Industry

Brennan is the President at CTC. He leads the strategic direction of the company with his two business partners. He continues to play an active role in client engagement and project execution. At CTC, Brennan previously worked as an account manager and medical lead with a strong focus on delivering high quality scientific content. Before joining CTC Brennan completed his PhD at the University of Guelph and a CIHR Fellowship at McMaster University. By listening first and then strategizing, Brennan helps shape solutions that address the needs of CTC’s healthcare and pharmaceutical clients.

Aryan leads strategy development, program deployment, product planning, and financial analysis of Hyundai Canada’s MyHyundai with Bluelink app and web portal, Genesis Canada’s Connected Services app and web portal, and future vehicle technologies. In 2022, Aryan and her team launched a massive overhaul of the Bluelink app with the all-new MyHyundai with Bluelink app. In 2023, Aryan and her team launched the Digital Key of Hyundai and Genesis vehicles on Apple, Android, and Google devices and a massive overhaul of Genesis Connected Services with the introduction of the Genesis Intelligent Assistant app.

Aryan’s passion for evolving the automotive industry reaches far beyond her scope of work. Aryan is a Co-Founder of Empowering Auto, a not-for-profit with a mission to recruit and retain women in the auto industry through an annual conference, scholarships, and various programs. www.EmpoweringAuto.ca

Aryan is also an active mentor, a Women in STEM advocate, and regularly fundraises for SickKids.

Aryan is a WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner, 2023.

Frederique works on policy questions related to electric mobility, cleantech and innovation. She is currently the Senior Public Affairs Manager at FLO. She previously worked on the Public Policy & Government Relations team at Element AI and as a Policy Advisor in the Office of the Ontario Minister of Education. 

Frederique holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Global Affairs (University of Toronto) and a Bachelor's in Finance and Economics (McGill University).

Connor specializes in the unique remediation of distressed construction projects. He travels to construction sites across North America and works diligently to get commercial construction projects back on track. He is a Professional, Gold Seal Certified Construction Manager, a licensed Architectural Technologist, and has significant education as the foundation of his career. Connor’s unique skillset allows him to work with stakeholders to develop remediation plans, mediate issues, and get projects completed.

Alexandre holds a bachelor's degree in biology from UdeS and a master's degree in environment and sustainable development from UdeM, in biodiversity management. A naturalist for some ten years, he is currently a biodiversity advisor for UdeM's Sustainable Development Unit. In 2019, he is graduating from a second master's degree, this time in socio-ecology at UQO's environmental economics laboratory, where he specialized in the governance surrounding the creation of urban ecological corridors. Now heavily involved as an administrator in several environmental organizations, in 2021 he will complete a post-graduate microprogram at UdeS in Strategic Environmental Consulting to better influence decisions, in addition to founding an urban biodiversity consulting organization, Éco-pivot. He is currently embarking on an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Urban Planning at UdeM, where he will explore, among other things, tools for the implementation of natural infrastructures through action research.

Leveraging a robust educational background with a Bachelor's in Building and Architectural Engineering, a Master's in International Project Management and over 15 years of experience, I have carved a niche in the real estate development and construction industry. My journey is marked by leading Ontario's largest jointless slab-on-grade building project, nominated as “Development of the Year” at Rex Awards 2020. I have helped grow a Toronto-based real estate private equity firm from approx. $150M to over a billion dollars in activity within in 2 years while leading the due diligence and execution activities. I am also distinguished for introducing the Design Assist programs, consistently achieving design efficiency and cost savings by 10-15% across numerous developments. I am deeply invested in mentoring and fostering a knowledge-sharing culture within the organization, aiming to simplify the complexities of real estate development for newcomers. Beyond my professional realm, I am deeply committed to social responsibility, leading volunteer initiatives in Toronto, i.e. Food Bank program through Humanity First and in poor rural regions of South Asia; the founding of a blood donation volunteer group; and funding/installation of hand pumps to provide clean water.

Brandon is the President of SiteTechnology, a specialized technology partner built for the Industrial sector. He has spent his career working with organizations to leverage technology effectively, and helping them undergo Digital Transformation. He is passionate about seeing Canadian businesses navigate our new digital reality, making choices to help them drive growth. Brandon lives in South Surrey with his wife Jen and 3 kids.

