Black Wealth Club
COHORT MENTORS

Achille Ubalijoro is Managing Director and Project Executive Consultant at Kabera Consulting Inc. He is passionate about linking business results to a delivery system based on a combination of industry best practice and world class project/program management.

After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing at Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, he joined Bombardier Aerospace where he worked from 1995 to 2004.

He held various positions at differing levels with Bombardier Aerospace in Engineering, Manufacturing and IT, including technical, analytical and project lead roles. After earning an MBA in Strategic Management of Technology in 2003 at Concordia University in Montreal, he embraced a successful management career either as project manager, Senior Manager Transition, Program manager or Executive Consultant.

In his career, Achille has worked across various industries (i.e. Aerospace, Automotive, Consumer Goods, Mining, Engineering and Construction, Marketing and Higher education) and geographies (i.e. North and South America, Australia, Europe and Asia). He is PMP, ITIL and PgMP certified. He is currently training as a professional coach.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

In my career and personal life, I have been fortunate to have strong mentors that have guided me along the way, playing a key role in what I have achieved and obstacles I have overcome. It is only natural that I pay this forward for the next generation.

As a private markets investor, Aliénor currently focuses on executing M&A transactions in the agriculture and seafood industries. She also sits on the Natural Resources Investment Committee and represents PSP Investments on various boards for diverse agriculture businesses.

Prior to joining PSP Investments in 2016, Aliénor started her career on Wall Street at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Financial Sponsors Group supporting top tier Private Equity firms across M&A, debt, equity, and restructuring solutions. She also worked as a Corporate Banking Associate and managed a Private Debt portfolio for Media and Telecom clients.

Aliénor holds an MBA in Global Strategy & Leadership from McGill University and a Bachelor’s in Finance & Accounting with a Minor in Spanish Literature from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Passionate about promoting inclusion and diversity, Aliénor serves as a co-lead on the Inclusion & Diversity Committee at PSP Investments. She also serves as a mentor for McGill students seeking finance opportunities and for the Jeune Chambre de Commerce Haitïenne (JCCH). An art aficionado, Aliénor is currently a board member (chair of the governance committee) of Conseil des Arts de Montréal.

She is the recipient of multiple awards including: the AFFQ Rising Star Award (2021) and Excellence Quebec nomination (2020).

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Mentoring is important to me as it allows me to lift others to advance their careers and unleash their full potential. It is also a way for me to express gratitude and pay it forward for all those who have contributed to who I am and who I am becoming. To use the words of Carla Harris, “the real way to grow your power is to give it away.”

Andrew is a real estate executive responsible for growing IMCO’s $11+ Billion Global Real Estate portfolio to secure public pensions and insurance for Ontario families. IMCO is the only Ontario fund manager purpose built to onboard public clients such as pensions, insurance, municipal reserve funds, and endowments. IMCO is able to invest directly and indirectly in PropTech.

Prior to joining IMCO, Andrew secured approvals for over $4B in mixed use real estate development projects on behalf of an institutional pension plan. He currently volunteers on non-profit boards supporting social purpose real estate projects, youth programs and the visual arts at Art Gallery of Ontario.

Andrew sits on board advisory committees for real estate private equity firms and holds a Global Executive MBA from Kellogg School Management and a Real Estate Development Certification from MIT Centre for Real Estate.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Mere hard work and skill are necessary but not sufficient for young professionals and entrepreneurs to reach their potential. Marginalized young professionals often have unique needs as they need to strategically overcome lack access to entry opportunities, to high profile assignments, and to key client/customer relationships. As a Black real estate executive, I have benefited from the resilience and mentorship of prior generations, and I feel a deep responsibility to honour that legacy.

Bart is a management consulting executive within the People & Change practice at KPMG based in Montreal, where he focuses on delivering human capital services to his clients across North America. His remit is marked by leading large-scale transformations programs such as new organizational setup, change management, workforce transformation and post mergers & acquisitions just to name a few.  In his consulting career he has been know for leading large-scale transformation programs in several industries such as media, telecommunication, agriscience, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and airline.

He spends his time meeting with executives to talk about optimizing their people, process, and technology landscapes to enhance their competitive advantage.  Fluent in English and French, he has over 15 years of management consulting experience in North America and Europe.  He has held multiple positions, can adapt to cultural barriers and well-versed with the standards and professional norms of multiple countries having led global teams across his career.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

As I started my career, I had mentors along the way that helped me shape who am I today professionally.

One of my main passions is to mentor others and help them develop their talent so they can reach their own professional goals.

Beau Sackey is the co-founder and CEO of Plendify. He is a seasoned business professional with 15+ years of management consulting and project management and experience.

Prior to Plendify, Beau worked with Accenture, Deloitte and PwC and has a breadth of experience working for Fortune 500 companies across several industries including: banking/finance, telecommunications, manufacturing and retail.

In addition, Beau has significant experience managing projects, conducting system implementations, outsourcing business functions and providing practical strategic roadmaps. He is an excellent communicator and negotiator, who consistently engages and inspires teams to perform and deliver exceptional results. Over his career to date, Beau has managed initiatives in excess of $250 million.

Beau holds a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree from Carleton University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Queen’s University both in Canada. Beau is also a designated PMP (Project Management Professional). Still in the educational realm Beau has both a Design Thinking certificate and a Socially Responsible Leadership certificate from Harvard University and Queen’s University, respectively.

Beau was an Adjunct Professor at Seneca College (York University) where he taught Advanced Information Technology Project Management. Finally, Beau is also the author of a thought-leadership paper - Digital Transformation 2.0 - Your Financial Institution has embarked on a few digital initiatives. The question on your mind now is “What’s next?”

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

To pay it forward and to help young people live their best lives.

Bertrand Cesvet is a Canadian business leader, with a strong track record in the fields of branding, creative management, marketing, and international business.

After joining Sid Lee in 1997, he led the company's transformation from a local design studio, to an internationally recognized creative micro-network of more than 1000 employees in 6 offices across Canada, France, the US, and the United Kingdom. Working with top tier clients in the fields of digital marketing, advertising, experiential marketing and architecture, he seeks to create work that matters (Cirque du Soleil, Adidas House Party, Adidas is All In, We The North, Made by McGill and the re-development of Place Ville-Marie).

