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Michèle Boudria, President & Chief Executive Officer, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, is responsible for the business operations across more than 1,400 McDonald’s restaurants from coast to coast. A people-first leader, Michèle is focused on driving business results and creating a bigger impact to deliver on McDonald’s purpose of feeding and fostering communities. 

As McDonald’s Canada’s first woman President & CEO who started her career behind the front counter more than 35 years ago, Michèle is committed to using the organization’s scale to realize its purpose to feed and foster communities.  She will ensure McDonald’s lives up to its promise to be a leader of positive change here in Canada. 

Before leading the Canadian business, Michèle served as Managing Director of McDonald’s Netherlands. During this time, she was pivotal in focusing the organization on operations, helping the brand to secure a top position in the market. Together with the leadership team, she also refined the organizational structure to ensure the entire market was able to deliver strong results. 

Michèle began her career with McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited in 1984 as restaurant crew in Aylmer, Quebec. From there, she moved on to regional, national, and international leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including Worldwide Operations teams in 2014. In 2015, she joined the Canada Leadership Team as McCafé Officer. In that role she helped define the vision for McCafé coffee leadership and guided her teams to sustained and consistent periods of growth. In 2018, Michèle was appointed West Regional Vice President, where she established herself as a strong partner to the Owner/Operators in the region.  

Passionate about DE&I, Michèle is a former Chair of the Canadian McDonald’s Women’s Leadership Network and a former Vice-Chair for the US Women’s Leadership Network, she has also held the positions of Canadian Women’s Leadership Network Sponsor and Canadian Representative on the Global Women’s Leadership Network. 

Maya Colombani has been appointed Chief Sustainability and Human Rights Officer of L’Oréal Canada in April 2022. With an international career of over 20 years at L’Oréal, Maya is distinguished by a rich and comprehensive professional background. She began her career in France, working for leading design and advertising agencies such as Dragon Rouge, Publicis, and Euro RSCG. She then joined L’Oréal’s Professional Products division in 2001. There, she held positions in operational marketing and DMI (Direction Marketing International), for Kérastase and L’Oréal Professionnel. She carried out assignments in India and in the Western Europe zone, before moving to Brazil in June 2010 where she worked in marketing functions. Since the end of 2016, she has been Director of Sustainable Development for Brazil. 

In this role, she profoundly transformed L’Oréal Brazil’s approach to sustainable development and human rights. She has implemented actions that inspired the L’Oréal Group and positioned L’Oréal Brazil as a national benchmark. L’Oréal Brazil is indeed regularly cited as an example and is used to fuel new reflections, both on environmental issues and on human rights issues, as well as with respect to the relations with the indigenous people of Brazil.  

Her projects have been rewarded by the best rankings such as Guia Exame 2017/2018/2019; recognized as the best company in climate change as well as biodiversity management; and has received the WEP gold award 2021 on women empowerment supported by ONU Women and Compact Global.  

In 2022, thanks to her strong inclusive social programs for indigenous and communities, the GLOBO recognized L’Oréal Brazil as “The company that makes the difference in term of inclusion and diversity.” 

In Canada, Maya’s mission is to increase the positive footprint internally and externally in terms of sustainable development and human rights, and to accelerate the actions carried out within the framework of “L’Oréal For the Future.” Among her first projects, she has already focused, with the Canadian teams, on achieving the company’s full carbon neutrality on all its sites, as well as accelerating ambitious targets on water management and implementing cleantech partnership and eco-design business with committed brands. 

Thanks to impactful projects in Canada, earned her the prestigious “Canada’s Clean 50” award that “recognized the most impactful 50 individual LEADERs that have demonstrated measurable leadership in fighting climate change and helping Canada transition to a low-carbon economy.” Another important achievement for Maya is being named President of the “Positive Impact Club” of the French CCI in Canada, to have a positive impact on our society and reinforce the bond between France and Canada.  

Maya graduated from Reims Business School and completed an MBA semester of International Business Strategy in Victoria University, Australia. She now lives in Montreal, Québec, Canada with her family.  

