THE POWER OF MENTORING Plus CANADA’S CHARITIES OF THE YEAR p. 16 DECOMPRESSING WITH FEDEX CANADA’S LISA LISSON p. 82 DEC. 2017 SPECIAL SECTION: CANADA’S MOST POWERFUL WOMEN: TOP 100 CONTENTS CANADA’S MOST POWERFUL WOMEN 12.2017 Mentors and mentees from EY, CI Financial and RBC share their stories TOP 100 HONOURING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF 100 STRONG FEMALE LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE PRIVATE, PUBLIC, AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT SECTORS THIS SECTION WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT DIVISION, ON BEHALF OF PHASENYNE (PARENT COMPANY OF WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE NETWORK - WXN, STEVENS RESOURCE GROUP - SRG, AND CANADIAN BOARD DIVERSITY COUNCIL – CBDC) Log in Features Last Call SCENE 2017 BOSSIES TOAST The Canadian-born woman who helped Our annual wrap-up of management Why beer and music go so well together. Ruth’s Chris Steak House become a bloopers and kudos. PAGE 14 PAGE 75 household name; In the air with the wannabe Uber of the skies; Go-to Ottawa CHARITIES OF THE YEAR party planner Guy Laflamme is going out LINES Our fourth annual look at charities in Jewelry should mean more than just with a bang; And the female-friendly dating Canada. The good news is that they’re being silver and gold. PAGE 76 app that is now taking on LinkedIn. PAGE 6 generally improving. PAGE 16 BIG PICTURE VENTURE Tofino, B.C., offers a few different kinds The global demand for nuclear warheads PERSON TO PERSON of winter vacations. could experience a Trump bump in the Three pairs of mentors/mentees share PAGE 78 how such relationships help both sides coming years. PAGE 11 better understand their positions. PAGE 20 CIRCUIT CURVE APPEAL It’s not The Jetsons era just yet, but household robots are here. Warren Buffett is more often right than PAGE 79 wrong, but he might not be when it comes Financial Times to hedge funds. PAGE 12 REV LUXURY LIVING You may not ride a motorcycle until spring, Special Section How to protect your yacht from pirates and but now is the time to buy one. PAGE 80 hackers; Why generations Y and Z are the ones to watch; And details on the timepiece FIXATIONS POSTMEDIA FOR PETER POWER BY: PHOTOGRAPHED Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100. for the travelling elite. PAGE 69 PAGE 27 FedEx Canada’s Lisa Lisson on overcoming life’s hurdles and hot yoga. PAGE 82 EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kevin Libin, Editor Andy Holloway | ART Art Director Becky Guthrie FINANCIAL POST MAGAZINE (EDITORIAL) 365 Bloor Street East, 3rd floor, Toronto, MANDY RENNEHAN STARTED A COMPANY FOR THE BEST OF REASONS: TO CARE FOR HER FAMILY. SHE IS ILLUSTRATIVE Ontario M4W 3L4 | Phone: 416-383-2300 | E-mail: [email protected], Customer service: 1-800-668-7678 | www.financialpostmagazine.com FINANCIAL POST MAGAZINE OF THE GROWING NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAVE (ADVERTISING) 365 Bloor Street East, 4th floor, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3L4| phone: 416-383-2300 | fax: 416-442-2949 | E-mail: [email protected] | Financial Post FOUNDED THEIR OWN BUSINESSES AND ARE ESTABLISHING Magazine is published six times a year by The National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Contents copyright. Financial Post Magazine is included with subscriptions to National Post INSPIRATIONAL RECORDS OF ACHIEVEMENT. SEE PAGE 30. in Canada. The next issue will be published on April 3, 2018. (subject to change). Publications mail registration number 40069573. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Financial Post COVER, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PETER J THOMPSON (2); BEN NELMS; LIZFLOYD/THE PHOTO COMPANY. CONTENTS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BEN NELMS; COURTESY OF RBC; LIZFLOYD/THE PHOTO COMPANY; PETER J. THOMPSON Magazine, 365 Bloor Street East, 3rd floor, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3L4 4 | FPM DECEMBER 2017 TOP 100 UNBREAKABLE: CELEBRATING PERSEVERANCE AND PROGRESS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION BY SHERRI STEVENS HAT DO CANADA’S MOST POWER- boardroom has dropped back to the previous FUL WOMEN HAVE IN COMMON? status-quo – should this slow pace remain, It’s not their backgrounds or gender parity on FP500 boards is decades W résumés; our community is away. This is a wakeup call that we can do proudly diverse, but the women do share three better and must do better, fast. traits that have led them to success: courage, In an effort to jumpstart progress, we grit and resilience. Many have taken the road believe that increasing visibility allows us less travelled and are “firsts” in their fields or to show upcoming leaders what’s possible. are business founders who have carved entirely That’s why Top 100 was also created: to new paths for themselves. Although they are inspire the next generation of phenomenal on different journeys, these women have all women. Top 100 is more than just an award faced challenges along the way and have come — it’s a movement. out the other side stronger for it. They are, in This movement is being led by the a word, unbreakable, and they deserve to be dynamic women we’re proud to have as Top applauded for their incredible achievements. 