Non-CEO leaders are often the uncelebrated heroes of Canadian industry. They lead high-performance teams, execute core business strategies, and develop transformative new approaches for growth. The Report on Business magazine’s Best Executives program is an annual initiative established to recognize and celebrate exceptional non-CEO leaders at the SVP, EVP, and C-Suite levels.
On Thursday, May 29th, The Globe and Mail proudly hosted an in-person awards show to honour and recognize the remarkable achievements of top executives across a wide array of industries. Held on the scenic 17th floor of The Globe’s headquarters, the event buzzed with ambition and lively ambiance, as over 200 guests gathered to network and toast to excellence in leadership.
The night kicked off with a thought-provoking fireside chat between Dawn Calleja, editor of Report on Business magazine, and keynote speaker Dr. Rumeet Billan, who shared strategies for navigating uncertainty, cultivating resilience, and leading with intention and a flexible mindset during times of change.
2025 Best Executive Winners
Finance:
- Eugene Lei, Chief Financial Officer, Hudbay Minerals
- Chadwick Westlake, Chief Financial Officer, OpenText
- Monisha Sharma, Chief Revenue Officer, Fig Financial
- Aaron Bennett, Chief Investment Officer, University Pension Plan
- Nav Dhillon, Chief Financial Officer, Aviva Canada
- Jason Schonfeld, Chief Financial Officer, New Look Vision Group
Human Resources:
- Stephanie McDonald, Chief People, Culture and Transformation Officer, MDA Space
- Helena Pagano, Executive Vice President, Chief People and Culture Officer, Sun Life (Global)
- Meaghan Whitney, Chief People Officer, Blackline Safety
- Angie Ng, Vice President, People and Organization, Novo Nordisk Canada
Operations:
- Corey Pacht, Partner and Executive Vice President of Operations, Fitzrovia
- Valérie Lavoie, Executive Vice President, property and casualty insurance, Desjardins Group
- Marie-Lucie Paradis, Senior Vice President, belairdirect, Intact Financial
- Deepak Pabla, Executive Director, Vantage Logistics Services
- Husein Rahemtulla, Chief Operating officer, Fresh Prep Foods
- Paul Hogan, General Manager, International, Conagra Brands
- Jason Bubba, Chief Operating officer, NORCAT
- Kristy Shortall, Executive Vice President of Development, Northcrest Developments
Sustainability:
- Jason Ashdown, co-founder and Chief sustainability officer, Skyline
- Josh Lewis, Chief technical engineer, NERVA Energy Group
Technology:
- Rex Lee, Chief Information and Technology officer, Canadian Tire
- Casandra Mangroo, Senior vice President of Product and Science, BenchSci
- Deval Pandya, Vice President, AI engineering, The Vector Institute
Sales and Marketing:
- Jayme Minor, Vice President Sales, MAXgreen Windows, Siding and Roofing
- Jacqui Allard, Group Head, Global Wealth Management, Scotiabank
- Sarah Chapman, Chief Marketing Officer, Wealth and Asset Management and Global Chief Sustainability Officer, Manulife Financial
- Rachel MacAdam, Vice President Marketing, Skip
- Mandy Mail, Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing, Corporate Affairs, & GreenShield Cares, Greenshield
- Louise Clements, Global Chief Marketing Officer, WorkJam
Event summary produced by The Globe and Mail Events team. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.