From a young age, Derrick Emsley has been actively involved with environmental stewardship. At 16, he and his brother founded a tree planting company that sold carbon credits to businesses, a venture that saw over $1 million dollars in contracts, and planted 150,000 trees. This venture helped pave the way to the founding of tentree in 2012, where Derrick has operated as the CEO ever since, guiding the company’s vision. tentree is a lifestyle brand that plants trees for every product sold. In just under a decade, tentree has set new standards in the sustainable apparel world, sold >10MM units, and contributed to the planting of over 100 million trees. Today, Derrick also serves as the CEO of veritree, a technology platform built to verify, report, and monitor global reforestation projects. veritree now offers “reforestation-as-a-service” to over 200 companies across the globe looking integrate sustainability and restoration into their business model. Named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2020, Derrick has dedicated his career to making saving the planet simple. 

Selwyn Crittendon is CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA Canada, a world-leading home furnishing retailer. For more than 40 years, Canadians have welcomed IKEA into their homes, and have been strong supporters of the IKEA brand, product range and its vision “to create a better everyday life for the many people”. Selwyn joined IKEA in 2002 at the IKEA Woodbridge, VA store as the Customer Convenience Manager. During the last 20 years, Selwyn has held numerous roles across the organization from driving an excellent customer experience to developing and strengthening leaders.  

Today, Selwyn leads the ongoing transformation of the Canadian business to create a more affordable, accessible, convenient, and sustainable shopping experience for the IKEA customer and more importantly, a rewarding place to work for IKEA co-workers nationally. Throughout this omnichannel, people-focused transformation, IKEA continues to explore new store formats, enhance the in-store experience, invest in new digital experiences, improve its service offer, and optimize its distribution networks. 

Selwyn’s passion for people, transformation, and change, fuels his focus on strategic growth that will propel IKEA Canada for many years to come.  

An avid foodie and father of two, Selwyn has settled with his family in Oakville, ON. 

Diana S. Dimitian is the Senior Vice- President, and Managing Director of South Europe for Levi Strauss & Company.  She leads the important region within Levi Strauss Europe, including 17 countries.  Dimitian was appointed to this position in October 2018, and the company moved her to Paris in January 2019 to manage and grow this important cluster of countries for Europe, Africa.  Dimitian was recruited by Levi Strauss & Company, the America’s Region, in May 2015, and appointed Vice-President, and Managing Director for Canada. Within her first three years leading the market, she tripled the women’s Levi’s business, grew both Levi’s & Dockers Men’s market share, expanded the denim leader into new lifestyle categories, launched Ecommerce within Canadian market, and practically doubled the country’s business whilst losing their second largest retailer. Prior to Levi Strauss & Company, Dimitian was a highly accomplished, and regarded footwear executive. She worked for Wolverine World Wide for over sixteen years holding various senior executive positions in both the Canadian, and USA markets.  She led sales, marketing, merchandising, brand management teams for International brands such as Hush Puppies, and Harley-Davidson.   

Thomas Haupt is a seasoned retailer with over 20 years of experience working for both mass consumer and luxury retailers. Prior to joining Sephora Canada, he was with Louis Vuitton as Senior Vice President of U.S. Retail, where he successfully led the LV U.S. retail teams through unprecedented growth during his five-year tenure. At Sephora Canada, Thomas is focused on propelling the business forward through his passion and commitment to developing teams, challenging the status quo and his ability to drive results. A true people leader, Thomas is also the executive sponsor of Sephora Canada’s ONYX INCommunity employee resource group dedicated to cultivating, strengthening and maintaining positive relationships between Black employees and the broader company.

A believer in well-being and mindfulness, Thomas enjoys travelling and staying active outdoors.

Greg Hicks was appointed President and CEO of Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC) in March 2020. With a strategic mindset, tremendous commercial acumen, and the ability to build high-performing teams who deliver exceptional results, Greg has proven himself to be a world-class and purpose-driven leader. Building on the iconic Company’s more than one hundred years of success, Greg has aligned the enterprise to a clear Brand Purpose that We Are Here to Make Life in Canada Better and is driving sustainable, long-term growth that delivers value for all CTC’s stakeholders.

