Big Man in the land

Phil Gordon was elected Mayor on Sept. 9, 2003, sworn in on January 2, 2004 and re-elected to a second term in 2008. Born in Chicago on April 18, 1951 to Sid and Judy Gordon, he is the oldest of three children. In the mid-1960s, the Gordon family moved to Phoenix where Phil attended Madison Meadows Elementary and Middle School and Central High School. He attended the University of Arizona a...

Tom Leppert was elected mayor of Dallas in June 2007. Since taking office, The Mayor and the City Council have pursued policies that have dramatically improved the quality of life in Dallas.

Mr Alderman Ian Luder was elected as the 681st Lord Mayor of the City of London on Monday 29th September and will take office on Friday 7th November 2008. As Lord Mayor he will promote the Square Mile as the world’s leading international financial and business centre, and his project will be sponsoring the spread of financial literacy.

Mr. Coutu joined Canadian Oil Sands Limited as President and Chief Executive Officer in September 2001. Marcel also is Chairman of the Board of Syncrude Canada Ltd. and chairs the Syncrude Joint Venture CEO and Management Committees. a director of Brookfield Asset Management, Great-West Lifeco., United Way of Calgary, and the Pension and Compensation Committee of the Calgary Stampede Board. He ...

Melanie L. Aitken is Commissioner of Competition The Commissioner is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Competition Act and three labelling statutes, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Precious Metals Marking Act and the Textile Labelling Act. Under the Competition Act, the Commissioner can launch inquiries, challenge civil and merger matters before the C...

Since July 5, 2010, Michael Cloutier has been leading the Canadian Diabetes Association, a non-profit organization with a strong presence in communities across the country. Established in 1953, the Association offers Canadians who are living with diabetes the promise of a brighter future through its support of education and services, advocacy, research and public awareness.

Mr. Coutu joined Canadian Oil Sands Limited as President and Chief Executive Officer in September 2001. Marcel is also Chairman of the Board of Syncrude Canada Ltd. and chairs the Syncrude Joint Venture CEO and Management Committees. He is also a director of Brookfield Asset Management, Great-West Lifeco., United Way of Calgary, the Pension and Compensation Committee of the Calgary Stampede Boa...

Mark Stabile is Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Rotman School of Management, and Director of the School of Public Policy and Governance. His current research interests include the economics of child health, economics of health care and health insurance, and tax policy and health insurance. His work has been published widely in journals including the Journal of...

He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), and Chairman of its Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS). Born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Mr. Carney received a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University in 1988. He received a master's degree in economics in 1993, and a doctorate in economics in 1995, both from O...

Dr. Mark Pieth is the Chair, Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as well as Professor of Criminal Law, Basel University, and the Chair of the Board, Basel Institute on Governance. He is a member of the Swiss Federal Gaming Commission, the Independent Inquiry Committee into the Iraq Oil-for-Food Programme...

After graduating from McGill University in Montreal with a concentration in finance, he went on to become a CPA while working for Deloitte in Southern California. Barry began working in the healthcare field with Eli Lilly in Toronto. He spent almost two decades in a variety of disciplines including human resources, supply chain, business development and marketing.

After receiving his high school education in Hong Kong and New York City, Mr John Tsang pursued his interest in architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and went on to receive a Master Degree in Bilingual Education from Boston State College and a Master Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Dr. Michael Roizen has founded twelve companies, co-invented a drug approved by the FDA and has published a series of highly popular and #1 New York Times bestsellers: YOU: The Smart Patient, YOU: The Owner's Manual, YOU: On A Diet, and YOU: Staying Young all co-authored with Dr. Mehmet Oz. Dr. Roizen co-founded RealAge Inc. and his first general-audience book, RealAge: Are You as Young as Yo...

P. Thomas Jenkins is Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Open Text Corporation of Waterloo, Ontario Canada, the largest independent software company in Canada. He has served as a Director of Open Text since 1994 and as its Chairman since 1998. From 1994 to present, Mr. Jenkins was President and then Chief Executive Officer and then Chief Strategy Officer of Open Text. Mr. Jenkins h...

Michele McKenzie, President & CEO, Canadian Tourism Commission. Michele McKenzie has served as the President and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission since 2004. Since then she has guided the evolution of the CTC to become a fully integrated brand marketing organization that is active in 11 international markets.

Michel D. Landry is the Chief of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Division, in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Duke University Medical Centre in Durham North Carolina. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University o...

Michael Reeves was appointed as president of the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor Coalition in the spring of 2004. Reeves has extensive knowledge of transportation issues and governmental affairs at local, state and federal levels.During his time at Ports-to-Plains, Reeves has focused on strengthening relationships with state departments of transportation and building partnerships in Canada and M...

