Connected Intelligence with Sonia Sennik

In this episode, we chat with Cameron Bailey, CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival. Cameron shapes the vision and strategy of one of Canada’s premier cultural brands, responsible for presenting the world’s largest public film festival every September. A champion of diverse voices and bold storytelling, he’s been the guiding force in transforming TIFF into a global hub known for groundbreaking international premieres to Oscar-bound favourites.With an eye for brilliance and a heart for storytelling, Cameron Bailey talks to us today about the evolution of technology in film, creating magical moments with an audience, and how important it is to remember that the audience…is us.We recorded this episode in Varda at TIFF Lightbox, an inspiring setting to reflect on the past, present, and future of film.

In this episode, we get Professor Janice Stein's view on key events from 2024 - from global unrest to the reshaping of politics, the intersection of emerging technology and policy, Taylor Swift (of course) and Janice’s beloved Toronto blue jays (keep listening for why!). Janice is a legendary Canadian political scientist and international relations expert. She is the Belzberg Professor of Conflict Management in the Department of Political Science and the Founding Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto. Janice is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada; among her many distinctions.

What is the impact of ambiguity in the workplace?Professors Laura and Jan Doering from University of Toronto help answer this question from their recently published research, co-authored with Professor András Tilcsik. Laura Doering is an Associate Professor of Strategic Management and is cross-appointed in the Department of Sociology. Jan Doering is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto. As an economic sociologist, Laura examines how interactions and social psychological processes shape outcomes for households, organizations, and markets. Jan’s research is situated in two areas: social control and conflict in urban neighbourhoods and individual experiences and responses in relation to discrimination. We speak to Laura and Jan about ambiguous incidents in the workplace, uncertainty, and blind spots. We learn about their unique collaboration: in research, marriage, and life. 

How do you future proof yourself in a world of technology that is rapidly changing? Iliana Oris Valiente is an accomplished corporate executive, innovation and emerging tech pioneer, startup investor, respected board member, published author, and sought-after global public speaker. With a clear vision and unwavering determination, she is a thought leader on a mission to build a future humans want to live in. Iliana is currently the Managing Director and Innovation Lead at Accenture Canada. Iliana is widely recognized for her trailblazing contributions to the blockchain industry, having advised corporations, government leaders, regulators, and startups as a translator between the web2 and web3 worlds. Her expertise and perspective have expanded, now encompassing overall technology and societal trends, particularly emphasizing the future of work, life, and human-centred approaches. As a published author and frequent speaker at global conferences, Iliana has been featured in various media outlets, including television, radio, and print. Additionally, she’s an active board member at Sunnybrook Hospital, CPA Ontario, and DIACC and mentors startups through incubators such as CDL. Through Iliana's unique life experiences and contributions, she has developed an ability to see the bigger picture and drive toward meaningful outcomes. We talked to Iliana about her digital twin, the future of work and what it's like to be a sequoia tree or an air plant.

What opportunities lie on the other side of taking risks and embracing changes in your career? Ava Yaskiel is a Senior Strategic Advisor to the public and private sectors focusing on business planning, strategy and structure. She was the G7/G20 Deputy Minister of Finance & Associate Deputy Minister of Finance for Canada until 2021. Ava has held various roles over her 30-year career as a lawyer at Norton Rose & Fulbright where she was Partner, Global Head of Corporate, M&A and Securities. Ava also spent six years at the Ontario Securities Commission holding a variety of positions in Senior Legal Counsel (Acting Director) of the Office of the General Counsel, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, related party transactions and related policy matters. We talk about Ava’s one-of-a-kind career journey, her experience working on boards, the importance of having a vision for your life, and her time spent representing Canada as Deputy Minister of Finance.

How do you revitalize a company as it bounces back from a low point? Yousry Bissada is President and Chief Executive Officer of Home Capital Group. Yousry has more than 30 years of financial services experience focused on the mortgage industry. He is a CPA, GCA and Accredited Mortgage Professional. Prior to joining Home Capital, Yousry served as President and CEO of Kanetix Ltd., an insurance and financial products digital platform. He has held many senior executive roles across the financial services and fintech industry in Canada. He was named CFO of FirstLine Trust Company in 1989, which was later acquired by CIBC. In 1999, he was named SVP of Real Estate Secured Lending Products at TD Canada Trust, overseeing one of Canada's largest mortgage businesses. We talk to Yousry about how to lead through a crisis, how to live your company values, and the importance of teamwork.

This episode features two thought leaders – Professors Maja Djikic & Tiziana Casciaro. Maja is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Self-Development Laboratory at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Tiziana is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and the Marcel Desautels Chair in Integrative Thinking at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. This conversation is a blend of the thought leadership between Maja and Tiziana. We discuss Maja’s recently published book “The Possible Self: A Leader’s Guide to Personal Development” and integrate this with elements of “Power, for All: How it Really Works and Why It Is Everyone’s Business”, a book Tiziana co-authored in 2021. This insightful discussion focuses on self development, its impact on relationships, the balance of power, and how interconnected each of these elements are in your work, and your life.

How do you overcome the feeling of "being stuck" to become your possible self? Maja Djikic is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Self-Development Laboratory at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. She is a psychologist specializing in the field of personality development. Her work focuses on how self changes, and means of developing a congruent and flexible self. Her work also examines the impact of self-change on relationships. She has published more than 30 articles and book chapters in the area of personality development in journals such as Psychological Science, Journal of Research in Personality, Creativity Research Journal, New Ideas in Psychology, etc. Her research has been featured in The New York Times, Salon, Slate, The Scientific American Mind, and many other media outlets. Maja’s first book “The Possible Self: A Leader’s Guide to Personal Development” was released on March 5, 2024. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H_A_hNTuDOU?si=3Ge7moZIYknRp-2c

How do you transform doubt into focus and determination? Janet speaks to us about her career journey from Procter and Gamble to Staircase Ventures, being a competitive long distance runner, and maintaining focus and determination when people say “it cannot be done!” Janet Bannister is the Founder and Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures. In 2004, Janet launched Kijiji.ca and grew it to become one of the most visited websites in Canada. Before Kijii, Janet spent four years at eBay in Silicon Valley where she helped transform eBay from a Collectibles to a mainstream marketplace. She started her career as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then joined McKinsey & Co. where she was an Engagement Manager. She also founded and built a successful consulting business and was CEO at a venture-backed start-up prior to joining Real Ventures. Janet has won numerous awards and recognition including Venture Capital Journal’s 2021 “Women of Influence in Private Markets”, Pitchbooks’ 2021 “Female Founders & Investors to Know”, and American Bankers’ 2019 “Most Influential Women in Payments”.

How can AI enable transformation in addressing population and public health challenges? This video episode brings back our recurring segment Going Viral with Dr. Rosella because the list of things we bring to work sometimes includes viruses(!) The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how and where we work, and made us all aware of the importance of public health. So, we invite epidemiologist Laura Rosella to chat about the state of global public health. In this episode, we discuss the current state of COVID-19, Dr. Rosella's new program, AI for Public Health, and robot doctors. Professor Laura Rosella is a Canadian epidemiologist and Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in the University of Toronto, where she holds a Canada Research Chair in Population Health Analytics. Laura is the Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of the Population Health Analytics Lab. She is a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars and the inaugural Stephen Family Research Chair in Community Health at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners. Laura has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of epidemiology, public health and health services research. Her work has been featured in major news outlets such as Forbes, Newsweek, Reuters, CBC, CTV, The National Post, and The Globe and Mail. Laura has an incredible way of simplifying complex public health situations. Please enjoy Going Viral with Dr. Rosella – Season Six edition!