Prior to this appointment, Greg was President, Canadian Tire Retail (CTR), CTC’s largest banner, with more than 500 stores across Canada. In addition to overseeing all aspects of CTR’s business, Greg was accountable for its global operations, eCommerce initiatives and its valued relationship with Canadian Tire’s Associate Dealers. Greg is relentlessly focused on bringing customers the products they want and need to make life in Canada better. He built a world-class Owned Brands portfolio delivering over $4B in sales in 2019, and led the acquisition of Party City’s Canadian business, adding a new trip-driving category and attracting a new customer segment to CTR.

Previously, Greg served as Group Senior Vice-President, Consumer Products & Retail Experience, CTR, where he oversaw its General Merchandise and Automotive businesses and was also responsible for managing Store Experience, Store Operations, Product Sourcing and Quality, including the management of CTC’s Pacific Rim offices in Asia. Greg was instrumental in transforming Canadian Tire’s assortments for Life in Canada, including a renewed focus on Owned Brands, style and design, and new levels of product quality. He has been integral to the Company’s focus on disciplined performance management.

With more than 20 years of retail experience in senior leadership positions, strong management and merchandising experience, Greg has a proven ability to lead teams to success. Before joining Canadian Tire, Greg was the Chief Operating Officer at TSC Stores where he supervised all of TSC’s business operations. Greg has also advised and worked with large multi-national retailers on the development of Canadian strategies.

Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and an Honours Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey Business School. He is a member of CTC’s and the Business Council of Canada’s Boards of Directors and was previously a Trustee for CT REIT and the former Chair of the Retail Council of Canada. Greg was named Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year by the Retail Council of Canada in 2023 and is a past recipient of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 Award.

Peter has worked across the globe advising some of the biggest, most influential brands in Retail and beyond. Peter and KPMG in Canada’s Customer practice is a highly sought after strategy consultancy specializing in shaping an ambitious path for clients in the areas of Unified Commerce, Customer Experience and Service Design. However, Peter’s work goes beyond strategy – his portfolio of work includes dozens of technology enablement platforms bridging strategy through to execution. Peter is a Partner at KPMG in Canada and part of the global Customer practice leadership team.

Tommaso Brusò is the CEO of Eataly North America, the global Italian marketplace and retail concept. As a significant C-level executive with a diverse background across a range of industries, Tommaso drives Eataly’s brand positioning as a lifestyle destination while remaining true to the company’s roots as an ambassador of Italian culture. Having joined Eataly during a period of substantial growth, he leads an ambitious expansion plan to open a total of 20 stores in North America over the next five years. This includes the recent opening of Eataly’s second store in Toronto in November 2023, with a third store slated to open in the coming weeks.

Tommaso joined Eataly from Colourful Standard (part of RTG Group), where he was Group CEO. Prior to that, he was global COO for Benetton Group, CEO of Diesel North America from 2013-2017, CEO of Furla Americas from 2008-2013, and CEO of Fedon for the United States from 2004-2008.

Tommaso is a native of Venice, Italy and currently resides in New York City with his family.

Kimi Walker leads a team that manages product safety and compliance, responsible sourcing, and environmental stewardship across the Canadian Tire family of companies.  In addition, she drives circular economy initiatives by sharing internal and external best practices, finding collaborative partners and celebrating our many successes.

Kimi also actively participates as a Board Member of the Canadian Electrical Stewardship Association, as a Board Member of the Trade Facilitation Organization, and as Treasurer of Nirapon, an organization to drive a culture of worker safety in Bangladesh.

Kimi joined Canadian Tire Corporation in 1994 as a Financial Analyst and has contributed to a number of different functions within Canadian Tire, including Retail Finance, Retail Strategy, Financial Systems, Business Intelligence, Sourcing, Product Quality and Reverse Flow.  Prior to coming to Canadian Tire, Kimi taught English for two towns in Ehime, Japan and earlier had been a Marketing Services Analyst for Petro-Canada Retail.