Maureen McTeer is a lawyer who speaks extensively on issues of equity and ethics in the area of health and medical law. She holds Master’s degrees in health law from Dalhousie University and biotechnological law and ethics from the University of Sheffield in the U.K. She is currently the co-chair of the National Expert Commission established by the Canadian Nurses Association to report on the n...

Marlene Smadu is a Canadian and international nurse leader and champion of health, nursing and education. Currently she serves as associate dean, Southern Saskatchewan Campus and International Student Affairs, for the College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan. Smadu holds a diploma in nursing from the Regina Grey Nuns School of Nursing, a baccalaureate in nursing from the University of ...

Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times Author of the acclaimed book: "Fixing Global Finance" Forum Fellow, World Economic Forum Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers, 2009 & 2010 Martin Wolf is an extremely effective speaker on global economics, with unparalleled experience as both an economist and a journalist. Martin was a member of the UK governm...

Mike Crawley was elected President of the Liberal Party of Canada at the Ottawa 2012 - Liberal Biennial Convention. Since joining the Party at a young age, Mike has acted in a variety of executive roles at all levels of the Party. Mike has come to understand the Liberal Party of Canada from the ground up. Professionally, Mike turned a start-up renewable power company into the Canadian divis...

In January 2008, Marie Lemay became chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Capital Commission (NCC), the first to occupy this position since the role of chair and CEO was split into two positions. In her role as the inaugural CEO, she is leading the drive to make the NCC a more dynamic and transparent organization, one that engages in collaborative partnerships with both the public a...

Matthew Anderson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of William Osler Health System (Osler). Osler is among the largest community hospital systems in Canada serving a population of over 1.3 million people living in one of the fastest growing and most culturally diverse regions in the country. Amalgamated in 1998, Osler is comprised of hospital three sites: Etobicoke General Hospital,...

Marc Mayrand's appointment as Chief Electoral Officer of Canada was unanimously approved by the House of Commons on February 21, 2007. He became the sixth person to hold the office since the position was established in 1920. Before heading Elections Canada, Mr. Mayrand had served as Superintendent of Bankruptcy since May 1997. After joining the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy in 1...

Mike Greenley is Vice President International for General Dynamics C4 Systems with executive responsibility for development and implementation of C4 Systems’ integrated international growth strategy and market offering. In this role, Mike is responsible for international expansion including the identification of marketing and sales channels. In addition, Mike provides executive oversight of the...

Mr. Leven has served on the Las Vegas Sands Corp. Board of Directors since 2004. On March 11, 2009, he became the company’s president and chief operating officer and assumed responsibility for the overall operations of the company’s U.S. and international locations. Mr. Leven is a veteran hospitality executive with more than 50 years of experience in the business and a distinguished and wel...

As President of Microsoft Canada, Max Long is focused on helping consumers, students, partners, businesses and public sector organizations realize their full potential. Committed to making positive contributions to Canadian communities through its citizenship efforts, Max is also dedicated to ensuring Microsoft Canada is a great place to work. Over his 15 years with Microsoft, Max has helped...

In January 2010, Mr. Laliberté was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer at VIA Rail Canada. Between 2003 and 2009, he held the position of President and CEO for the Quebec Railway Corporation, the largest Canadian owned shortline railway. His vast experience in both the railway and business sectors is certainly a valuable asset at VIA Rail. Mr. Laliberté began his rail career in 1...

Maureen O’Neil is President of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement. Previous positions include President of the International Development Research Centre, Interim President of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, President of the North-South Institute, and Deputy Minister of Citizenship for the Government of Ontario. Ms. O’Neil is Chair of ...

Martha Hall Findlay is a successful, lawyer, businesswoman and entrepreneur with expereince in small businesses and major multi-national corporations. She is currently the Chief Legal Officer at EnStream LP and Executive Fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. She is the former Liberal MP for Willowdale and has held Official Opposition Critic roles for International ...

Mark Aboud is the Managing Director of SAP Canada, a subsidiary of SAP AG. He is responsible for all of SAP’s business operations in Canada and helping SAP Canada’s 1,200 customers become best run businesses. With more than 2,300 Canadian employees, SAP has offices across Canada, including three research and development centres in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver which are part of SAP’s Global ...

Maria Soklis was named Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Kia Canada Inc. on April 14, 2009. Ms. Soklis leads a team of 162 corporate staff, including 4 Regional Offices, a parts and distribution warehouse and overlooks 180 Kia dealerships nationally. She joined Kia Canada in early 2006 and has since held positions in Sales, Corporate Planning and Operations. Since her most recen...