Bertrand has worked extensively in M&A, leading seven sales and acquisition processes on behalf of both Sid Lee's partner group and its parent company kyu, a Japanese holding company. In 2011, along with Jean-François Bouchard and Daniel Lamarre he co-founded C2-Mlt, a globally recognized international conference on creativity and business. In 2019, his contribution to industry and society was recognized by McGill University, his alma mater, when he received a doctorate honoris causa.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I believe that life is a team sport. Without the guidance, support, and friendship of others, it is almost impossible to succeed. I believe mentorship is the best possible way to give back to the communities that have shaped my human experience.

Caroline is the Managing Director who is responsible for our Technology Health & Public Sector Lead and Corporate Citizenship MD Sponsor Accenture practice in Canada. She focuses on bringing client value, innovation and delivery excellence in Transformation Services.

She has 22 years of IT experience in multiple industries including Financial Services, Telecommunications, Resources, Products and Government, and has worked with Accenture for over 20 years.

At Accenture, she has had more than 20 years of progressive experience leading large-scale, complex, business transformation engagements involving integration, alignment and implementation of technology and digital solutions for her clients. Caroline is an Accenture Certified Delivery Lead, Solution Architect and Quality Assurance Director.

Caroline has experience in the delivery of projects with all methodologies: Agile, Waterfall and Iterfall. Caroline’s experience and expertise has spanned many roles including Delivery Management, Program Management, Release Management, Implementation Management, Requirements, Design, Testing, and Transition Support.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

It is important for me to mentor others as I was fortunate to have achieved career success with the support of great mentors.

Cheesan Chew is a seasoned business leader with over two decades building businesses, leading innovation, and advising senior leaders - from start-ups to Fortune 500 organizations.

Cheesan is currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Manifest Climate, a B2B technology leader helping organizations become more climate resilient. She is also an active advisor in the Canadian tech ecosystem, helping start-ups and scale-ups drive their next stages of growth.

Prior to joining Manifest, Cheesan was Chief Operating Officer of RBC Ventures, a subsidiary of RBC. Her role included developing best in class foundational capabilities for ventures including risk management, business management, strategic planning, Ventures marketing, analytics and people experience.

Cheesan started her entrepreneurship journey co-founding Idea Couture, a global strategic innovation and design firm, where she led multi-disciplinary teams advising Fortune 500 companies as Chief CX Officer. During her tenure, she was instrumental in fostering client partnerships with global brands, achieving growth through market opportunity, exceptional client experiences and operational efficiency.

Cheesan is currently on the boards of League of Innovators, a national Canadian charity that empowers young people towards entrepreneurship, and The Canadian Club of Toronto, Canada’s preeminent public affairs destination, connecting Canadians with world-class leaders and newsmakers.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I can vividly remember the moments from grade school to my adult career when mentors (sometimes unwittingly) have played a role in shaping my decisions and career. Having also been a mentor, I believe positive influence plays an important role in the times you least expect. I owe the consequential pivots in my life to those influences and I only hope to do the same.

Chris is a Partner within the People Advisory Practice of EY, where his primary focus is leading diverse teams, across multiple geographies, in delivering services that encompass mobile talent, immigration, cross-border taxation, strategic HR and workforce enablement. As the leader of EY’s Global Immigration practice based in Canada, Chris’ remit spans over 130 countries.

Chris spends a lot of his time meeting with executives and discussing their strategic talent, mobile talent and business objectives. Chris advises and serves some of the largest Canadian, global and Fortune100 corporations during a progressive 19 year career in professional services. As an innovator and strategic thinker, Chris leads global projects to build new service offerings and capabilities.

Chris holds various executive roles including, executive sponsor of the EY Black Professionals Network, Canada Rep on the EY Americas Inclusion Advisory Council, member of EY Canada Inclusion Advisory Council. Chris is also a member of EY Canada’s ESG (Environment, Sustainability and Governance) Network and is the Co-Leader of the EY Entrepreneurial Access Network (Canada), which is focused on helping BIPOC founders build their professional networks, gain access to funding sources and ultimately accelerate the growth of their businesses.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

It is important for me to pay forward the mentorship that I have received during my life and career. I believe it is the responsibility of each generation to ensure that future generations are well equipped to succeed. Mentorship is a legacy project.

Derrick is a relationship builder and consistent advocate for startup founders. He has spent several years engaging and supporting the growing Canadian early stage tech ecosystem as an advisor and mentor. Most recently he served as a Managing Director at a venture accelerator based in the United States which supported Black led startups.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Being in a position to mentor is a privilege. I have personally benefited from many mentors and I look forward to doing a small part to give back to others. In particular I look forward to increasing black representation in the venture capital sector.

Ismaël is a Partner (Shareholder) at the Montreal-based Intellectual Property (IP) firm BENOÎT & CÔTÉ. Lawyer (Quebec Bar) and registered Trademark Agent (Canadian Intellectual Property Office), Ismaël holds a Masters of Law, LL.M., in Business Law (Université de Montréal) and multiple IP certifications (McGill University and Osgoode Hall Law School).

His practice encompasses all aspects of IP, including prosecution, commercial agreements, litigation, regulatory matters and strategic counseling, in a wide array of industries. In parallel to his practice, Ismaël is actively involved in the field of IP: Board of directors / Organizing Committee at FORPIQ (International Forum on Intellectual Property), Lecturer at Polytechnique Montréal, publications in peer-reviewed journals, articles, workshops and conferences.

His community involvement has led Ismaël to be Director of strategic partnerships of REPAF (African Business Network) and Board of directors of Parasports Québec. He is currently a member of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) Quebec Chapter, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and International Trademark Association (INTA) delegation for BENOÎT & CÔTÉ.

His accomplishments and involvements have recently been recognized by the Eastern Montreal Chamber of Commerce and the Quebec Bar Foundation (Emerging Governors). Of French-Senegalese origin, Ismaël arrived in Canada in 2009.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Successfully navigating the practice of law (a closed world with its own rules) can be highly challenging. Mentorship brings a benevolent and insightful guidance, fosters valuable connections, while instilling clear perspective and vision―allowing mentees to unlock their potential and access a new world of opportunities.