100 Award winners and alumnae, some of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 which are speakers at this year’s Leadership Awards was created, in part, to celebrate these Summit and Awards Gala. Arlene Dickinson, phenomenal women. By recognizing a com- one of Canada’s most renowned independent munity that now numbers over 1,000 influen- marketing communications entrepreneurs tial female leaders we get the opportunity to and a supporter of future entrepreneurs look back and appreciate the hard work and as a venture capitalist on CBC’s Dragons’ hurdle-jumping it took to get here. Den; Geeta Sankappanavar, president and There have also been strides in gender co-founder of Calgary-based energy invest- equality and public policy for women this ment firm Grafton Asset Management, a board year that call for celebration. The Annual member on UNICEF Canada, and a proud Report Card, a snapshot of board diversity mentor to professional women across indus- across Canada produced by the Canadian tries; and Hannah Taylor, a McGill student and Board Diversity Council (CBDC), shows founder of The Ladybug Foundation, which more women are being represented on FP500 supports charities across Canada in providing boards than ever before. At a global level, the food, shelter and support for the homeless. federal government announced a new “Femin- This will be Hannah’s second Top 100 award ist International Assistance Policy” that will win – she was first recognized at age 11 and ensure no less than 95 per cent of Canada’s is the youngest winner in the award’s history! foreign aid will target gender equality and the These women have become role models for empowerment of women and girls by 2021-22. colleagues, peers and protégés. They’re part of Women and men across the country had a Top 100 community that inspires each other. a hand in this progress from which we all And they have deeply inspired me. Sherri Stevens benefit. And progress needs to be celebrated. Last year, I made the bold decision to unite is president However, to echo Prime Minister Justin our group of companies (Women’s Executive and CEO of Trudeau, we have much more work to do Network - WXN, Stevens Resource Group - PhaseNyne to make gender equality a reality in Canada SRG, and Canadian Board Diversity Council (parent company and around the globe. - CBDC) into a single, cohesive brand iden- of Women’s The gender pay gap has shrunk, according tity under the name “PhaseNyne.” The new Executive to Statistics Canada, but women still earn an brand identity was formed to better serve and Network - WXN, average of 87 cents for each $1 a man earns. strengthen our diversity, inclusion and equity efforts globally. I’m excited to officially unite Stevens Resource Although the annual report card shows more women are joining boards, the number of the companies in 2018 and I’m incredibly Group - SRG, women on FP500 boards only increased one grateful to my fellow Top 100 community and Canadian percentage point this year compared to last. members for their support and guidance on Board Diversity After the introduction of Ontario Securities this new journey. We are powerful on our own, Council – CBDC) Commission’s disclosure requirements in 2014, but we are stronger when we work together. there was a significant impact on the rate of Congratulations to our 2017 Canada’s change as it pertains to women’s representation Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award on FP500 boards. For the two years follow- winners. You are showing others what’s pos- ing this new regulation, the pace of change sible when you dare to dream big, make nearly doubled year-over-year from one to two bold moves and break through roadblocks percentage point increases. In 2017, the pace to reach your fullest potential. And that is of change for the presence of women in the something worth celebrating. 30 | TOP 100 TOP 100 FEMALE FOUNDERS THE FREEDOM TO START – AND RUN – AN ORGANIZATION THEIR OWN WAY BY NANCY CARR he motivation for Mandy Renne- role model for younger women. han to start her retail building and “I understand what it’s like not to have maintenance firm was quite simple. role models, not to have stories, not to have T “I looked around and said to networks,” says Sankappanavar, who holds a myself, ‘I don’t ever want my parents to degree from the Massachusetts Institute of struggle in the latter part of their lives,’” Technology and began her career as a con- says Rennehan, CEO of Frescho, which she sultant with McKinsey and Company in New founded at age 20 after growing up in a big York City.