Kimi has an MBA in International Business from McMaster University and a Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Andrea is considered a transformative and thought provoking leader with more than 25 years of retail executive experience with best in class corporation globally. Her extensive retail and board expertise has Andrea spending a great deal of time in strategy, revenue growth opportunities, digital businesses, organizational transformation, people and culture movements.

Andrea currently leads Moose Knuckles direct to consumer business globally. Previously she managed her own consulting business supporting international and domestic retailers driving strategic growth and improving profitability metrics. Prior to R2 – Retail Resources she managed PVH Canada Retail, successfully launching four retail divisions into Canada. Andrea also worked for Karabus Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of PwC, for over seven years as the COO and EVP, driving the firms largest practice, Performance Improvement. Prior to Karabus, as the Director of Canada Operations, she led the introduction of Williams-Sonoma Inc. brands into Canada, which included Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids. Andrea started her career as a senior executive at Gap Inc. in San Francisco within the International Division.

A digital marketing expert with notable success in launching Canadian brands online. With 20 years’ experience, Chris was a key member of leadership for Walmart Canada Corporation during the launch of Walmart.ca. Chris’ accolades include working in the Pets Category where he significantly increased Big Al’s and Ren’s Pets online sales while working cross-functionally with store teams. He worked for newegg.ca as the National Manager and launched 8 Global Markets for the organization. As Sr Director of Omni- Channel Marketing at Home Hardware, Chris is responsible for Home’s eCommerce, Print and Promotions, Paid Media and Research and Insights.

In this Customer Success Manager role, Dale is responsible for driving the successful integration of Canada Post’s ecommerce value proposition with the strategic goals of some of the largest retailers across Canada. His experience in business development, client acquisition, and executing complex sales strategies has enabled Dale to have a rich understanding of the market and the needs of retailers. Dale is the a recipient of numerous sales excellence awards for his commitment to the successful business outcomes of his retail partners, for putting customers first, and for embodying Canada Post’s overarching purpose: A Stronger Canada – Delivered.

With 20 years of progressive experience in LP/AP, Daryl believes that Innovation, Technology and Education are the foundation for success in our challenging field.  A true believer in work smarter, not harder and the value technology brings to our industry.

Daryl sees a strong correlation between employee engagement and education in keeping our employees safe while still being able to help protect our businesses.

Francesca Cardarelli leads Strategy & Insights for McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, marrying data with insights to elevate decision making and setting strategies of the future to drive business growth. Prior, Francesca led Digital Strategy & Marketing Planning for McDonald’s Canada, which included launching its loyalty program and advancing its personalization strategies to build stronger connections with the millions of Canadians that visit the restaurants each day.

An established leader in the Canadian Food & Beverage Industry, Francesca brings with her deep CPG and QSR experience from PepsiCo Foods, Starbucks and Jamieson Vitamins.

Her focus on growth goes beyond the business – she is passionate about talent development and building future Canadian marketing leaders, bringing to life this commitment as a member of the Marketing Advisory Committee for the Ted Roger’s School of Business

Committed to serving communities across Canada and helping families in need, Francesca sits on the National Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada.

Outside of the office, she can be found running, at a yoga class, or underwater scuba diving.

John Francis is currently serving as the Vice President, Insights & Customer Engagement at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC), where he focuses on delivering exceptional customer experiences and achieving organizational objectives. With a track record of success in national marketing campaigns and sales plans, John values meaningful connections and leverages data and insights to solve challenges. Having previous experience at Western Financial Group and Molson Coors, he brings a wealth of cross-sector expertise to his role.

As the GM of Global Business Solutions for TikTok Canada, Joshua Bloom leads with a vision for thought leadership and cultural development, shaping a world-class sales team dedicated to empowering marketers with innovative solutions that foster authentic connections and drive tangible business outcomes. Joshua brings over 24 years of digital media expertise to his role, having pioneered impactful strategies at Facebook, where he was the inaugural Canadian employee, and cultivated trusted partnerships with major brands and agencies. With a career spanning pivotal roles at DoubleClick Media, Conducive, WhenU, and MySpace, Joshua’s deep market insights and creative prowess continue to drive growth and innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of digital media.