A graduate of Concordia University and the University of Sherbrooke, Audrey joined Tesla after more than a decade working in the non-profit climate movement. She was the Executive Director of the Canadian branch of The Climate Reality Project, founded by former Vice President Al Gore.

At Tesla, Audrey covers a variety of policy issues, which are aimed at accelerating the transition to sustainable energy. Audrey is particularly interested in the various policy approaches to recover, re-use and recycle used and end-of-life EV and storage batteries.

Introducing Chris Colasanti, a rising star in the mortgage industry and a key member of the startup team that shaped Edison Financial into the transformative success now known as Rocket Mortgage Canada. Chris currently serves as the Director of Strategy, Analytics, and Invention, showcasing the breadth of his leadership within the organization.

A true advocate for people leadership, Chris is deeply passionate about defining and fostering organizational culture. His voracious reading habit, coupled with a keen interest in learning from successful founders, reflects his commitment to personal and professional growth. As the architect behind many of Rocket Mortgage Canada's best-in-class analytics tools, Chris has played a pivotal role in productizing and operationalizing data, a testament to his commitment to innovation.

Chris's approach to strategy seamlessly blends the precision of data with the creativity of art. Known for his entrepreneurial spirit and a love for speed, Chris contributes to setting the macro strategy for Rocket Mortgage Canada. Aside from his work with Rocket Mortgage, he enjoys extending his expertise to consult for local startups, demonstrating his commitment to guiding the next wave of entrepreneurs.

Jared serves as a Managing Partner at Faculty of Change, a pioneering strategy consultancy that works with established market leaders to find new ways to grow their businesses. With a track record of helping major retailers and financial institutions take advantage of the opportunity change creates, Jared's expertise in strategic renewal has reshaped businesses and sparked industry-wide conversations. Beyond consultancy, he is a prolific writer, sharing insights on market innovation through various platforms like his popular newsletter, Considered. Jared, an enthusiast of tennis and comic books, seamlessly blends his passions with professional acumen, and he also contributes his strategic foresight to several nonprofit boards.

Raseeka Rahumathulla leads Government and Regulatory Affairs for Volkswagen Group in Canada and champions their Sustainability agenda. Since 2011, she has been a passionate bridge-builder in advancing the company’s electric transformation and broader EV ecosystem as they continue to expand their BEV line-up and make significant Canadian investments including Gigafactory St. Thomas. In 2019, Raseeka was involved in the Group's founding of Electrify Canada to support ultra-fast and convenient charging. She co-championed an industry-led EV battery recycling pilot program to advance the circular economy. Prior to entering the mobility industry, she worked for federal regulators in Ottawa and holds a BASc (Chemical Engineering)/BSc (Biochemistry) from the University of Ottawa.

Dr Vida Gabriel,  University of Ottawa, is a PhD graduate in sustainable chemical reaction engineering. Cofounder of TerraFixing, she applies her skills to tackle one of humanity's greatest challenges: global warming. She has led several chemical engineering research teams, and her specific skillset related to project management, experimental design, data analysis, and statistical analysis, in addition to her prototyping experience, makes her a key player at TerraFixing. Apart from her academics and career, Vida is a pitch competition winner, has secured millions of dollars in government grants and is recognized in the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Today, she works alongside her brilliant co-founder and fellow uOttawa alumnus, Dr. Sean Wilson, to create a brighter, more sustainable future.

Akosua is the Executive Director of First Work, Ontario’s Employment Network, representing over 100 employment service agencies, where she leverages extensive experience in public affairs and policy advocacy to champion the needs of marginalized communities and youth. Prior to her tenure at First Work, she held senior positions within provincial government bodies, including the Ministry of Children and Youth Services and the Ministry of Finance. In these roles, Akosua spearheaded initiatives while providing advisory support to Ministers on a wide range of policies affecting labour, youth services, community outreach and revenue generation files for the province. With a background of over ten years in government service, Akosua is highly regarded for her expertise in effective policy-making, public affairs, and community engagement.

In addition to her leadership at First Work, Akosua plays an active role in various organizations, serving on the boards of the Canadian Coalition of Community-Based Employability Training and GoodWill Amity. Through these positions, she continues to demonstrate her commitment to fostering positive change and empowerment within communities while representing Ontario’s service providers on a national platform. Akosua’s dedication to bridging the gap in employment and advocating for the most vulnerable populations underscores her impactful contributions to the employment sector and beyond.

