Speaking of Business with Goldy Hyder

Dawn Farrell is President and CEO of TransAlta , the Calgary-based power company. TransAlta started with a single hydro generating station more than a century ago. It now operates more than 70 power plants in Canada, the United States, and Australia. Dawn is a fascinating, introspective leader who really speaks her mind - and that makes for one hell of an interview. In this episode she opens up ab...

Stephan Crétier is Founder, Chairman and CEO of GardaWorld , the world’s largest privately owned security company. Stephan knows all about risk and reward. In 1995, he sold his car and took out a second mortgage to start the company. Since then, he’s faced bankruptcy four times, nearly losing his home in the process. But thanks to Stephan’s incredible entrepreneurial spirit, the company today is w...

Victor Dodig is President and CEO of CIBC . Victor grew up in a tough inner-city neighbourhood, the child of working-class immigrants. One of his earliest jobs was hanging pork bellies in a meat-packing plant. Humble beginnings for the man who now leads one of Canada’s largest financial institutions. Our conversation touches on the kindness of strangers, the mentors who shaped his career, and how...

Sam Sebastian is President and CEO of Pelmorex – owner of The Weather Network. Pelmorex has more than 60 million users around the world, with operations and services that go far beyond local weather forecasts. Sam’s personal journey is a story you won’t want to miss. Born in Ohio, he first made his mark in this country as head of Google Canada. Then, in 2017, he joined Pelmorex, succeeding founder...

Dean Connor is President and CEO of Sun Life Financial . Sun Life is one of the world’s top insurance companies, and Dean is one of Canada’s most decorated CEOs. He was Ivey Business Leader of the Year in 2018, CEO of the Year in 2017, and Top New CEO in 2014. But the path of Dean’s career wasn’t inevitable. In this episode, we’ll hear how a much-loved hobby nearly led him in a different direction...

John Baker is President and CEO of D2L , the world-leading education software company based in Kitchener, Ontario. John was a 22-year-old student at the University of Waterloo when he started D2L. Fast forward two decades and the technology he created is helping millions of customers around the world in schools, colleges, universities, government and business.   In this episode we’ll hear how a yo...

Darryl White is CEO of the Bank of Montreal . Before I sat down with Darryl I talked with a lot of his friends and colleagues. They all described him as a generous and thoughtful leader with a fierce competitive edge. He became CEO at a time of intense disruption in banking, while facing incredible adversity at home. In this wide-ranging interview he shares his outlook on competitiveness, global t...

Linda Hasenfratz is the CEO of Guelph, Ontario-based Linamar . Linamar is a true Canadian success story. Linda’s father, a refugee from Hungary, started the company as a one-man machine shop in his basement in the mid-1960s. Today, it’s a diversified manufacturer with 61 plants around the world and revenues closing in on $10 billion a year. In this episode we talk about Linda’s path to the C-suite...

In this Speaking of Business summer special, Catherine Clark turns the tables on our usual host Goldy Hyder, and puts him in the hot seat. Goldy Hyder is President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada. Before taking on his current role, Goldy was CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada. Earlier in his career he served as Chief of Staff to Catherine's father, The Right Honourable Joe Clark. In...

Today’s episode: Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada . Calin was just five years old when his parents fled the Communist regime in Romania and settled in Montreal – an experience that profoundly shaped his identity and values. As you’ll hear, his dedication to the success of his company – and the country – is unshakeable. I spoke with Calin in April, prior to news of the company’s Air...

Mike Katchen is Co-founder & CEO of Wealthsimple , a Toronto-based financial services startup. In just five years, Wealthsimple has grown to more than four billion dollars in assets. And shortly after our conversation, the company announced another big funding round – the latest step on the road to an eventual public stock offering. Follow us on Twitter , join our mailing list , or visit our w...

Alex Pourbaix is a veteran of Alberta’s oil and gas industry. He retired in 2017 after almost three decades at TransCanada Corporation, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. But he couldn’t stay away long. His competitive spirit and strong belief in the energy sector soon brought him back to lead Cenovus Energy . In this episode, Alex shares his views on family, on leading in tough times, and...

Marcelo Lu is President of BASF Canada . He grew up in Brasil, has roots in China, was educated in the United States, and established his career in Europe and Asia. Today he leads the Canadian operations of the world's largest chemical producer. He brings a truly international perspective to his role at BASF Canada, but as you'll hear, he has also developed a strong personal connection to this cou...

Don Lindsay is President and CEO of Teck Resources , Canada's largest diversified resource company, and a leading producer of copper, zinc, steelmaking coal, and energy. Mining has traditionally been seen as a tough, gruff and hardnosed industry, but Don himself doesn’t fit any stereotype. In fact, his reputation as one of the most admired CEOs in Canada’s resource sector owes a lot to the care he...

Nicole Verkindt is the founder of OMX and Startup Canada’s 2017 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. OMX is a tech startup that helps companies access procurement opportunities and measure their economic impact. Nicole grew up in a family-owned manufacturing business and learned the risks of entrepreneurial life first-hand. She ran her own manufacturing firm before launching OMX at the age of 27. In th...

John Peller's grandfather founded the company now known as Andrew Peller Limited in 1961, starting with a modest Okanagan vineyard. Today, the company boasts 12 estate wineries, a range of value wine products, global icewine distribution and more. As leader of a family business thriving well into its third generation, John Peller has deftly navigated a changing industry, business, and family. Foll...

Rola Dagher is President of Cisco Canada . Cisco’s Canadian operations are key revenue generators globally and produce some of the company’s greatest innovations. As you’ll hear, Rola overcame a difficult upbringing in war-torn Lebanon – something she credits with much of her tenacity and drive. She also shares the company’s initiatives around mental health and Canada’s North, as well as some valu...

Geoff Smith is CEO of construction juggernaut EllisDon . The company’s projects include Rogers Center, The Art Gallery of Ontario, and countless other public and private facilities across the country. We discuss succession, disruption, politics, and how Geoff and his team brought the company back from the brink with an employee-driven, values-based strategy. Follow us on Twitter , join our mailing...

John Manley is Canada’s former Industry Minister, Finance Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister. John recently stepped down after nine years as head of the Business Council of Canada . As you’ll hear, John’s commitment to his family, career, and public service in both politics and business are truly remarkable. Follow us on Twitter , join our mailing list , or visit our w...

Conversations with Canadian innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Join host Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada , as he sits down with some of the most successful and fascinating people in Canadian business. Follow us on Twitter , join our mailing list , or visit our website Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Liste...