Mamta has over a decade of experience leading initiatives that directly address customer needs and support business growth. Her deep understanding of the market and customer influences has enabled her to launch direct marketing products and online solutions, develop communication strategies that are customer focused and curate segment-based content to support business development. Mamta was recently responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies with a focus on driving growth of the parcels business and nurturing customer relationships. She now leads a team of marketing professionals responsible for crafting and delivering the voice of business in market – defining value propositions and messaging by segment, channel, and audience – reaching businesses through effective communication, marketing, and selling strategies.

Sean McCormick is the subject matter expert for Moneris consumer spending data, helping the private and public sectors leverage the infinite utility of payment data to improve forecasting capabilities, acquire new customers, and inform policy decisions. Sean joined Moneris in 2015 and works exclusively with the Moneris Data Services team, supporting our retail clients who use payment data to enable deeper dives into the customer journey, helping them target new customers more efficiently.

As President at AIR MILES, Shawn Stewart spearheads the strategic direction of Canada’s most recognized loyalty program with a specific view to driving meaningful engagement for consumers and partners alike. With stints at Canadian Tire, McKinsey & Company and Accenture, Shawn has been an industry leader in loyalty, customer experience, and digital transformation throughout his career and has a passion for building new capabilities and transforming organizations and brands.

Christian has been with Leger since 1999. He is an executive vice-president and partner and manages the Montreal team of close to thirty researchers.

Christian has over 25 years of experience in public opinion and market research in both quantitative and qualitative research. Throughout his career, he has also been an expert witness in front of numerous courts of law where survey evidence is presented. Christian can seamlessly work, moderate, present and engage audiences in both official languages.

As a media spokesperson for Leger, he can often be heard commenting on Canadian politics and society. He is also very present on the speaker tour as a captivating storyteller who brings data to life. Christian is also a consumer trend analyst for the CBC and still teaches research methodology at the Université de Montréal.

Luc Dumont, a Montreal native, has been working and living in Toronto since 2009 and currently holds the position of Senior Vice-President of Consumer Insights at Leger. He first joined the Leger team in 2010, bringing with him over 25 years of extensive experience in both quantitative and qualitative market research. His areas of expertise include customer experience, usability, product development, and innovation studies. Luc is particularly skilled as a focus group moderator and has conducted qualitative research in various countries throughout his career.

In his role, Luc is committed to assisting Leger’s clients in creating and adapting experiential strategies that enhance customer loyalty and strengthen brand attachment. He is also a frequent media spokesperson for Leger on a wide range of topics such as customer journeys, new product research, market studies, brand image and positioning, and qualitative research.

As a senior member of the consulting team at Leger, Luc serves as a strategic advisor to the firm’s clients. His background covers a spectrum of research areas including new product development, market evaluation, brand image and health, strategic marketing, ad testing and tracking, customer satisfaction and experience, advertising, concept testing, segmentation, personification, and usability testing. Luc not only leads the retail and financial services research teams but also oversees the development of discussion guides and questionnaires, manages deadlines, and handles analysis and strategic insights. His contributions are vital in the presentation of results and in his advisory role in all projects.

David has worked in retail franchise marketing for 25 years, with the last 11 being at Mr. Lube + Tires. Over that time, Mr. Lube has transformed from a business that was primarily focused on convenient oil changes into a full-service vehicle maintenance provider that has branched into tires and light mechanical work such as brakes and spark plugs. As the prevalence of electric vehicles continues to increase, Mr. Lube + Tires will continue to evolve.

David originally trained as a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) and brings an analytical view to measuring marketing campaigns and programs. He believes having clear processes and procedures leads to continually improving marketing results. Innovation is not to be feared; it is to be embraced. But to unlock the full potential of innovation, it is important to first be clear about what the end goal of the innovation is and to continuously measure and adjust with the aim of achieving that goal.

