Welcome to DiverseCity Nexus, our salon-style speakers series designed to bridge leadership connections between established and rising corporate and other leaders. Participants come from DiverseCity member organizations who appoint two employees: one senior level executive and one rising executive from a diverse community.
Nexus series finale
Just one year after the program was launched, more than 100 members came together for the Nexus series finale. The final event was hosted by KPMG and featured Deepak Chopra, President of Pitney Bowes Canada & Latin America. Mr. Chopra delivered remarks on the digital divide and how digital infrastructure, tools and devices have transformed the way we communicate and manage our personal and professional networks. Members continued to build a more diverse network of leaders by making connections with both experienced leaders and rising executives working in companies and organizations across the region.
KPMG generously hosted the Nexus series finale.
Third Nexus event
Governor General Calls for Cultural Diversity before the Canadian Club of Toronto
Photo credit: Sgt. Serge Gouin, Rideau Hall // Office of the Secretary to the Governor General
On May 10, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada delivered the opening address at a DiverseCity event hosted by the Canadian Club of Toronto in collaboration with the Governor General’s Youth Dialogues program. Her Excellency called on corporate leaders to take action and diversify leadership to help create a stronger, more prosperous and harmonious Canada. Members of DiverseCity Nexus joined over 700 emerging and senior leaders at the sold-out event.
“Having people from diverse backgrounds in senior management positions can confer better access to lucrative local and international networks and markets. Maintaining a plurality of perspectives and life experiences in an organization can boost creative and innovative output. Employing a greater number of people from diverse backgrounds can help to raise the overall consumption power of a broader proportion of the Canadian population,” said Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean.
“It is simple. Saying yes to diversity is saying yes to modernity, to opportunity, and to the very future of our country.”
Read the full speech.
A panel discussion moderated by Ratna Omidvar with John Tory and three emerging leaders – Jebril Jalloh, Chinyere Eni and Gavin Sheppard that focused on how to cultivate the kind of leadership Canada needs to be prosperous in an ever-changing global economy, followed.
RBC sponsored the event and provided each DiverseCity Nexus member a complimentary ticket to the luncheon and private reception where Nexus members met the Governor General and networked with rising leaders.
Rogers Television will broadcast the event on May 17th at 1pm and a webcast can be accessed here.
Second Nexus event
More than 100 members met at the Toronto Board of Trade on November 9, 2009 to dine, connect and hear three inspiring stories of diverse leadership in action. The evening featured a panel discussion with Deputy Police Chief Peter Sloly and Dr. Alok Mukherjee, Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, moderated by Noëlle Richardson, Chief Diversity Officer for the Ontario Public Service.
To see photos of the event, please click here.
First Nexus event
Our network of established and emerging diverse leaders met for the first time on April 30, 2009. The inaugural event was hosted by Cisco and featured Inder Sidhu, Cisco’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales Strategy & Planning. For Mr. Sidhu’s presentation slides, click here.
Photo credit: Justin Morris
To see more photos of the event, please visit flickr.
For more information contact: nexus@diversecitytoronto.ca.
