — a supply chain service provider and logistics company serving the Canadian North — she knew she needed to diversify the “feast or famine” business. So they developed the GoBox app to enable carriers to bid live on shipping jobs, with the expectation it would be used […]
As the Chair of the Scotiabank Alliance for Mental Health (SAMH), Karen Jordan is helping to deliver the message that mental health issues can impact us all — either directly or through a family member, friend or colleague. She’s also working to reduce the stigma around getting help, and making sure everyone at Scotiabank (and […]
