Julian Birkinshaw

Dean, Ivey Business School

Julian Birkinshaw is Dean of Ivey Business School and a globally recognized scholar in innovation, digital transformation, and strategic agility. An Ivey graduate (MBA ’91, PhD ’95), he returned to lead the School in 2024 after 25 years at London Business School (LBS), where he held numerous leadership roles including Vice Dean, Deputy Dean of Programs, and Director of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Renowned for his commitment to innovation in education, Birkinshaw has launched graduate and executive programs and championed online learning initiatives. He has taught courses on innovation, digital strategy, and organizational resilience, and authored over 90 articles and 15 books, including Fast/Forward and the forthcoming Resurgent (2025).

Birkinshaw is a Fellow of the British Academy and other leading academic societies, and holds honorary degrees from Copenhagen Business School and the Stockholm School of Economics. He has advised global firms like Pepsico, RBC, Bayer, and Industry Canada, and is frequently cited in media such as CNN, the BBC, The Economist, and Harvard Business Review.

He proudly embraces Ivey’s case-based approach and brings a strong belief in the practical application of academic insights to real-world business challenges.

Kanina Blanchard

Assistant Professor of Management Communications and General Management,
Ivey Business School
Academic Director for the CEMS Alliance
Program Director, The Ivey Academy for Leadership Communications and Executive Presence and Leadership At Its Best

Kanina Blanchard brings over 35 years of global experience in international business, public service, non-profits, and consulting.

Having lived and worked internationally, Kanina is recognized for her ability to lead teams and navigate complexity across sectors, cultures, and geographies. Her areas of expertise include organizational and communication challenges, crisis and change management, and leadership development. She is passionate about empowering leaders—from C-suite executives to emerging professionals—by helping them grow in character, competence, and commitment.

Kanina’s work blends real-world insight with academic rigor, enabling transformational and sustainable change. As a consultant, she delivers tailored strategic solutions that enhance organizational brand, reputation, and impact. As a researcher and educator, she focuses on responsible leadership, women in leadership, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through her teaching, consulting, and coaching, Kanina inspires and equips leaders to thrive in today’s dynamic world.

Marie-Claude Brandys, PhD

Managing Director, 3M Canada

Marie-Claude received her B.Sc. in Chemistry from Université Laval and her PhD in Chemistry and Postdoc in Materials Science from Western University. As a Scientist, Application Engineer, Technical Manager, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and Customer Operations Leader, she has supported multiple business units and manufacturing facilities in 3M for the last 22 years. She is also a former Chair of 3M Canada’s Chapter of the Women’s Leadership Forum. Marie-Claude has a diverse combination of laboratory, operations, and customer-service leadership. She has a process-oriented mindset, a track-record of Community support and advocacy.

Marie-Claude was appointed Managing Director of 3M Canada and Director of Global Product Stewardship in 2024.  She is based in London, Ontario.

Blair LaCorte

Vice-Chairman, Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Managing Partner, LaCorte Ventures

Blair is a groundbreaking and battle-scarred business executive and transformational leader who has leveraged his curiosity, collaborative nature, and competitive spirit into an unconventional and remarkable career journey.

He has held multiple C-suite roles where he led 2 IPOs (AEye: LIDR - $1.5B, VerticalNet: VERT - $2B), 3 sales, and numerous acquisitions & mergers (raising over $2.5B in capital) across a range of industries including: entertainment, aviation, artificial intelligence, hardware and software technology development, aerospace and defense, and supply chain management (select companies: Savi Technology, Autodesk, Sun Microsystems, PRG, TPG, XOJET, Cadis, GE).

Currently, he serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Managing Partner at LaCorte Ventures (where he is an active investor or engaged adviser to over 100 companies), and Co-Founder at PPE Mastermind (coaching, adviser, and consultant to 70+ founders and business operators of businesses with $5-$500M ARR).

A graduate of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, he attended the Graduate Business Forum (GBF) in 1990 and is now one of its board members.

Blair is a space enthusiast, former NASA Innovator of the Year, and investor in space ventures including Moon Express and Virgin Galactic (where he is an astronaut-in-training). Most importantly, he is a husband, father to three boys, and caretaker of a slightly anxious Weimaraner named Bella.