Chris brings a wealth of healthcare experience, having worked in pharmacy retail for over 28 years. Most recently, Chris served as President, CEO, and board member for Neighbourly Pharmacy. He led the company’s growth from its early stages to becoming the third-largest national retail pharmacy network in Canada. Under his leadership, Neighbourly grew over 600% through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth, and now has nearly 300 locations across Canada. Chris also guided the company through its initial public offering in 2021 and continues to provide support and counsel as Strategic Advisor.

Chris also spent 23 years at Shoppers Drug Mart in various leadership positions overseeing merchandising, district operations, and optimization projects, with his last role being Vice President of National Operations. Chris sits on several private company boards and is a private investor and advisor for several multisite retail and healthcare businesses.

Ryan Webber is the VP of Sales, Marketing and Client Success at Advance powered by LoblawTM, the retail media network of Loblaws Companies Limited. He is a dynamic business leader with a remarkable track record of over 20 years in sales, marketing, media, and executive management roles. As a visionary and passionate professional, Ryan’s career spans across diverse industries, including media, technology and telecommunications. With a unique blend of strategic acumen, emotional intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of empathy and inclusivity, he has consistently driven exceptional results throughout his career.

Meaghan Brophy is the Senior Director, Sales at Walmart Connect Canada, which is Walmart’s advertising and omnichannel media business. With over 15 years of experience in media sales, Meaghan excels in driving revenue growth and fostering strategic partnerships. Meaghan is known for her collaborative spirit and commitment to delivering value to client partners. She is eager to share insights on sales strategies, key trends and challenges facing the retail media industry, and how Walmart Connect is looking to solve those challenges in partnership with clients. 

Darrell is an advocate of effecting social change through the economic empowerment of 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs. He is the co-founder and CEO of the CGLCC, Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to expand the opportunities and advancement of the 2SLGBTQI+ business community in Canada. 

Darrell is a founding member of Supplier Diversity Alliance Canada, a national organization dedicated to the advancement of research, education, and advocacy of supplier diversity in Canada. He sits on the Supplier Advisory Committee (Public Services and Procurement Canada) to provide support in identifying potential improvements to Federal Government procurement.  

He is also the co-founder of the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Business Education Foundation and Travel Gay Canada.   

 
Darrell completed his Bachelor of Commerce Degree at the University of Calgary, and completed his Executive MBA from Richard Ivey School of Business, Western University. 

Sangita Patel is one of Canada’s most engaging media personalities. Previously a co-host of ET Canada, she has interviewed many of the biggest stars from around the globe, both in-studio and on the red carpet. Today, she’s the host of TLC’s newest lifestyle show, Love and Translation, following her hit four-season run as host of HGTV Canada’s Home to Win. Whether hosting an event or sharing her personal story, Patel infuses everything she does with passion and professionalism.
In 2022, Patel won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Host of a Web Program or Series for her work with ET Canada Live. She has also been nominated for Best Host in the lifestyle category for her work on Home to Win. In addition, Patel is the recipient of a Trailblazer Award from the Reelworld film festival, named Anokhi magazine’s “Television Personality of The Year”, and was featured in Vogue India as one of the “50 Most Influential Global South Asians.”
Patel has a passion for giving back to her community, stepping up when it’s needed most, from delivering food to frontline workers during the pandemic to hosting national fundraisers for charitable causes

A/D/Sgt. Haywood is a 26-year veteran with Peel Regional Police.  He began his career in law enforcement in 1998.  A/D/Sgt. Haywood started as a front line uniform officer and worked in such investigative units as the Neighborhood Policing Unit, 21 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau, Break, Enter and Auto Theft Unit, 11 Division Break and Enter and 6 years in the Major Drugs Bureau as an investigator and Opioid Expert.  Mark is presently one of two Officer in Charge of Intelligence Services – Commercial Auto Crime Bureau, where he has held those duties since 2020.

Stephanie Wall has led strategic marketing for Sport Chek since June 2022. Stephanie’s extensive marketing experience includes several agency roles where she led brand, retail and digital marketing for clients including Visa, Telus, Mini Canada, Pepsico, Campbells Soup Company, General Mills, Mars/Wrigley, Johnson & Johnson, Adidas, Nike and Mcdonald’s Canada.  Prior to joining  Sport Chek, Stephanie spent several years in marketing roles at Rogers Communications in sponsorship & events, retail marketing and wireless customer acquisition. Her passion for Sport Chek is only eclipsed by her passion for her sport fanatic husband and two daughters.