Dr. Cherkaoui completed her training in medicine in 2009. After graduating from University of Montreal’s general surgery program in 2014, Dr. Cherkaoui went on to complete her training in breast reconstruction at the prestigious Institut du sein de Paris. In addition, Dr. Cherkaoui received a breast reconstruction certification from the Gustave Roussy Cancer Center in Paris.

She combines her surgical practice with a strong expertise in cosmetic medicine at Victoria Park Medispa. She always favors refinement, elegance and harmony in her treatments to make her clients feel more confident and empowered to achieve all their objectives.

Dr Cherkaoui is currently a general surgeon at Lasalle hospital, Montreal and the director of health care quality at Lasalle Hospital. Lastly Dr Cherkaoui is a member of the board of directors of Lasalle foundation.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I would love to be able to help members of my community navigate more easily through medicine school and residency programs. I want to be able to lift each other up in our community.

Johnita Walker Mizelle is a Senior Principal, US Distribution at Sagard and joined the firm in 2021. Johnita is responsible for raising assets across each of Sagard’s strategies and their underlying funds with a focus on US-based investors.

Johnita is based in New York, US. Prior to Sagard, Johnita was Head of Investor Relations & Ecosystem Development for the Americas at Anthemis Group. Prior to that, Johnita has held roles at LM Capital Group running the business development team and serving on the executive committee.

Johnita began her career at Goldman Sachs in the equities division and has subsequently held senior roles at The Williams Capital Group, Progress Investment Management Company and Lyxor Asset management.

Johnita holds a Bachelor of Science from Spelman College (1996) where she studied chemistry and was a NASA Scholar, and she holds a MBA from Harvard University (2008) and was a Morgan Stanley Fellow and recipient of the Dean’s Award for Leadership.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

It is important to mentor others to help keep the pipeline of talent growing and thriving. No one makes great accomplishments alone, and I would greatly enjoy being a part of someone else’s mentorship circle and help them achieve the success in life that they desire.

Kadiatou is a partner at Fasken and practices business law advising Canadian and foreign clients on their local or cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestures, investments and joint ventures.

Kadiatou is known for her expertise in private equity and venture capital transactions, as well as advising international clients on their projects in Canada. She has acted on a wide range of transactions in various industries, sectors and regions and is particularly knowledgeable of the Francophone Africa market where she has a large network and frequently advises clients on major projects in the natural resources sector.

Kadiatou was named as the Young Bar Association of Montreal 2017 Lawyer of the year in Corporate Law. She is a member of Fasken’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee and regularly speaks on panels and events about diversity in law and the corporate world in general.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Mentorship to me is all about sharing experience to inform, enable and encourage the next generation in understanding all of their options, choosing and setting goals, exploiting their full potential and never giving up on their goals. Mentorship is also about opening up and sharing networks and connecting people in order to build that critical mass that will enable black professionals and entrepreneurs to more successfully navigate all layers and aspects of the economic ecosystems.

Karlyn Percil-Mercieca is a Certified Emotional Intelligence and Neuro-Life Coach with a focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. She is the Chief Executive Officer of KDPM Consulting Group INC., the Founder of SisterTalk, and the founder of The Success System.

Karlyn has dedicated her career to helping corporations plan, develop, and execute successful and comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership strategies to support inclusive organization and human optimization goals. An avid community and youth advocate, Karlyn served as the Vice President for the BBPA (Black Business and Professional Association) and was the Chair of the Harry Jerome Awards for over 5 years.

She is passionate about equitable change and believes that inclusion is not a trend, but a verb that requires daily action from systems to self. KDPM Group is currently working on research focused on workplace wellness and flourishing for Black women. The report on Psychological Safety and Wellbeing in The Workplace focused on Black women and leadership will be released in 2022.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

When I think about the importance of mentorship, I think about this quote by Oprah -

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the higher part of yourself when sometimes it becomes hidden to your own view.” I’ve had so many people help me see the higher parts of Karlyn when I couldn’t and because of their mentorship, I was able to dream bigger, launching KDPM Group, The Success System and now The Dream Bigger Academy.

Because of their mentorship and guidance, I was able to create, lead and grow in a way that honours my African-Caribbean cultural and ancestral roots, lessons and insights I am looking forward to sharing and discussing with the brilliant mentees in this program .”

Kevvie is the Deloitte Global and Canada Cyber Response Leader where he helps organizations prepare for, manage and recover from incidents. He has 25 years of experience coaching and leading organizations through the defensible management of incidents which has restored operations, preserved brand reputation and minimized organizational impact.

Kevvie is author of Data Breach Preparation and Response and SQL Server Forensic Analysis and is a contributing author to several cyber security and forensics books. As a recognized security expert and global authority in database forensics, he is a sought after speaker, and is frequently interviewed on cyber security and data breach matters with recent features by CBC The National, the Business News Network, Wired Magazine and the Globe and Mail.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I personally have had an interesting journey over my 25+ years of experience which I hope can benefit others who are earlier in their journey.

Konata is a Partner at Torys LLP, a member of the firm’s M&A Group and head of Torys' Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Group. Konata regularly advises founders, investors and other strategic and financial parties in all aspects of investing and divestiture transactions, including shareholders arrangements, majority and minority equity investments, and joint ventures. Having practiced in New York, Konata provides comprehensive advice in cross-border transactions, helping clients expand their footprint in Canada, the U.S. and internationally.

Konata is the Vice-Chair of York University’s Bord of Governors and Chair of the University’s Governance and Human Resources Committee. Konata also serves on the board of directors of the Canada Club of Toronto.

Konata has received numerous awards and recognitions including Osgoode Hall Law School’s Alumni Gold Key Award: One-to-Watch, Lexpert Rising Stars—Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40 Award and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory—Leading lawyer to watch in corporate commercial law.

Konata has a BBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and JD/MBA degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

My life and career has been greatly enhanced by those who took time out of their lives and careers to speak with me and offer words of guidance or insight. I feel fortunate to be in a position to do the same for others and believe that mentorship and exposure is a key component to having the representation in our corporate offices and board rooms match the richness and diversity of Canada.