Michele Kuruc joined World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US) as Vice-President for Marine Conservation in January 2013. She coordinates the marine program and deals with a broad cross section of issues. Prior to moving back to the US, she worked with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, specializing in fisheries enforcement technologies and operations, and advising on illegal f...

Michael Dejak is Vice President, Global Business Development, at Eco-Tec Inc., a Pickering, Ontario based developer and manufacturer of advanced clean tech equipment for industrial water treatment and chemicals purification.

Michelle is the Member of Parliament for Calgary Nose Hill. She was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011. Michelle has held the positions of Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment. In 2015 Michelle was appointed the Official Opposition Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Mary Deacon is Chair of the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative, the largest-ever corporate initiative of its kind in Canada. Bell has committed more than $67 million to support new mental health research, workplace best practices, improved care and access, and anti-stigma programs including Bell Let’s Talk Day and Clara’s Big Ride for Bell Let’s Talk. Mary holds a BA and is a Certified...

In 2011, Mark founded the Peace Naturals Project, an organization committed to helping shepherd this new industry through safety, harm reduction and self-care agri-health solutions. The Peace Naturals Project includes a state-of-the-art medical Cannabis production facility and an industry leading Client Care department. The Peace Naturals Project successfully became the first newly licensed med...

With over 30 years of experience in public policy, advocacy and management Marc Kealey is a leading voice for transformation in health - most notably in prescription drug reform, healthcare delivery, smoking cessation and medical human resource management.

David Miller is President and CEO at WWF Canada. In this role, he assists the firm in developing its international clean technology and renewable energy practices. Mr. Miller is currently engaged in advising various organizations on urban, technological and environmental issues. In 2010, he was appointed as an advisor to the World Bank on cities and environment. He is also an advisor with th...

Major-General Dean J. Milner entered Royal Roads Military College in 1980 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Commerce from the Royal Military College. Major-General Milner also has a Masters in War Studies from the Royal Military College. Major-General Milner's regimental duty commenced in 1984 with a posting to The Royal Canadian Dragoons, (The RCD) 4 Mechanized Brigade...

Raised in Kandahar, Maryam Sahar Naqibullah has dedicated her life to building peace, democracy and equality in Afghanistan. While living in conflict-ridden Kandahar, Maryam worked as a Protection Officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as a Gender Advisor for the US Department of State, as a Legal Interpreter for the International Legal Foundation – Afghanistan, ...

Mike joined the Company in 1984, and is a member of the Group Insurance Division senior management team, with functional responsibility for group claims operations (life, disability, health and dental) and contact centre operations. Mike has also been very involved in efforts to better prevent or reduce the impacts of mental health issues in workplaces. He has served as Executive Director ...

Michael is the President of M Partners, a Toronto based full service independent investment bank that has raised over $30 million for Canadian medical cannabis companies. Michael is a CFA charterholder and he received an MBA with distinction from the Schulich School of Business specializing in Finance and Strategic Management. In 2009 Michael received a Starmine award by being the num...

Michael A. Kessel, MBA, CPA president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Canada, is an executive with over 20 years of experience in strategy, finance, operations and entrepreneurial activities. In addition to his work at Cleveland Clinic Canada, Mr. Kessel plays an active role on the board of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and is a member of the International Chief Executives in Canada Co...

Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera is the current president of Costa Rica. He was elected in April 2014 and assumed office in May 2014. Mr Solis is a professor, a politician and a diplomat. He has also held managerial positions in philanthropic and multilateral organizations in Costa Rica and internationally.

Mr. Ghislain Picard is Innu from the community of Pessamit. Between 1976 and 1989, he dedicated most of his time in the area of communications. He was responsible for communications and media relations for the Conseil Atikamekw Montagnais (CAM). He published a periodical called « Tepatshimuwin » intended for Atikamekw and Innu communities. At the beginning of the 80’s, Mr. Picard was Preside...

As the Head of Corporate and Public Affairs at Visa Canada, Ms. Michalak oversees external and internal communications programs to support the company’s business goals. As a part of this mandate, Ms. Michalak spearheads Visa’s financial literacy initiatives in Canada, which include the Practical Money Skills Canada and Choices and Decisions programs. Prior to joining Visa in 2012, Ms. Micha...

Michael Green is a strong leader and a creative, strategic thinker who has an international reputation and a proven track record of transforming health care through the use of digital health. He has leveraged international research and innovation to advance the digital health agenda, create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Canada. Michael has been President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway...

Malini Giridhar was appointed to the position of Vice President Gas Supply and Business Development in 2013. She is responsible for gas supply procurement, dispatch and budgeting activities, and also responsible for the Strategic Planning and Business Development activities for Gas Distribution. She joined Enbridge in 1994 as a financial analyst and held progressively more senior position...