Letecia Rose is an equity strategist and an award-winning facilitator passionate about creating inclusive spaces and delivering equitable outcomes. Her career has transcended multiple sectors, including sports & entertainment, education, community impact, arts, and social service. As a leader in diversity, social justice, and community engagement for the past seventeen years, Letecia has trained thousands of stakeholders and organizations across Ontario and has created spaces for individuals to have courageous conversations about diversity, inclusion, and inequity. 

As the Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Canadian Tire Corporation, Letecia works to build equitable and inclusive environments where people can feel seen and heard and that they belong. Letecia is also a vital member of the Human Resources Leadership team, where she advises on all aspects of the talent function to deliver long-term sustainable growth for the organization. During her short time within the organization, she has increased diverse representation, created career advancement opportunities, and cultivated a sophisticated network of Employee Resource and Business Integration Groups across the enterprise. 

Before working at Canadian Tire, Letecia was the Principal Consultant for Skill Market, a company she founded to build equity strategies and customized trainings to address organizations’ complex and evolving needs. In this role, she was able to advise government agencies and co-create strategies with industry leaders in the corporate and NGO sectors. Her values-driven approach centred around ‘fostering proximity to promote empathy’ combined with her ability to design people-centred solutions has made her a trusted voice and thought leader in the EDI industry. 

Letecia is a recognized city-builder who has received the United Way Innovation and Creativity Award, a Vital People award from the Toronto Community Foundation, and the NBA Inclusion Innovation Award. She is also a WXN Women’s Executive Leadership Top 100 Leader for 2020 and a recipient of the Mercedes Benz Emerging Leader Award. In recognition of her contributions to cultivating inclusion, Letecia was named one of Canada’s Top 10 Diversity & Inclusion Leaders and Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch for 2023 and 2024.

Within the community, Letecia sits on the CAMH Foundation Board but has also served as an advisory member of several organizations, including the Civic Action Leadership Foundation, RISE Edutainment and was the co-chair of the City of Toronto’s Reaction Task Force and the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN).

Stratège généraliste, Lily a cumulé un bagage d’expériences dans des industries variées, du commerce de détail au monde de la finance, en passant par le tourisme, la santé et la philanthropie. Au cours des dix dernières années, elle a accompagné de nombreuses marques nationales et internationales dans leur transformation et leur expansion dans divers marchés.  Persuadée que l’impact responsable est la seule stratégie d’affaires viable pour la pérennité des entreprises, Lily met son expérience à contribution pour accompagner ses clients dans leur transition durable. Une stratégie qui représente, selon elle, la plus grande opportunité pour créer de la valeur financière et sociale. 

Trained in industrial design, Keith has always taken a unique, user-centric approach to solving business problems and building brands. As Partner and VP, Strategy at LG2, he has helped multiple large, complex businesses manage transformation strategically, whether it is going through a merger and acquisition like Desjardins and State Farm or modernizing a crown corporation like LCBO into a brand Ontarians can get behind. Whether his thinking results in a campaign, brand positioning, a documentary or a seamless user experience, Keith delivers strategies that have moved the needle for clients such as Audi, Nike, The Bay, Domino’s, Volkswagen, RBC, Porsche and Bell, among others.  

In her current role, AnnMarie leads Walmart Canada’s human resources with over 100,000 associates supporting more than 400 stores, distribution centres and fleet hubs nationwide and a growing e-commerce business.

She’s known as a developer of talent, motivating others to strive to their full potential, capitalizing on their unique capabilities and demonstrating how their actions translate to our ‘bigger picture’.

AnnMarie joined Walmart Canada in 2015 and has been instrumental in charting the retailer’s path forward on strategic initiatives driving the talent agenda, organizational design and future ways of working with her ability to translate strategy into action and collaborate across the organization.