Lianne Hannaway is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), an experienced financial executive and an investor.

Lianne is passionate about helping first-generation business owners and investors achieve financial freedom by taking control of their finances. She is a Board Member and Treasurer at The Equality Fund, a groundbreaking collaboration that supports women’s rights organizations and feminist movements globally with a backing of $300 million from the Canadian government.

She is also a board member of Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7, national support service providing professional online and telephone counselling and volunteer-led, text-based support to youth across Canada in both English and French. Previously, Lianne was an advisory partner at KPMG, and held a variety of senior finance roles at TMX Group.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

My most impactful mentoring relationships are where I could identify with my mentor (or mentee) on an other than professional level. The advice, particularly navigating corporate Canada as a Black woman, has been invaluable to advancing in my professional life. By mentoring others, I hope to help other professionals break barriers to their advancement and change our future workplaces for the better.

Ms. Madeleine Féquière is a senior finance professional with over 30 years of experience in corporate credit administration, credit risk & operations, credit enhancement and global commerce that has spanned the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East in various sectors of the economy.

She is currently a Corporate Credit Chief of Domtar Corporation, responsible for managing and supporting sales of $3.7 billion by overseeing a portfolio of monthly accounts receivable assets of $700 million. Prior to joining Domtar, Ms. Féquière held various leadership positions at Abitibi-Bowater, Teleglobe and Microsoft-Softimage. She is heavily involved in business and humanitarian causes through decades of participation on numerous public, governmental and non-profit boards and committees.

Ms. Féquière is an independent director and member of the Audit Committee and Risk Management Committee of Investissement Quebec and serves on the board of University of Montreal. An expert panel member of the Canadian Council for the Purpose of the Corporation, Ms. Féquière holds a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University, a MBA (short) from McGill University and obtained the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. A respected lecturer in her field, she’s published several white papers in specialized magazines and received a number of awards in recognition of her accomplishments.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Mentorship is important to me as it allows me to provide others with the same opportunities to lead with clear vision, authenticity, purpose and compassion and help unleash their innovative and disruptive hidden talents.

Moses is a McKinsey & Co management consultant, an entrepreneur, and a Harambean (network of people committed to growing the African continent through business).

He began his immersion into the world of entrepreneurship through a decade in the family business, a Kenyan media and events company. This instilled in him a foundational understanding of business management, as well as demonstrated to him the potential for businesses to not only create profit but also be sources of good in society.

He built on these entrepreneurial instincts by working directly with the world’s leading financial services and resource players through his work at McKinsey, where he is focused on helping his clients develop and execute winning strategies to navigate their fast-changing landscapes.

These abilities came full circle through Africa’s Pocket, a fintech business he co-founded while doing his MBA at London Business School, aimed at enabling African’s to build generational wealth.

In addition to his MBA, Moses holds a bachelor’s degree from University of British Columbia, is an unrelenting geek, and tries to find an excuse to say “every day I learn”, every day.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I want to see more people with minority backgrounds playing leadership roles in our societies and companies. Mentoring enables me to both create opportunities and help people identify/navigate the opportunities around them, thus driving this change.

Additionally, I recognize how integral mentorship has been to my personal journey, and believe that paying it forward is the most meaningful and scalable way to recognize my mentor’s investment in me.

Dr. Nicolas Cadet is the first ophthalmologist of African descent who is subspecialized in oculoplastic surgery (eyelid surgery) in Canada.

Dr. Cadet practices ophthalmology and oculoplastic surgery at Verdun Hospital and in reputable clinics. Furthermore, Dr. Cadet is a philanthropist, activist and social entrepreneur.

Dr. Cadet obtained his medical degree from McGill University and he completed his residency in eye surgery (ophthalmology) at the University of Montreal. Then, he completed a fellowship in aesthetic and reconstructive oculofacial plastic surgery, orbital and lacrimal surgery at McMaster University in the Greater Toronto area with Dr. Yasser Khan.

Dr. Cadet has been awarded over 20 scholarships and prizes for his academic achievements and community involvement. He has published many articles in peer-reviewed journals and he presents regularly at national and international conferences. Dr Cadet is of Canadian-Haitian origin and he is passionate about giving back to the community. Since 2014,

Dr. Cadet organizes a free annual glaucoma and ocular health screening in Montreal-North. Furthermore, he has organized and participated in numerous oculoplastic and ophthalmological surgery missions to provide care for underserved populations on 3 continents. Dr. Cadet and his family promote holistic health in the community through the Cadet Foundation.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

My motto is to love, serve and empower people. I feel that mentoring people allows me to do just that.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson is an award-winning Technology Executive, with over 20-years of experience. She is an AVP in Technology Solutions, currently serving in the role of Solution Train Engineer at TD Bank Group, supporting Data-as-a Service Enterprise Product Family and responsible for overall orchestration of large solution level events – but that is not all.

She is Founder and CEO of Empowered in My Skin Inc., author, professional bodybuilder, host of Empowered in My Skin podcast, and an inspirational speaker, with speeches that have been viewed over 10M times worldwide. Notably, in 2020, nominated by TD Bank Group, she was awarded Women's Executive Network (WXN) Most Powerful Woman Canada – Top 100!

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., "Service to others is the rent we pay for our time here on earth". I believe that everything I've experienced and learnt in life thus far is in large part to share freely and generously with others. I also believe that helping others think in ways that is empowering, is the key to creating sustainable change in this world.

Olivier Rukerankiko is an Information Technology executive with expertise in business strategic planning and IT transformation across several industries including transportation, finance, logistics and e-commerce. Olivier's career span leadership roles in various companies including Canadian National Railway, National Bank of Canada and Hybris SAP.

Olivier holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from York University in Toronto and a Master of Business Administration from HEC Montreal. He is also active in the community through non-profit organisations, including Academos, where he mentors young people in the process of career choice helping them find the job of their dreams.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

There is no better way of contributing and making a positive impact than sharing knowledge, experience and network with young people, especially within underrepresented communities such as the black community. Being originally from Rwanda, I had to adapt to my new country and I know first hand how important it is to have mentors and exemplars to look up to.