Murray Rankin is the Member of Parliament for Victoria. In Ottawa, Murray has served as the Official Opposition critic for National Revenue and Pensions, leading national initiatives to expand the Canada Pension Plan and tackle the problem of offshore tax havens. Murray currently serves as the Official Opposition critic for Health and chair of the BC caucus. Murray is a nationally recogn...

Murray Rankin is the Member of Parliament for Victoria. In Ottawa, Murray has served as the Official Opposition critic for National Revenue and Pensions, leading national initiatives to expand the Canada Pension Plan and tackle the problem of offshore tax havens. Murray currently serves as the Official Opposition critic for Health and chair of the BC caucus. Murray is a nationally recogn...

Marie-Hélène Labrie joined Enerkem in May 2008. Prior to that, she worked in communications, business strategy, and market analysis as Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning at CAE, and as a consultant for numerous organizations, such as Oliver Wyman Delta Organization & Leadership and Desjardins Financial Security. She is Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Écotech Québec, a cl...

Michael Bryant began his recovery from alcoholism in 2006 while serving as the Attorney General of Ontario. He served as Member of Provincial Parliament for mid-town Toronto from 1999-2009, and as a Cabinet Minister for six years. As Attorney General, he overhauled the Ontario Human Rights System, re-established both the Police Complaints Commission and the Law Reform Commission, and legislated...

Michael Wilson is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Commission of Canada and Chairman of Barclays Capital Canada Inc. building on 37 years experience in the investment business. Previously, Mr. Wilson was Canada’s 22nd Ambassador to the United States of America from March 13, 2006 to October 9, 2009. Prior to taking up this position, Mr. Wilson was Chairman of UBS Can...

He is formerly President and CEO of the Canadian Gas Association. Prior to joining CGA, he was Senior Vice President Government Affairs for the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA). Before joining CEA, he was Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Energy Sector in the Department of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), formerly Energy, Mines and Resources (EMR) and before that, Director General of the ...

A former child soldier, Michel Chikwanine has already endured and overcome unimaginable pain and struggles. His passion and belief in the possibility for change makes him a truly remarkable individual and humanitarian. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Michel grew up amid the terror of the Great War of Africa. He witnessed the torture of his father, who was singled out for his politi...

As the President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Tire Bank and Chief Operating Officer of Canadian Tire Financial Services, Mary Turner is responsible for growing revenue and managing operational costs and credit risk for both businesses.

Mary joined Calgary Economic Development in 2010 as Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Research and has extensive leadership experience working across a number of sectors for both national and multi-national companies including TELUS, Delta Hotels, Canadian Airlines and WARDAIR. Mary has led teams in the development of strategy, marketing, stakeholder relations and fund development. ...

Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir was appointed as the first Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations in September 2006, tasked with administering KRG foreign policy and bolstering the Region’s relations with the international community for the government’s fifth cabinet. He was reappointed as the Head of the Department in each successive cabinet, including ...

Michael Chan was first elected to the Ontario legislature as the MPP for Markham in a byelection in 2007. He was then elected as the MPP for Markham-Unionville in 2007, and re-elected in 2011 and 2014.

On June 6, 2011, Meg Beckel began her five-year appointment as President & CEO of the Canadian Museum of Nature. Beckel joins a team of passionate and committed individuals dedicated to the museum’s vision to inspire understanding and respect for nature. Prior to joining the Museum, Meg was Vice-President, External Relations at the University of Waterloo for four years and Chief Operating Off...

Mark Scholz is the President of the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors. As President, Mark is the voice of the Canadian drilling and service rig industry, promoting safer and more efficient operations through advocacy, communications and needed products and services. Mark is the official spokesperson for Oil Respect, a campaign to give regular Canadians an opportunity to s...

Michael is a recognized leader in tourism and aviation in Canada. Prior to joining Ottawa Tourism, Michael served as Senior Vice President with InterVISTAS Consulting, where he was responsible for the firm’s airline, air service development, and tourism practices in Canada. Michael has over 15 years experience at the management level with two of Canada’s major airports, the Winnipeg Airports Au...

Celebrating her 27th Festival this September, Maheux is the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for TIFF, where she is responsible for all business operations of the $44-million cultural charity — including TIFF Bell Lightbox, the organization’s year-round home. She has been a member of provincial, municipal, industry and arts organization committees, and has served as a juror at int...

On October 15, 2016, Mayor Savage was elected to a second term based on a platform of sustained progress in making the Halifax region a place where residents can live, belong and thrive. Mayor Savage is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Big City Mayors’ Caucus and a strong voice in support of local economic development, immigration, social equity, and infrastructu...