Kimberly Lee Minor is a highly accomplished executive and advisor with over 30 years of dynamic leadership experience spanning retail, brand management, and e-commerce. Her expertise has driven success across diverse brands, ranging from $40 million to $4 billion in revenue. In addition to recently being appointed CEO of WOC Retail Alliance and serving as a faculty member at The Fisher School of Business, Ohio State University, she also contributes as a board director of BlueConic, an award-winning martech company.
Passionate about empowering women, she often speaks on topics such as leadership, economic empowerment, and professional development, including a recent TEDx talk. Her contributions have been recognized industry-wide, earning distinctions like being named one of Rethink Retail’s Top Retail Experts for 2024 and inclusion in WWD’s esteemed list of 50 Women of Power.
Beyond her professional endeavors, she actively engages in civic initiatives, serving on boards such as Dress for Success, NA Community Foundation, the CAPA Board of Directors, and the Columbus Fashion Alliance.
Kimberly and her husband, Marc B. Minor, Esq. have 2 sons and a dog named Blu.

Danyal has 10+ years of experience in Marketing and Insights, including work in branding, strategy, media and advertising measurement. Having worked with some of the most prolific companies (BBC, Nestlé, Google, Omnicom Media Group, Scotiabank, IKEA), across multiple categories (Media, CPG, Retail, Technology, Financial Services and Home Furnishing), in several global markets (US, Pakistan, Canada) Danyal’s varied experiences position him as a well-rounded marketer and strategist, eager to solve critical business challenges.

Hailing from the Saskatchewan Prairies, Shauna Lenius exuded so much ambition and tenacity as a kid when asked ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ She constantly replied,

“I’m not sure yet, but I know it will be great!” . 

After business school, her first ‘great’ experience was working with the RCMP but her thirst for entrepreneurship and working for herself was a fire inside she couldn’t ignore.
With an eye for detail and an intrinsic flare for design, it seemed inevitable for Lenius to delve into multimillion dollar residential and commercial markets for clients all over North America

As Shauna’s reputation in the medical-construction vertical was rapidly spreading across Canada, a repeated question: “Are you really in construction, you don’t look like someone who would be”

Consider this another fire that lit Lenuis soul, motivating her to encourage more women and marginalized communities to enter the trades and be leaders in this industry.

At the beginning of the pandemic Shauna met Mandy Rennehan,CEO and founder of Freshco.ca, a serial advocate for the skilled trades, and construction mogul.

The two have been inseparable ever since, and now known in North America as a powerhouse industry duo.

Shauna is now the President and Shareholder of Freshco (not the grocery store!) and has grown the company exponentially with her knowledge and ability to foster authentic relationships with fortune 500 brands.

Alan Whitfield serves as Executive Vice President of Operations at Harry Rosen, leveraging 30 years of experience working closely alongside three generations of the Rosen family. Alan Whitfield possesses extensive expertise across a spectrum of disciplines, including leadership of flagship operations, development of comprehensive training programs, oversight of external sales strategies, and expertise in made-to-measure and tailoring services. A passionate advocate for leadership development, Alan is committed to enhancing and elevating the client experience, upholding Harry Rosen’s reputation for world-class hospitality and superior service standards.

Moderator

With over 20 years experience, Jessica is a seasoned leader in the technology and media industry. As a dynamic and data-driven professional, she specializes in strategy, revenue growth, product development, and marketing initiatives. Throughout her career, Jessica has demonstrated a remarkable ability to steer companies from technology-centric to a customer-centric approach, fostering growth and digital transformation. 

Currently serving as Senior Vice President, Strategic Growth at Cineplex Digital Media, Jessica plays a pivotal role in driving the company’s expansion and leveraging data insights for strategic decision-making, and seeking to better understand customers for value-based partnerships.

Prior to joining Cineplex Digital Media, Jessica held leadership positions at renowned organizations including BlackBerry, D2L, Christie Digital, and RBC. Her diverse background and wealth of experience have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the technology landscape and its evolving trends.

Jessica holds an MSc in Technology Management from Wilfrid Laurier University and a BSc in Computer Science from Western University.