Oumar Diallo has nearly fifteen years of experience in strategic and regulatory analysis, risk management and financial technology, having worked closely with decision-makers in the financial sectors and international organizations. Perfectly trilingual (French, English, German), he is the Director, Fintech and Innovation at the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).

He has held senior positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the Laurentian Bank of Canada, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and The Economist, among others. He has a Joint Honors BSc in Economics and Politics from the University of Montreal, a Postgraduate Certificate in International Studies, specialization in International Economics from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in Austria, and an MPA, specialization in financial regulation from the prestigious École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) of France - Promotion Robert Badinter.

Laureate of the Black History Month 2020, finalist in the category “Young international leader of Quebec” at the 2020 ARISTA provincial competition and member of the 3rd Excellence Quebec cohort, Oumar Diallo is an experienced Board Director who is very engaged in the community. He is, among other, the former president of the African Business Network in Canada (REPAF). He is currently a Board Director at the Montreal Port Authority (MPA).

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

My life story would have been completely different if it wasn’t for the generosity of mentors that guided me at critical junctures of my personal and professional development, especially in moments of doubt. Today it’s my turn to step-up my contribution to our community by giving back in becoming myself a mentor, so we can perpetuate this virtuous circle towards a better life for us and the next generation.

Patricia Fourcand, Ad.E., practices family law at the Montreal office of Miller Thomson. She has a recognized expertise in family litigation with an international law component. She received the designation of Emeritus Lawyer from the Quebec Bar in 2021.

Patricia has worked on complex cases, such as child abductions, the validity of foreign or religious marriages, as well as the multijurisdictional division of assets. Her representations as regards the rights of fathers with respect to parenting time have contributed to the evolution of the law in Quebec towards greater equality between both parents, reflecting the importance of equality between men and women.

Her commitment to family law has led her to serve on the Superior Court’s Liaison Committee concerning family matters for several years. A sought-after speaker, she regularly gives speeches on family law not only in Quebec but abroad. She is a Fellow of the prestigious International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Patricia has served on numerous boards of directors. She is also involved in causes aiming to recognize the importance of women lawyers in the legal profession. She has collaborated with the Quebec Bar’s Justicia project and is currently involved in the Panorama Committee for ethnocultural diversity and inclusion in the Quebec legal profession.

Through her commitment, she has influenced human resources practices in large law firms to make these institutions more representative by promoting openness and inclusion. She is also one of the lawyers who founded the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, which aims to recognize the presence of black lawyers in the profession and to defend the rights of members of the black community.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I have been involved in mentoring for 20 years. I believe in giving back to the next generation and helping our community to build wealth for our community.

Pelra Azondekon is a young leader, actively involved in the private equity and venture capital ecosystem in Canada where she strives to be an ambassador for diversity and inclusion. She brings close to 15 years of experience in private investments, corporate finance, M&A and accounting.

Pelra currently leads the corporate venture capital activity at Québecor. Prior to joining Quebecor, she led and managed numerous equity investments in leading tech startups at Investissement Québec. Before that, Pelra spent close to a decade at EY, where she advised corporate clients and institutional funds on domestic and international M&A and private equity deals.

Pelra is also a Board Member at the Upside Foundation and Palette Skills as well as an active member of several committees at Réseau Capital. Pelra earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (professional accounting specialization) with a citation of excellence as well as a graduate degree in Public Accounting from HEC Montréal. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA auditor, CA).

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Alone we go faster but together we go farther.” To me, mentorship is all about connecting and sharing with others as we each navigate through our own journey to greatness. I can only humbly hope that leveraging key takeaways from my own personal experience to guide other professionals and give them access to my network, will result in mutual inspiration to further break down barriers. I would also love to see more talented black professionals aspire to a successful career in the venture capital industry and tech ecosystem.

After graduating at the Montreal University Bachelor of Arts; Film Studies and Communications, Richard co-founded his own production company where he directed and produced documentaries.

In 2008 Richard became a partner at Sid Lee; one of the biggest advertising agencies in Canada with offices in Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, Seattle, NYC, Paris and Amsterdam. His entrepreneurial background, his results-oriented mindset and extensive knowledge of tv production, made Richard the lead partner of all production teams and activities across Sid Lee offices for the last 14 years.

Richard produced more than 50 scripted and non-scripted projects. His productions have been seen in theatres across Canada as well as on CBC, Radio-Canada, TVA, Télé-Québec, TV5, HBO Canada, AppleTv and several festivals. Richard has numerous nominations and awards to his credit including Numix, Gémeaux, Cyber Lions of Cannes, Boomerang, Digital Marketing Awards and FWA.

In 2021 Richard decided to leave the world of advertising to fully dedicate himself to his all-time passions; television and cinema. Richard brings his broad and unique experience along a different diversity perspective on content produced in Canada.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I’ve been an entrepreneur all my life. I know how impactful a good mentor relationship can be on a career or on a business. I had the chance and opportunity to lead businesses, travel the world and work with some of the most creative minds out there. Very humbly I feel it is time for me to share that knowledge with my community.

Sabaa grew up in Montreal, built a career in Toronto and London (UK), and his collaborators and co-conspirators are scattered all over the place — Bucharest, Bangkok, New York, Accra, Tokyo, and more.

As a creative director, he has launched the Toronto Raptors, Playdium, EA’s VirtualMe MovieMaker, Rogers WAVE, and completed a major rebranding and signage system for the CN Tower.

As a business strategist and consultant, he has completed special projects for IBM, KPMG, Levi’s, Suncor, BMO, Jack Daniel’s, Selfridges, and TD. Last but not least, he is also the co-founder of Filminute, the international one-minute film festival now in its 16th year.

He holds a BComm in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Concordia University, an Associateship in Communication and Design from OCADU, and an MBA from the Rotman, School of Management, University of Toronto.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

I’ve lectured, taught, and mentored business and design students throughout my entire career. With the Black community, I feel additional urgency — we need to nurture and sustain a pool of entrepreneurs and their ventures as one pillar of growth.

