In 2023, I was honoured as a Top 75 Data and Insights Legend Nominee, inducted into the ESOMAR Congress Hall of Fame in Amsterdam—one of only three Canadians among 75 global data leaders. Being recognized by industry pioneers like Joaquim Bretcha, Ray Poynter Crispin Beale, and Kristin Luck was a defining moment. But for me, this wasn’t just an accolade—it was a call to action. As an innovator and disruptor committed to excellence in insights, I would like to discuss my second pillar of election promise.
The Second Pillar of My ESOMAR Vision
I have built industry and educational resources, created credentials, and championed top global talent, connecting them to opportunities within ESOMAR, partner organizations, and the wider insights industry. I’ve led transformative change in Canada’s association landscape when it stood at a crossroads, taking on challenges that others might have shied away from—not for the title, but because my expertise, experience, and entrepreneurial vision made it all possible even when it was perceived unimaginable.
As a global female immigrant professional and first generation Canadian who moved here in my adulthood alone, I carved my path to C-suite leadership with determination, grit, and success—launching programs, services and publications that bridged critical gaps in the marketplace and created lasting industry impact and have always displayed the importance of a global citizenship and diaspora communities in enhancing the far-reaching nature of our trade especially for those who move to North America as professionals. From mentoring students across institutions to building communities through Generation1.ca to winning awards, I have consistently pushed boundaries, driven change, and powered industry-wide knowledge exchange and digital / cultural transformation across North America and globally leveraging strong strategic alliances.
I know what it means to navigate contradictions, experiment with bold ideas, and succeed with clarity and conviction having been fortunate to earn notable awards and recognition that validated these successes. That’s exactly why I’m running for this ESOMAR Council election—to power a diverse-skilled governance that reflects a fast-evolving industry and society, injecting fresh thought, innovative ideas, and a renewed commitment to the standards that make us globally respected.
Pillar #2 of My ESOMAR Vision: Driving Global Innovation
At my biannual Career Fair and Case Competition, the past fall one sponsored by Bank of Canada, ESOMAR, and leading organizations, top global teams tackled some of North America’s most pressing challenges—last fall, the theme was Canada’s labour productivity. Their solutions—from new products to investment strategies—demonstrated that innovation is the key to unlocking economic potential.
But innovation doesn’t just happen—it must be nurtured, shared, and scaled globally for our 12,000 strong membership. While some countries position themselves as fast followers rather than first movers, industries must take the lead in cross-border knowledge-sharing, research, and upskilling. We are safeguarded by ethical guardrails and professional codes, but they don’t drive progress on their own. As a mentor, educator, and industry leader, I challenge, refine, and expand these frameworks—ensuring our future leaders critique, champion, and apply them to real-world decision-making.
This is what I have promised:
✔️ Bridging Academia, Industry & Innovation Hubs – Cultivating a powerful, interconnected ecosystem where professionals gain cross-functional expertise, tap into research funding, and access certification pathways that shape a future-ready workforce.
✔️ Global Forums that Spark Breakthroughs – Supercharging ESOMAR’s knowledge-sharing platforms with cutting-edge research, groundbreaking methodologies, and real-world applications that cross industries, markets, and borders.
✔️ Technology Leadership in Action – Positioning ESOMAR as the epicenter of AI, big data, and emerging tech, ensuring members don’t just keep up with disruption—they lead the charge, sharing both successes and challenges to drive continuous innovation.
✔️ Cross-Sector Collaboration with Measurable Impact – Expanding beyond research to forge high-value alliances in finance, tech, policy, and social impact. Building revenue-generating knowledge ecosystems, co-created information hubs, and data-driven engagement models that connect sectors, markets, organizations, and cultures in ways that truly move the industry forward.
Shaping the Future, Together
ESOMAR is already a powerful force for knowledge exchange, but in a world of rapid digital and cultural transformation, we must accelerate global collaboration. My goal is to expand ambassadorship, industry partnerships, and avenues of impact, making ESOMAR even more influential and future-ready at your fingertips.
Join me in driving global innovation—where knowledge isn’t just shared, it’s transformed into action. Read more here.
Fostering Global and Local Competitiveness: A Dialogue
At George Brown College’s Business Analytics Symposium, Microsoft’s John Weiglt pointed out that Canada isn’t taking innovation seriously enough. Meanwhile, at a CD Howe Institute luncheon, Maple Leaf Foods’ Executive Chair Michael McCain stressed that in a sub-scale economy, clear, actionable regulatory reform—not necessarily innovation—are key to more local competitiveness. I captured this clip of our discussion below for my platform—because this is the kind of dialogue that should fuel ESOMAR’s leadership in the global research community.
Why do I mention both perspectives? Because when I talk about innovation, it’s seeded in human-centricity, empathy and collaboration across business problems shaped by technology —it’s about applying professional and industry codes of conduct to real-world practice, between and across the broad and specific industry gamut of buyers and suppliers and communicating purpose through actions and impact, always enabled by good data and insights.