Carolyn Lawrence

Founder + Principal, CLEAR PATH Consulting and Advisory Council, Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management

Carolyn Lawrence (she/her) is an award-winning expert and thought leader with 25 years of experience breaking barriers to equity and creating fair systems and high performing organizations for everyone. A passionate and purpose-driven collaborator, she has a proven track record for developing solutions and delivering results. Her career journey — from building an equity-focused social enterprise, to establishing Deloitte Canada’s National DEI consulting practice, to driving culture change as the first Global DEI Leader at Deloitte — has given her a deep understanding of human-centered transformation. She launched CLEAR PATH consulting to focus on what works: integrating purpose, equity and impact right into how companies do business.

Martha Maznevski

Professor of Organizational Behaviour
Faculty Director of Executive Education, Ivey Business School

Martha Maznevski is a leading expert in global leadership, multicultural teams, identity and inclusion, and empowering individual differences, she works closely with senior leaders around the world to navigate complexity and drive performance in today’s global environment.

Dr. Maznevski completed her PhD at Ivey, focusing on multicultural teams—a theme that continues to shape her research and teaching. She has published widely in both academic and practitioner outlets, including the *Journal of International Business Studies* and *Strategic Management Journal*, and co-authors the influential textbook *International Management Behavior*, now in its 7th edition. Her current research explores the dynamics of lateral teams in multi-unit organizations.

Prior to rejoining Ivey, Dr. Maznevski spent 15 years at IMD in Switzerland, where she directed executive programs for global leaders and led the top-ranked MBA program. She has consulted extensively across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, and frequently collaborates with humanitarian and environmental NGOs.

Dr. Maznevski brings a unique blend of academic insight and practical experience, making her a sought-after advisor on global leadership and organizational effectiveness.

Romel Mostafa

Assistant Professor of Business, Economics and Public Policy
Director of the Lawrence National Centre for Policy & Management, Ivey Business School

Romel Mostafa’s research spans innovation and competitive dynamics, strategic and capability development in new firms, industrial evolution, policy, and behavioral decision-making. His work has been published in top academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and Management Science, and has been featured in major media outlets such as CNN, NPR, and The New York Times.

As Director of the Lawrence Centre, Romel leads initiatives that promote evidence-based policy and corporate strategy to enhance Canada’s national competitiveness—particularly in the areas of digital transformation, trade, and infrastructure.

Romel holds a PhD and MSc from Carnegie Mellon University and a BA from Lawrence University. He is a decorated educator with experience teaching both undergraduate and graduate students.

Originally from Bangladesh, Romel is an avid cricket and soccer fan, an enthusiastic home cook, and a lover of 60s and 70s Bengali and English music. He brings a global perspective and deep intellectual curiosity to his work in research, teaching, and public policy.

Stephen Reddin

Partner, McKinsey and Company, Toronto, ON, Canada

Stephen is a Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he leads AI and data transformations for major financial institutions across banking and insurance. With over a decade of experience at McKinsey, Stephen has been instrumental in driving enterprise-wide data & analytics strategy, operating model redesign, architecture and digital innovation. His focus at McKinsey spans building digital capabilities for top-tier financial institutions to leading complex, multi-year engagements to meet regulatory expectations.

Stephen began his career as an entrepreneur in cloud communications followed by a time commercializing university research in the defence and energy sectors. He holds an MBA with Honours from the Ivey Business School and a Bachelor's in Engineering from Memorial University. Stephen’s contributions to business and leadership have earned him multiple accolades, including the MBAA Outstanding Contribution Award.

Passionate about impact and leadership development, he continues to serve on the board of LEADER, an initiative sending MBA students to developing nations to support local entrepreneurship.

Gerard Seijts

Professor of Organizational Behaviour, Ivey Business School

Since joining Ivey in 2000, Gerard Seijts has taught leadership and organizational behaviour across EMBA, MBA, undergraduate, and executive education programs. He has worked extensively with organizations such as OMERS, EY Canada, Deloitte, Maple Leaf Foods, the Canadian Space Agency, and numerous government agencies around the world on topics ranging from leadership development and change to organizational culture and team dynamics.

His research focuses on leadership, leader character, goal setting, performance management, and organizational justice. Gerard is a prolific author of academic articles, practitioner pieces, and business cases, and has published several influential books, including Leadership on Trial, Developing Leadership Character, and The Character Compass.

A recognized thought leader in leadership education, Gerard brings a global perspective and practical insights to his teaching and writing. His contributions have been acknowledged through numerous awards for research, innovation in teaching, and community outreach. Gerard holds a PhD from the University of Toronto and previously taught at the I.H. Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba.