I am also proud of the work I do outside the in­dustry. I’m a cancer sur­vivor and sit on the board of the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, which is doing incredi­ble work in the treatment and early detection of cancer. For me, success is about impact — both in the lives of clients and in the broader community.

Advice to my younger self

Don’t trade in your co­lour. Be true to yourself. Have a learning mindset and fail fast. If you can learn something new ev­ery day, if you can laugh every day and if you can make a difference, that’s a very good day.

On what it means to rise boldly

For me, rising boldly means prioritizing rela­tionships, surrounding myself with people who share the same principles and never wavering from those principles. When those pieces are in place, the world will support you.

Svina Dhaliwal, Partner, PwC; former Chief Administrative Officer, Toronto Police Service

Turning points

I began my career in consulting in Ottawa and, after a decade, tran­sitioned to an internal corporate finance role at IBM to gain more di­rect industry experience. Although the move was lateral, I recognized its potential to provide valu­able, practical insights that would enhance my effectiveness as a con­sultant and adviser, as well as open up future opportunities. In this role, I prioritized gain­ing depth, experience, and credibility over ad­vancement.

In 2018, I joined the Toronto Police Service during a time of signif­icant organizational change and evolving community expecta­tions. Recognizing the complexity of the chal­lenges at hand, I was motivated by the oppor­tunity to create mean­ingful impact. Through this experience, I gained valuable insights into governmental opera­tions and developed a systems-based approach to addressing societal issues. Now, having re­turned to consulting in PwC Canada, I am able to leverage my combined private and public sec­tor expertise to support broad transformation initiatives across govern­ment, bridging strategy, effective execution, and delivering measurable results.

Overcoming challeng­es to rise boldly

Consulting and polic­ing are both fields that have traditionally been male-dominated and cul­turally homogenous, so I’ve had to be purposeful in how I build trust and influence. Coming in as an “outsider” was never easy — especially when I encountered people who questioned the need for change or didn’t imme­diately see the value in my perspective. I earned credibility by consistent­ly showing up, working hard, being genuinely curious about others, and demonstrating a true in­vestment in their growth and success.

Every step forward in my career — from part­nering with communi­ties on equity strategies to overhauling internal HR processes — has moved at the pace of trust I was able to build. As my responsibilities have grown, both profession­ally and personally, I’ve faced the ongoing chal­lenge of managing com­peting priorities. I don’t use the word “balance,” because that suggests a stability that rarely ex­ists. Instead, I think of it as constant juggling — making daily decisions about what deserves my attention most.

Key achievements

I am particularly proud of the transformation that we now see in the To­ronto Police personnel. It now reflects the commu­nity more authentically than ever before. Our approach extended be­yond meeting targets; we pursued systemic change through thoughtful in­terview practices, strate­gic recruitment, aware­ness of biases, effective succession planning, and careful consideration of development needs. As a result, there are now leaders at all ranks ded­icated to building upon this foundation.

Advice to my younger self

Career paths do not need to be linear. Later­al moves and alternative routes contribute to the richness of one’s expe­rience, which ultimate­ly endures longer than rapid advancement up the hierarchy. Master­ing storytelling is essen­tial — clearly articulating your experiences and value can make a signif­icant difference during interviews or in making strong impressions. On a personal note, which remains a continual area for growth, I would ad­vise setting clear bound­aries for work and life early, enabling you to prioritize effectively and pursue fulfillment with authenticity.

On what it means to rise boldly

To rise boldly is to put yourself and your repu­tation forward in pursuit of what is right, while also supporting others on their journeys. It re­quires challenging per­ceptions, trusting your instincts, and proactive­ly taking initiative, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Whether considering lateral op­portunities or promo­tions, I have learned not to wait for external vali­dation but to take action independently. This ap­proach demonstrated ambition and dedica­tion to making a mean­ingful impact, opening doors to connections and opportunities that might otherwise have remained inaccessible had I not chosen to lead by example.