The Honourable Mélanie Joly is Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie. Her mandate consists of growing, and increasing the visibility of, the Canadian tourism industry, which accounts for nearly two million jobs across the country; safeguarding our two official languages; and promoting the use of French in Canada and around the world, including in the digital sphere. She is...

Mina is a change navigator who leads nonprofits from vision to strategy to results. She has guided nonprofits towards improved capacity, stronger partnerships, better funding models and clearer vision for the future. Har Grover, Chair of the Board of Directors of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, says, “The Board is extremely pleased to appoint Mina to this important role. Her passion and enthusiasm ...

Moezine (Moe) Hasham is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Hockey 4 Youth (H4Y). H4Y (hockey4youth.org) provides new Canadian youth in high risk neighbourhoods with an opportunity to play hockey at no cost while also developing life skills through our T.E.C.H. program (Technology, Entrepreneurship, Community, Hockey). H4Y operates programs in Montreal and Toronto.

Mitzie Hunter is the Minister of Education, and the MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood. Prior to this post, she served as the Associate Minister of Finance, responsible for pension reform. Mitzie Hunter understands our community and the power of working together. A lifelong citybuilder, she is passionate about unlocking the city’s potential by ensuring fair and inclusive access to employment and ...

Mary Jo Haddad is a corporate director and has executive experience in the healthcare industry in Canada and the U.S. In 2013, she retired as President and CEO of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, a position she held since 2004. Prior to that, she held several leadership positions at SickKids, including Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Nurse Ex...

As NYC Parks Commissioner, Mitchell J. Silver has overseen several major initiatives bringing equity, innovative design, and cutting-edge placemaking techniques to New York City’s 30,000-acre park system. Since he became Commissioner in May 2014, he has led the launch of the Community Parks Initiative, which is bringing $285 million in capital overhauls to more than 60 historically underserved ...

Michel Leblanc is President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, Quebec’s leading private economic development organization. In this position, he is the official spokesperson of the organization, and is responsible for planning, managing, coordinating and monitoring all its operations. With extensive experience in the public and private sectors, Michel Leblanc has an ...

A co-founder of Caprion, Martin has for over 15 years led Caprion’s technology development, laboratory operations and commercial strategy focused on specialized laboratory research services in the fields of proteomics, immune monitoring and personalized medicine. Profitable and rapidly growing based on its research contracts and strategic partnerships with over 75 global pharmaceutical and biot...

Michael is a recognized leader in tourism and aviation in Canada. Prior to joining Ottawa Tourism, Michael served as Senior Vice President with InterVISTAS Consulting, where he was responsible for the firm’s airline, air service development, and tourism practices in Canada. Michael has over 15 years experience at the management level with two of Canada’s major airports, the Winnipeg Airports Au...

Mary Ann Turcke is President of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Renowned for a wide breadth of executive leadership roles and team building skills, Ms. Turcke was previously Group President, Media Sales, Local TV and Radio, where she leveraged Bell Media properties and brands across all plat...

Marcius Extavour comes to the XPRIZE with more than 6 years experience working at the intersection of science, energy policy, education, and technology development. As the Director of Technical Operations for the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, Dr. Extavour combines his experience in partnership building and strategy with his training in physics and engineering to help lead the transition to a clean e...

Shannon MacDonald is the Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Johnson & Johnson Inc. (Canada) where she leads internal and external communications, federal and provincial advocacy, and stakeholder relations. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the health and life sciences sectors, and a consistent track record of leading achievement through collaboration with a broad s...

Michael Coteau was elected in 2011 as the MPP for Don Valley East. He currently serves as Minister of Children and Youth Services, as well as Minister Responsible for Anti-Racism. Previously, he was Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, as well as Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, and before that, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Michael Perley received his M.A. in French Language and literature from the University of Toronto in 1971. Following his participation in successful campaigns to control the causes of acid rain in the United States and Canada in the 1980s, Michael Perley joined the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco (OCAT) as Director in 1993. On behalf of the Ontario medical and public health communitie...

Marianne Harrison is President and CEO of Manulife’s Canadian Division. She also sits on the Company’s Executive Committee. In this role, Ms. Harrison is responsible for all aspects of the diversified and balanced insurance, investment and banking business provided by Manulife’s Canadian Division. Ms. Harrison is a key driver for cultural and operational change within the organization. Under...

Maxime Bernier is known as a dependable politician who speaks his mind. A man of ideas, his belief in personal responsibility and freedom is at the heart of his political vision. In his public statements, he expresses those values and his unwavering commitment to reducing the size of government. Maxime Bernier was born January 18, 1963, in St-Georges-de-Beauce. He is the father of two girls....