Virdei Milorin is the Director for Corporate Planning and Strategy at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) of the division responsible for offices in 50+ countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

He manages a team covering data analytics, financials, resources allocations, communications and other areas. He started his career in the financial sector, moved to contracting expert prior to joining GAC.

In his 20 years of experience, he has worked as a diplomat overseeing the management of finances, HR, clients’ engagement, leading multi-functional teams in Saudi Arabia, the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Haiti and in New York. He also led a dozen audit inspections during his time as senior inspector to New Zealand, Tanzania, Dubai, Mexico, assessing strategic management, operations, trade and other areas of business.

Virdei is Haitian-Canadian who has, over the years, headed several social initiatives such as students’ associations, Haiti history courses and a part-funding a scholarship initiative to encourage post-secondary studies within the Black community. He holds an MBA with Honors from New York’s Mercy College and a Bachelor of Commerce in Management and International Business from Concordia University.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Giving back is, in my view, a highly worthwhile form of help and a duty. To share one’s own experiences to make it easier for those who are coming up is a privilege and honor. Contributing to the next generation so they can achieve more and better.

Wils Théagène is a Senior Director, Québec, at CDPQ and specializes in financing and support for Québec’s mid-market companies. He also oversees CDPQ’s transactional activities for the Equity 253 investment fund, which aims to increase diversity and inclusion in SMEs and private technology companies in Québec and Canada, in addition to being a member of the fund’s Strategic Committee.

Mr. Théagène has over 25 years of experience in investing and corporate finance. Before joining CDPQ, he was Co-founder and Managing Partner of Straccel, an investment firm specialized in mid-market mergers and acquisitions and clean technology. Prior to that, he was a Manager in Bombardier’s Corporate Strategy and Mergers and Acquisitions department.

He also held the positions of Investment Director at Hydro-Québec CapiTech, a venture capital fund active in clean technology, and Business Development Manager in the industrial sector at 3M.

He holds a Master’s in Applied Finance from Université du Québec à Montréal, a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Polytechnique Montréal and a Diploma in Management from McGill University.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors of The Black Opportunity Fund. Established in 2020, The Black Opportunity Fund is a dynamic partnership between businesses, philanthropists, foundations, and the Black community to combat the impact of anti-black racism in Canada.

Why is it important to you to mentor others?

Building the next generation of successful black entrepreneurs and contributing my expertise and network.

Arnold Flowers emerges as a transformative figure in the realm of cloud technology and strategic sales leadership, with a robust foundation in fostering business growth and digital innovation across the globe. His career, adorned with prestigious roles at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Oracle, IBM, and Microsoft, showcases a relentless pursuit of excellence, driving cloud adoption and digital transformation with visionary zeal. Arnold's adeptness in navigating complex market dynamics, coupled with a deep commitment to customer-centric solutions, underscores his role as a catalyst for change. His leadership philosophy, rooted in nurturing team excellence and fostering collaborative success, aligns seamlessly with the pioneering ethos of the Black Wealth Club's mentorship initiative. Arnold's recognition through awards like the Director's Award and General Manager's Award speaks volumes of his impact, embodying a legacy of inspiring sales excellence and strategic innovation. His journey reflects a continuous quest for growth, shaping the future of technology and sales with a forward-thinking approach. Arnold Flowers stands as a beacon of leadership and innovation, inviting peers and future leaders to join him in charting new territories in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Arnold Flowers has also made significant contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion within the tech industry. Leading the Black Employee Network at AWS, Arnold implemented initiatives to support Black employees with mentorship and career development programs. His involvement with Oracle's Alliance of Black Leaders for Excellence and IBM's Black Networking Group highlights his commitment to professional growth for African-American employees. Arnold's dedication extends beyond the corporate sphere, as seen in his work with Tropicana Community Services and mentoring roles with Futurpreneur Canada and Ten Thousand Coffees. His advocacy for diversity and inclusion has not only fostered community engagement but also promoted equitable opportunities across the business landscape, demonstrating a profound impact on creating inclusive work environments.

Cedric Afouda is an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, leading a global logistic team managing Workplace Technology assets (computers, tablets...) to enable the business.

In his role, he is accountable for demand, request and financial management, sourcing and procurement strategy, fulfillment center operations. He is also responsible for transforming these functions with a focus on process re-engineering, tooling implementation, data, people and change management.

Cedric serves as sponsor of the Morgan Stanley Montreal Race and Ethnic Diversity Employee Network Group, advocating for the development and advancement of black and other diverse employees. He is also a mentor within the Black Wealth Club, whose mission is to support the black community in Canada in building wealth and reinvesting in their communities.

Prior to returning to Morgan Stanley in August 2022, Cedric was the Head of Technology at a North-American manufacturing firm owned by Onex, the largest private equity firm in Canada. In this role, he ran all the technology functions and the transformation agenda to support the growth strategy. Cedric has held multiple positions throughout his career, including product management, operations, project/program delivery in various industries.

Cedric resides in Montreal with his wife and two sons.

George advises public and private companies on extraordinary remedies, debt recovery, the enforcement of foreign arbitration awards and judgments, sovereign immunity claims, shareholder rights and oppression remedies, and contractual disputes. He also counsels on investigations and litigation arising out of data breaches and other cyber related matters.

His wide ranging practice includes specialty insurance litigation, such as coverage for disputes involving business interruption, product liability, professional liability and other liability claims. As one of Canada’s leading transportation law practitioners, George routinely advises on international issues, acting on instructions from insurance markets and leading international law firms.

George represents clients at all levels of court and appears before administrative tribunals and commissions of inquiry. His extensive dispute resolution experience leads clients to regularly call on him to represent them in arbitrations and mediations.

Ian is a management consulting executive possessing extensive business development, delivery and advisory experience. With over 20 years of experience, he is recognized for delivering large, complex technology transformation projects (primarily SAP) in multiple industries with a focus on design, development and value delivery. Additionally, Ian has deep multinational experience, having delivered transformative solutions in excess of $100M for a variety of clients in 10 countries spanning 4 continents. He is recognized for his keen ability to communicate effectively and rapidly develop relationships across organization levels and is a trusted strategic advisor.

Marcel leads the Asset Strategy team at First Capital, which oversees asset optimization and portfolio valuations. He has held progressive roles with leading real estate asset management and advisory firms. He holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Investment & Finance and an AACI designation.