Ève Laurier, Vice-President, Com­munications, Market­ing & Public Affairs, Bombardier

Turning points

I was 22 when I found myself at a pivotal cross­roads. Fresh out of school and working at an ad­vertising agency, I was suddenly handed a chal­lenge: an account direc­tor left and a little-known company needed to raise its profile — quickly and with a very tight budget. ‘Here is their messaging,’ they told me. ‘Figure it out.’ In that moment, something clicked. I found my strength, my mission, and my profes­sional passion: uncov­ering the essence of a brand, an organization or a person and translat­ing it into an engaging story that resonates and inspires the right people to make a difference — that’s where I thrive.

At 27, I made a bold move. I left advertising to join an accounting and financial consulting firm in Quebec, now called Richter. Once again, I had to work with little brand recognition and no built-in marketing team. From an awareness point of view, the company was an underdog. On top of that, I didn’t know about accounting, and had no team or budget. Even if I had to start from scratch, I rolled up my sleeves and had the time of my life. By the time I left, Richter had a 14-person team, an enhanced brand and a growing momentum. People started to notice us and, more important­ly, what we stood for.

Then came Edelman, a global PR agency well-es­tablished in North Amer­ica, except in Quebec. That was the moment I was drawn in: growing visibility obviously but also bringing new man­dates and building reve­nue. This experience was amazing and very forma­tive: Edelman taught me the power of corporate reputation manage­ment, the value of trust, and the deep connection between brand-building and corporate reputa­tion. Over seven years, I had the chance to help shape conversations, build relationships, and anchor brands in authen­ticity.

While I was thinking about jumping to con­sulting, the phone rang. Bombardier was looking for a communications and marketing expert to join its team. That Quebec-based compa­ny went through major changes in recent years — originally known for its trains, airplanes and snowmobiles, by 2021, it had left all of that to focus purely on business avia­tion. Bombardier need­ed someone to help tell that transformative sto­ry clearly, credibly and compellingly. Stars were aligned; this exciting role was meant for me.

Overcoming challeng­es to rise boldly

The biggest profes­sional challenge I faced was not being an expert in a sea of people that val­ue expertise and decades of technical knowledge. Early on, I built credi­bility by learning about the business, the broad­er industry, and their stakeholders. I listened. I asked questions. In many cases, I sought ad­vice from senior leaders. I said, ‘Here is what I’ve been tasked with. This is what I plan to do, would you be willing to give me some feedback?’ By do­ing this, I also built a net­work that has followed me in my career. These people became mentors, collaborators, and trust­ed colleagues.

Key achievements

My biggest achieve­ment in my career path is a personal one: the unique relationship I built with my son. Since all my jobs required me to be connected and available all the time, I was worried about how it could affect him. Re­cently, as he began high school, I asked him how everything was going. He said to me, ‘I don’t want to flex, but I know every­one. I’m making friends so quickly.’

I just realized I raised an autonomous, out­spoken and open young man — someone who isn’t afraid to connect with others. This first makes me so proud of him but also of myself. I did the impossible, which is building a purposeful career while being a model to my son to lead with resilience, heart and openness.

Professionally, I’m proud of the internation­al career I’ve been able to build in Montreal, a city I deeply love. I was raised in a French-speaking family in east Montreal, but my father had a clear vision. He made sure his children all became bilin­gual so we could be con­nected to the rest of the world. This is the greatest gift he gave me — opening doors to see possibilities beyond what’s in front of our eyes.

Advice to my younger self

The thing I learned — later in my career than I would have liked — is the true power of a strong team. Éric Martel, the CEO of Bombardier, was a wonderful mentor in teaching me the impor­tance of really spending time on the structure you need, developing clear roles, responsibil­ities and career paths. We should invest time in coaching people so you can grow internally and connect people to where we are going.

On what it means to rise boldly

Fully embracing who you are — both as a pro­fessional and as an in­dividual. My values and what’s important to me guided me and helped me advance through my pro­fessional journey. This hasn’t always pleased ev­eryone, but you must stay true to who you are. You shouldn’t compromise; otherwise, you are go­ing to dim your light and won’t have the energy to continue.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s Commercial Content Division, on behalf of Women’s Executive Network (WXN).