Marie-France Lalonde was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 2014 as the MPP for Ottawa-Orléans. Lalonde currently serves as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, and as Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. She was previously Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Prior to that, she was Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development,...

Michael A. Echols is a senior cybersecurity executive and critical infrastructure protection strategist working with senior corporate leaders and government officials to make the U.S. more resilient. He is leading a revolution to stand-up and support Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAO). As such, Mr. Echols leads a global effort to harmonize cyber threat information sharing. He...

Classically trained on violin and in voice, Miranda is a versatile performer and in high demand as a fiddler and singer covering a wide range of styles. Her debut full length solo album, Whipping Boy, was released in May 2014 to critical acclaim. It became the flagship of her own record label, Roaring Girl Records which at just shy of 3 years old is quickly gaining a reputation for as a home f...

Michael Tremblay joined Invest Ottawa as President and Chief Executive Officer in March of 2017. Prior to joining Invest Ottawa, he was the Vice President of Public Sector for Microsoft Canada since April 2007. Michael led all of Microsoft Canada’s public sector activities including sales to Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments, as well as to the Healthcare and Education sectors. Mike ...

Marni Soupcoff is a writer, commentator, and policy analyst, with a particular interest in and focus on education and health. Her writing appears in the National Post and Regulation magazine. Her work has previously appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Stanford Journal of International Law and other publications.

Mike Henry is Executive Vice President, Retail Payments, Deposits and Unsecured Lending. Mike and his team are responsible for designing and delivering financial solutions that drive growth through Scotiabank’s Canadian branch network, call centres and digital channels. Mike is also the co-executive champion of HeForShe at Scotiabank, which builds on the HeForShe movement created by UN Women an...

Dr. Mohamed Lachemi is president and vice-chancellor of Ryerson University, appointed by the Board of Governors effective April 4, 2016. An internationally recognized researcher and accomplished academic administrator, he has been a key contributor to the growth and development of Ryerson over a transformational time in the university’s history.

Lieutenant-General Michael Hood began his military career in the infantry as a guardsman with the Canadian Grenadier Guards before enrolling in the Regular Force and receiving his air combat systems officer wings in 1988. Most of his subsequent flying career was spent in the tactical airlift role on the mighty CC-130 Hercules, as well as a tour as an electronic warfare officer on the T-33 Si...

Matthew Johnson is the Director of Education for MediaSmarts, Canada’s center for digital and media literacy. He is the author of many of MediaSmarts’ lessons, parent materials and interactive resources and a lead on MediaSmarts’ Young Canadians in a Wired World research project. As an acknowledged expert in digital literacy and its implementation in Canadian curricula, Matthew is the architect...

Meaghan has a degree in finance and worked as a Senior Equity Trader for major Canadian banks and investment firms for many years on Bay Street. She was a trader during many key market events including the financial crisis and she saw firsthand what happens when governments, businesses, and financial institutions do not properly manage financial risk. She also realized that the same issue is tr...

Mark was appointed President & CEO in June 2016, where he is responsible for leading CPP Investment Board and its investment activities. Mark joined CPPIB in 2012 as CPPIB’s first President for Asia. In November 2013, he became Head of International where he was responsible for the organization’s international investment activities, managing global advisory relationships and leading the orga...

Mala Dorai is a healthcare consultant with Deloitte Canada, 2017/18 Studio Y Fellow with MaRS Discovery District and 2017 CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow. She has global experience in public health and mental health, and has previously worked with the World Health Organization, numerous academic hospitals in the United States, and Health Quality Ontario. Mala is passionate about using innovative...

Marlene Chiarotto is the Director of Program Delivery and Integration at Prosper Canada, a national charity focused on financial empowerment. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree after graduating from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto. Marlene later obtained an Ontario Chartered Accountant designation and gained 15 years of audit and finance experience in both the pu...

There are three common threads that weave through Mike O’Brien’s rise to become Mayor of Fredericton – a lifetime of public service, a visionary insight, and a compassion for the less advantaged. Combined with his love for his community, these traits resulted in a City stronger and more inclusive than it otherwise may have been. Professionally, he made his mark as an engineer, overseeing ef...

Mandy Dennison leads the social impact strategy for Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada. Mandy and her team lead granting strategy and operations for the Intact Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Intact, focused on helping communities adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change and finding solutions to break the cycle of p...

Mary is responsible for the management, recruitment, professional development and training of legal professionals and staff. She is very involved in the Firm's pro bono, diversity and equity, and women's initiatives, and works on other major projects for the Firm.

