Articles – Ascend Canada

November 3, 2026Articles

Building a More Inclusive Green Economy: Lauren Castelino on Access, Opportunity and Leadership

Lauren Castelino's commitment to climate justice has been shaped by experiences both close to home and around the world.

November 2, 2026Articles

Building Belonging: Sema Burney on Allyship Beyond Good Intentions

Growing up in a largely homogeneous Montreal suburb, Sema Burney was aware from an early age of what it felt like to be different.

October 28, 2026Articles

Rewriting the Rules: Sneha Jain on Credibility, Courage and Human-Centred Change

For much of Sneha Jain’s early career, she followed a familiar rule: stay humble, work hard and let the work speak for itself.

June 1, 2026Articles

From the Ground Up: How Manjit Minhas Built a Global Business and a Blueprint for Leadership

At the age of 19, Manjit Minhas sold her Toyota RAV4 to enter the alcohol industry with her $10,000 return and her brother, Ravinder. They were up against the multinational corporations that had controlled the…

January 2, 20260Articles

Opening the Executive Door: Data, Dialogue, and Action from the Ascend Executive Roundtable

Opening the Executive Door: Data, Dialogue, and Action from the Ascend Executive Roundtable Senior leaders from across Canadian industries gathered for the Ascend Canada Executive Roundtable. The purpose was to hear and absorb data about…

October 18, 2025Articles

Championing Change: Aditi Sivakumar’s Journey in Empowering Women and Children Facing Violence

What began as a fortunate mistake set medical resident and philanthropist Aditi Sivakumar on a path to leading global advocacy campaigns. For the past seven years, she has been redefining women’s rights advocacy through innovation,…

October 15, 2025Articles

Samarah Maqbool: Mental Health Advocacy and the Making of a Modern Leader

What does leadership look like today? Increasingly, it defies traditional expectations – and Samarah Maqbool is someone who is helping redefine the image. A recent university graduate, daughter of immigrant parents and passionate mental health…

September 2, 20250Articles

Our conversation with TJ Conwi: Chef to social entrepreneur

A chef’s journey from farm to plate to purpose Chef TJ Conwi is a well-regarded Filipino chef whose career spans kitchens and executive roles in the hotel industry. Today, he leads Ono Vancouver, a catering…

August 13, 2025Articles

Leadership Thrives When Empathy and Teamwork Lead the Way

In many organizations, leaders rise through the ranks by excelling in their area of expertise – and staying squarely within it. Bindhu Alvar Thiruvenkadathan took a different path. CIO for Wealth Management at the BMO…

August 5, 2025Articles

Championing Gender Equality: Christine Chen’s Impact on Diversity and Inclusion

Christine Chen, General Counsel at University Pension Plan and Ascend Canada award recipient, champions diversity in law where just 38% of senior roles are held by women and only 8% of partners are racialized. Through…

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