Passionate about the economic potential of the Fraser Valley, Alex is the CEO of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce where she works to ensure the voice of Abbotsford's business community is heard at every level of government. 

She brings a decade of combined communications, public relations, and economic development experience. Previously, Alex was a Director with Hill + Knowlton Strategies, one of the world's leading public relations agencies, where she provided strategic advice on corporate reputation, media relations, and crisis communications planning to clients across Canada.

She has also held roles in the municipal economic development space with a focus on sector development in clean technology, agriculture, and ag-tech. Her work has also placed her across the Asia Pacific Region, across various levels of government and industry.

Alex holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and a BA in political science from the University of British Columbia. She was a fellow in SFU Beedie School’s Social Innovation Lab (RADIUS), recognized by BC Business with the Top 30 Under 30 Award, and a '10 Weston Loran Scholar. 

In her spare time, Alex is passionate about food and wine and hosts numerous events and tastings as a WSET-certified sommelier (London Wine and Spirits Education Trust). She also serves on the Board of the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre, Tourism Abbotsford, and is proud to call Abbotsford home.

Andrew is a partner at KPMG in the Management Consulting, Technology Strategy and Digital Transformation practice with a special focus on digital healthcare. He has a 16-year track record building teams that deliver solutions to complex business problems using a variety of technological and management methods.

Andrew has a demonstrated history of guiding numerous organizations in the development and validation of data programs, steering business-focused technology strategies, and deploying advanced analytics and technology solutions. He possesses a specialization in applied AI, data and analytics strategy, engineering ontologies, unsupervised learning, preprocessing, and algorithm development. Known for his strategic foresight, Andrew excels in championing business transformations, seamlessly integrating technology, data, and AI to revolutionize operations and facilitate superior outcomes. Andrew’s approach revolves around generating business value, optimizing organizational priorities, and ensuring robust governance and risk management. 

He is also an Adjunct Professor of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto, sharing his extensive knowledge and insights with budding professionals.

Jason's love of product development and marketing have made it possible to thrive in the fast moving and sometimes ambiguous technology industry. He joined Hewlett Packard Enterprise 2 years ago as Product Manager for Liquid Cooling in their High Performance Computing and AI division. Previously, he contributed to Calgary-based CoolIT Systems’ success through various roles in product marketing where he oversaw the organization’s product roadmap for datacenter products. Being a strong believer in life-long learning has allowed him to enter new roles with an enthusiastic open mind and quickly immerse himself into new industries. He earned an undergraduate degree in Marketing from Mount Royal University, a technical diploma in engineering from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Canada’s Haskayne School of Business in Calgary, Alberta. 

Mitch Debora is a Co-Founder & CEO at Mosaic Manufacturing - a digital manufacturing company powering next-generation supply chains with mass 3D printing solutions. Mitch is a pioneer, expert, and advisor in the area of additive manufacturing and currently sits as an AM Advisory Board Member at NGen. Mitch is a mechanical and materials engineer having completed his undergraduate degree in Canada at Queen’s University.

Supriya Verma WELL AP is an award-winning corporate executive, citizen journalist, global sustainability advocate, and social entrepreneur. She is the Chief Sustainability Officer of Belnor Engineering Inc. in Toronto, an award-winning global construction firm focusing on sustainable architectural products, services, and solutions for the green building industry, specializing in IAQ, HVAC, critical airflow management, healthcare design, and smart and renewable energy building technologies. She is also the founder of The SustainabilityX® Magazine, bringing the environment and economy together for a sustainable future through dialogue since 2016. She has written and published various thought-provoking pieces on sustainability featuring international executive leaders in business, design, politics, and science. She has spoken at multiple international events like UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day Conference and is a Board Member at Fojo Media Institute's Sustainable Journalism Partnership at Linnaeus University in Sweden. She is a member of the International WELL Building Institute's (IWBI) WELL Faculty and was named as an Advisor on IWBI’s high-level Investing For Health Advisory to elevate the meaning of health, well-being and equity across organizations, communities and capital markets globally. In 2019, she was recognized internationally as one of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 in Sustainability Leadership and was awarded McMaster University’s prestigious Alumni Arch Award in 2021 for her unique and significant contributions to society. In 2022, she was recognized globally by The SustainabilityX® Magazine’s inaugural Global 50 Women In Sustainability Awards™ celebrating the powerful work of women in sustainability leadership around the world.