Marina Strauss covers retailing for The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. She has probed issues ranging from the strained relationship between Tim Hortons franchisees and their new corporate owner to tensions arising from how dominant retailers deal with their suppliers. Other topics she has tackled include the fallout from foreign retailers invading Canada; how digital disruption is reshapi...

Maryscott (Scotty) Greenwood is Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian American Business Council and co-leads the US Federal Public Policy practice of Dentons US, LLP a leading global law firm. Greenwood serves on Board of Directors of the Foundation for Art & Preservation in Embassies and is an Advisory Director for a tech start up (HYR) and a non-profit (Hostage US). Greenwood previously ser...

Professor Crago is McGill University’s Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation). Prior to returning to McGill, Professor Crago was the Vice-President (Research) and Professor in Human Communications Disorders at Dalhousie University. Her previous university administrative positions include Vice-President of International and Inter-Governmental Relations at the Université de Montreal as well as ...

Professor Molly Shoichet holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering at the University of Toronto. She served as Ontario’s first Chief Scientist in 2018 where she worked to enhance the culture of science in Ontario. Dr. Shoichet has published over 575 papers, patents and abstracts and has given over 350 lectures worldwide. She currently leads a laboratory of 30 and has graduat...

Max FineDay is a nêhiyaw activist from the Sweetgrass First Nation in Saskatchewan, Treaty 6 Territory. He is currently serving as Executive Director of Canadian Roots Exchange, a recognized leader in delivering reconciliation programming to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth across Canada. In his spare time Max serves as an Advisor to the President of the Economic Club of Canada, the Laid...

Maayan Ziv is an activist, a photographer and an entrepreneur based in Toronto. From a young age, Maayan challenged norms and worked within her community to increase awareness of disability issues and improve accessibility. Living with Muscular Dystrophy, Maayan is a passionate and relentless advocate for creating a more accessible world. In 2015, Maayan founded Access-Now, a crowdsourced app ...

Madeleine Redfern, LLB, was born in Iqaluit, Nunavut (formerly, Frobisher Bay, NWT). She is currently the Mayor of the City of Iqaluit for her second term. Madeleine has a strong commitment to her community, and she strives to be accessible, responsive and accountable. Madeleine has 30 years of experience working in business and governance, on issues related to economic development, hou...

Mona Ghiami is the Chief Inclusion Officer (CIO) at PwC Canada and a member of the Extended Leadership Team. Mona also represents Canada as its Territory Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Leader in PwC’s Global Network. As CIO, Mona advises the CEO and Canadian Leadership Team on D&I matters. She is responsible for developing the firm’s D&I strategy, national programming and oversees related marke...

She left her hometown of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, at 18 with a dirty hockey bag and an audacious dream. By 19, she founded Freshco, Canada’s #1, full-service, reconstruction and retail maintenance provider operating across Canada and the eastern United States serving clients like Anthropologie, Apple, Banana Republic, Bell Media, Home Depot, Lululemon, Nike, Restoration Hardware, RBC, Sephora, T...

Marina is the President & CEO of CanadaHelps, the largest destination for giving and fundraising in North America and a fast-growing, social technology enterprise. Marina is passionate about charities and their essential role in Canada, and about building the capacity of the charitable sector through technology and education. Under her leadership since 2013, CanadaHelps has rapidly acceler...

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward was elected as the 29th mayor of Burlington, Ontario in October of 2018. She is also the second woman to hold that position in Burlington’s history. Mayor Meed Ward is working hand in hand with Burlington City Council to build a city that grows and thrives. In launching the Mayor’s Red Tape Red Carpet Task force in early 2019, she is partnering with local businesses...

Mairead Lavery joined Export Development Canada in 2014 as Senior Vice-President for Business Development. From day one, she has been a passionate promoter of the Crown corporation and Canada’s exporters. Appointed President and CEO on February 5, 2019, Mairead is determined to see EDC help thousands more Canadian companies “go, grow and succeed internationally.” Prior to EDC, Mairead held n...

Michael Nicin is the Executive Director of the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University. Michael served as Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor to the Ontario Minister of Seniors Affairs, leading the design and launch of the $155 million provincial Seniors Strategy - the first government funded seniors strategy in Canada. He also served as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Ontario ...

Michael Rhodes is Group Head, Innovation, Technology and Shared Services at TD, with a mandate to help TD shape the future of banking while ensuring the bank delivers every day. Michael leads TD's best-in-class digital team serving more than 12.9 million digital customers, as well as the bank's industry-leading data capabilities, including TD's artificial intelligence (AI) group, Layer 6. H...