Marcel brings to FCR over 18 years of experience with an extensive background in retail, multi-residential, land, and mixed-used asset management.

Marissa Lewis, Director of Cloud Customer Experience in Canada, responsible for developing and executing on the strategy that ensures our largest customers successfully adopt, optimize, and realize business value on Google Cloud. Prior to Google, she was a Partner in Deloitte's Technology Consulting group where she successfully delivered digital transformations including core system replacements and launching new digital channels.

She is committed and passionate about building inclusive teams who are motivated to seek answers to our clients issues, and to uncover innovation-focused ideas to transform their business. She is a firm believer that happiness fuels success, and am always eager to explore opportunities to expand my personal and professional impact.

Olivia Goudou is a seasoned business leader, an award winner with over 20 years of global experience in brand development, marketing and communications, acquired in both the nonprofit and corporate world. Some of the most inspiring, innovative and respected brands Olivia touched on or helped shape include The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Intact Financial Corporation, Tangerine, RBC, Royal Canin, Catalyste+ and TFO - La Télévision française de l’Ontario.

Olivia's approach to brand building is a holistic one, which takes into account various aspects of a business. Her human-centered solutions help organizations be inspiring and earn the trust, enthusiasm and advocacy of their stakeholders.

From 2019 until 2023, Olivia shifted her focus to explore the global benefits of sustainable living and a circular economy by fully immersing herself in one of Panama’s most remote places.

Olivia holds a Master in Business Administration and Management from Université Paris Panthéon-Assas, France and speaks French, English and Spanish.

Patrice is a seasoned banking professional with 18 years of experience in global and challenging capital markets environments and he is currently Deputy Treasurer at BNP Paribas Montreal. He invests and monitors a portfolio of High Quality Liquid Assets, while managing the risks of the bank’s balance sheet. He is responsible for leading the investment orientation and funding cost for the treasury function and developing strategic relationships with broker dealers in the Canadian bond market. Patrice has a diversified background in risk management, debt financing, hedging, sales & trading and FX products through various leadership roles within Treasury. He has worked and lived in several major cities including New York and Paris.

After gaining significant experience in the bank’s headquarter in Paris, he was offered the opportunity to transfer to New York in 2011 as a Treasury VP to manage the bank’s debt issuance program, which consisted in leading new issuances and refinancing of long-term bonds and private placements. He grew into a results-oriented individual and represented Treasury both with internal and external stakeholders.

In 2015, Patrice was offered to move to Montreal to gain knowledge about short-term liquidity management to be skilled in the full spectrum of a bank’s front office treasury operations. In addition to leading the planning and analysis functions, he enhanced the bank’s investment portfolio by diversifying into investments such as sustainable bonds.

Patrice has an executive MBA from HEC McGill and a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from HEC Montreal

Renald “Ray” Durand has more than 15 years of experience in finance, accounting and alternative investment fund administration. At Star Mountain, Mr. Durand is part of the senior finance and operations team that oversees financial reporting and treasury management for all of Star Mountain’s investment vehicles.

Mr. Durand was most recently a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase in the private equity fund services division in New York where he managed a team of 12 staff and was an active participant in hosting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) awareness events. Prior to JPMorgan Chase, Mr. Durand was a Vice President at global fund administration firm Maples Group in the Cayman Islands and in Hong Kong. This followed roles as Senior Fund Accountant at Credit Suisse and Account Manager at Global Captive Management, also in the Cayman Islands.

Mr. Durand started his career as an auditor at RSM Richter Chamberland and then as a Senior Auditor at Ernst & Young.

Mr. Durand is a graduate of HEC Montreal with a degree in Business Administration. In addition to his Chartered Accountant (CA) and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designations, Mr. Durand also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) as well as the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.

Ruben Antoine is a CFA Charterholder and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with over 15+ years of experience in the financial sector, both in Canada and internationally. He is currently a Senior Portfolio Manager at Tulett, Matthews & Associates (TMA), a wealth management firm serving successful entrepreneurs, professionals and senior executives. Ruben works with high-net-worth individuals and affluent families in guiding them on investment management, tax optimization, financial planning, wealth preservation and legacy building.

Prior to joining TMA, Ruben was a Vice President of Maples Group, with responsibility for global fund launch, structuring and migration for institutional clients such as hedge funds and private equity firms. Prior to that, his career has evolved from working in the British Virgin Islands for Deloitte in auditing investment managers to moving to London (UK) to work for the investment company ESO Capital.

The economic elevation of his community is a cause particularly close to his heart. To give back, Ruben volunteers in various organizations with the mission of financial elevation of marginalized communities. For his professional achievements and his volunteering involvements, Ruben won the 2022 award of the "Most Distinguished Financial Advisor under 40" during the Top Leaders of the Financial Industry gala. In 2023, Ruben was also recognized nationally as an Excellence Awardee & Top 40 under 40 by the Wealth Professional Canada Magazine.

International Humanitarian Professional with rich 16 years of experience in Humanitarian Coordination and Emergency Programme Management. Mr Nsabiyeze is currently based in New York, employed by UN OCHA as Humanitarian Affairs Officer -Desk Officer- for the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.

Mr Nsabiyeze previously served as OCHA Deputy Head of Country Office in Burkina Faso with the responsibility to promote access to principled assistance and ensure effective coordination, advocacy, and information management with all humanitarian actors and authorities in Burkina Faso. He has occupied various management positions with International NGOs in emergency settings as Programme Operations Manager, Head of Field Sub Offices, Programme Officer, and visiting lecturer at a University in Rwanda. Before joining OCHA, he was part of the Emergency Response Team of Save the Children UK where he was deployed to South Sudan, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic. Before that, he worked for Oxfam in Chad, Danish Refugee Council in the Central African Republic, and CAFOD in Rwanda and DRC.

Stéphanie Jecrois is Co-founder and Executive Director of Technovation Montréal, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing technology and entrepreneurship skills in girls aged 8 to 18. The mission is to equip young girls with the tools and mentoring they need to become entrepreneurs and leaders in the field of technology.