Mac Van Wielingen, is an influential private equity investor, corporate director, and Canadian philanthropist. He will share his vision of the long-term energy transition we are currently experiencing, and the opportunity Canada has to regain its role on the global energy stage. Van Wielingen is the Founder and Partner, ARC Financial, Canada’s largest energy focused private equity manager, and ...

Marcia Moffat, Managing Director, is Country Head of Canada for BlackRock, a global investment management and technology solutions firm that manages approximately US$7 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. Through its institutional client and iShares businesses, and growing technology and advisory services, BlackRock Canada helps a wide range of investors build better financi...

With an award-winning career in wealth management, Melissa Allen began her professional career as a digital marketing expert, first interning at the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris, France, and then working with major technology brands, such as Torstar Digital and Google.

As the National Managing Partner of PwC’s Industries and Regions, Matthew oversees PwC Canada’s industries, market segments, large cities and regional offices and works with leaders to address evolving market trends and solve important problems and build trust with clients. From a practice development and client delivery perspective, Matthew focuses on private equity and pension funds, wor...

Mark is the Executive Vice President for Think. A lawyer by training, Mark has enjoyed a rich and varied career, having worked at a national law firm and served as a senior political advisor to a national party leader. Prior to joining our Executive Team, Mark worked as an Executive Manager for the Canadian Broadcast Corporation where he led negotiations for hundreds of content deals. He is an ...

Marwan Akar is the President & Managing Director of Merck Canada.

Dr Michal Meidan is Director of the Gas Research Programme, taking over from James Henderson in September 2021 and Director of the China Energy Programme at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Before joining OIES in July 2019, she headed cross-commodity China research at Energy Aspects. Prior to that, she headed China Matters, an independent research consultancy providing analysis on the p...

Marina is the Manager of the Ontario Music Office at Ontario Creates, where she delivers funding and business support programs to the province’s vibrant and diverse music industry. She has previously held government positions in international trade and investment attraction, finance, communications, and culture industries policy. Prior to her public service career, she worked in post-producti...

I never expected to end up in a large financial organization and love it as much as I do. Over the years, I've held a number of varied roles, had lots of successes & made lots of mistakes. Each role helped me hone my view on leadership, because a great team makes all the difference, both to my success & happiness. I've learned that I've never had an idea that isn't made better by someone els...

Melissa Allen began her career in digital marketing first interning at Foreign Affairs Canada in Paris, France, and then working with tech companies such as Torstar Digital and Google, before pivoting to an award-winning career in financial services at Desjardins. Combining her passions for tech and finance, Melissa became an angel investor and Limited Partner in 2019 and after selling her ...

Marcel Saulnier has made a significant impact on the Canadian health care system, with more than 30 years of experience advising on key health policy issues in the federal government. Marcel is currently an Associate at Santis Health, a leading Canadian health care consultancy. Prior to joining Santis, Marcel was an Associate Assistant Deputy Minister for the Strategic Policy Branch of Heal...

Mouchka Heller is AWS’s head of research and analysis for economic development. She has honed her subject matter expertise in how digital transformation impacts economies and communities in the public sector - as a trade commissioner of infrastructure for Canada – in the civic sector - as portfolio lead for the future of mobility at the World Economic Forum – and in the private sector as head o...

Madelyn Kirby (she/her) is a songwriter and poet from Toronto. She finds inspiration in the vast beauty of the natural world, the unique people who inhabit it, and the unknown of the future, past and present. She tells stories of her own introspection and explores the many questions and strange occurrences in this world. Maddy studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music where she honed her ...

Mila Lucio is a results-oriented and values-driven business leader. As Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Social Impact at Green Shield Canada (GSC), she has the unique honour of leading two portfolios at the core of the GSC business structure. Leveraging her experience in human resources and leadership, Mila is focused on helping people achieve their full potential, while fulfil...

Melanie joined TD Bank Group in June 2011 as a Vice President in Human Resources and progressed to the role of Senior Vice President in June 2012. Within Melanie’s current remit she leads the Talent Centre of Expertise (CoE) within the HR function that encompasses Learning and Development, Organizational Effectiveness, Talent Acquisition, and Talent Management. Prior to leading the Talent...

Mike joined Ipsos in 1997 after more than twelve years of working within both social and economic portfolios of the Government of Canada. His background includes all facets of public and private sector research and communications as well as government policy and program development. He has examined issues that range from encouraging people to donate blood, to positioning the Government of ...

Marwan’s experience is extensively diverse, both geographically and professionally. His life and career took him to Africa, the Middle East, Europe, U.S., and Canada. His journey at Merck took him from his start as an engineer in Vaccines Process Development, to Business Development & Alliance Management, and thereafter to Managing Director in Egypt, Russia, and now in Canada since September 2...