A graduate in marketing and business management from HEC Montréal, she began her career in public relations agencies, particularly in the telecommunications and high-tech sectors. She then joined the City of Montreal, where for nearly 20 years she worked in various departments, including the International Relations Office, where as an international relations advisor she was responsible for developing agreements, cooperation projects and relations between cities, as well as maintaining a process of consultation with the diplomatic community and international partners.

A leader recognized by her peers and her community, in 2017 she was selected to participate in the prestigious Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference; in 2018, Chatelaine magazine named her as an inspirational woman for the implementation of the Technovation program in Quebec. In 2021, she was named one of the 100 women entrepreneurs changing the world, an initiative of Evol (formerly Femmessor). In 2022, she was a finalist in the Social Evolution: Regional Influence category of the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards (Women of Influence). In January 2024, she gave a TEDx talk on the theme of the future of education.

Involved in various organizations, in 2020 she co-founded 0rijin Village, whose mission is to address the chronic economic disparity of Afro-descendant communities. She is a mentor with Connexion internationale de Montréal, an association of young professionals in international relations, and a member of the Youth Digital Month committee of Printemps Numérique, an organization dedicated to the promotion and education of digital literacy.

She currently sits on the board of Collège André-Grasset as 2nd vice-president.

Stu is the CEO and co-founder of Beacon, a start-up reinventing financial services for newcomers to Canada

Prior to co-founding Beacon in 2023, Stu worked for twelve years at PSP Investments, a Canadian Crown Corporation managing $250bn of pension assets on behalf of 900,000 Canadians from the federal public service, military and RCMP. Stu ran PSP’s financial services investments globally, set up and ran PSP’s Asia operations out of Hong Kong and ran PSP’s North America private equity business. Stu served on numerous boards of regulated financial services companies and entities in the US, UK, Bermuda and Hong Kong

Prior to PSP, Stu worked for eight years at Apollo Real Estate Advisors (now part of Ares Management) in London for seven years (2004-2011) leaving as a Vice President

He began his career as an analyst in Global Corporate Finance at Deutsche Bank in London

He graduated from Harvard College, cum laude in Economics

Sudz Sutherland is an award-winning writer/director. His first feature was a comedy called ‘Love,Sex and Eating the Bones.’ Premiering at TIFF, Bones won best first feature and was nominated for three Genies. His next movie, 'Doomstown' won 3 Gemini Awards including Best TV Movie and Best Direction. Next was the dramatic Miniseries 'Guns' for CBC. It won five Gemini Awards including Best Direction, and Best Writing. 'The Phantoms' is his latest CBC movie and it premiered fall 2012.

Sudz’s latest feature is a hard-hitting drama called 'Home Again'. Its world premiere was at TIFF 2012 and had its major theatrical release across Canada on March 22nd, 2013 and premiered in Trinidad & Tobago on April 2nd, 2013. 'Home Again' won the prestigious BAFTA award at the 2013 PAFF down in LA. He is also working on several digital projects including the CMF funded Music Biz App with XMG and 'Home Again' digital documentary with the National Film Board.

Hungry Eyes Film & Television is a dynamic production company that makes compelling, powerful film and television. Founded by Jen Holness and Sudz Sutherland, we deliver award-winning feature films and television programs.

Tanya Greenidge is a wealth mindset specialist, an executive leadership development coach, C-suite advisor, and professional speaker. Having harnessed personal power through her own professional reinvention, she skillfully guides clients through their most challenging career and business transitions.

Tanya has 20 years of experience in providing high net worth individuals, executives, and their teams with tailored services for their unique needs. With extensive business and executive management experience, she led multi-disciplinary teams of 15 plus team members, managed 7-figure budgets, and coached individuals to ambitious career heights.

Prior to establishing Greenidge Consulting, Tanya ascended the ranks of Richter, becoming its first black woman partner in its 90 years plus history. Recognized as one of Concordia University 50 under 50 Shaping Tomorrow; Tanya seamlessly integrates her financial advisory acumen and strategic human capital experience.

As founder of Greenidge Consulting, Tanya is committed to imparting essential human skills by guiding clients through the personal growth needed to build wealth. Her passion lies in fostering transformative habits that unleash the genius of aspiring executives and C-suite leaders in the boardroom. Collaborating with progressive organizations, she advises leadership teams on optimizing for a healthy, sustainable organizational culture — the cornerstone of organizational wealth.

An engineer by training and intrapreneur, Vanessa has a rich background with close to 15 years of experience in business strategy, product development and operational performance optimization. After leading high visibility operational excellence projects for Quebec flagships such as Bombardier, Créatech/Bell, she is now the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at VIA Rail Canada.

Prior to that role, Vanessa was the VP Business lead at Cossette where she oversaw the growth of the company’s consulting practice in strategy, insights and experience design.

Her personal mission is to build a world that offers each person equal opportunities for success. To achieve this, she has been involved in several initiatives to increase the representation of women in technology such as Startup Weekend Women, Technovation, YES Advancing Women in STEM committee. Vanessa mentors tech startups through programs like NEXT Canada and Next AI. She is a permanent member of the independent investment committee for Fondaction, a forerunner in sustainable finance for the past 25 years. She sits on the board of Academos, a mentorship app and Télé-Québec, an organization of the government of quebec.

Vanessa is the recipient of multiple awards/nominations: female entrepreneur developing the most innovative product (YES/SAP 2015), Young woman in technology (The Y Foundation, 2018), Quebec Top Women in Business (Finalist RFAQ, 2018), Excellence Quebec (2020).

Yves-Alexandre Comeau regularly supports corporate executives in the design and

implementation of communications plans as well as in issue management. While his past

experiences were mainly in large corporate environments, Yves-Alexandre is now leading the external communications team at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ.

Over the past few years, he has consulted and intervened regarding several public issues of

national and international scope, including the longshoremen’s strike at the Port of Montreal, the legalization of cannabis, the opioid crisis, the suicide crisis in Indigenous communities, and the SNC-Lavalin crisis.

Yves-Alexandre sits on the Board of Directors of the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. He has regularly contributed to the planning of United Way corporate campaigns and participated in numerous fundraisers for causes he holds dear.