Their career paths are vastly different but Michael Messenger, EMBA ’21, and Josh Domingues share one undeniable trait: their transformative impact on the world.
Messenger, a lifelong humanitarian and CEO of World Vision Canada, and Domingues, who is diverting food waste from landfills through his business, Flashfood, have each dedicated their lives to solving global challenges in their own ways. Both were recently recognized as Ivey Worldchangers, an award created by Ivey Professor Oana Branzei, for their contributions to better the world. Here’s a look at this year’s Worldchanger award recipients.
Michael Messenger, EMBA ’21: A legacy of humanitarian leadership
Throughout his career, Messenger has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to humanitarian service. Over his 30-year tenure at World Vision Canada – 10 as CEO – his leadership has been crucial in mobilizing resources, advocating for policy change, and responding to global humanitarian emergencies.
In fact, he accepted the Worldchangers award remotely on March 11, while travelling from Turkey near the Syrian border where he was supporting survivors of Turkey’s deadly 2023 earthquake and Syrian refugees returning home.
Messenger says his guiding purpose, “finding and fostering hope even in hard places,” has shaped his career, from his early days as a lawyer to his extensive work in the humanitarian sector. He credits his experiences at Ivey – specifically his sustainability class in the EMBA program – for helping him to articulate and refine this sense of purpose.
“The work that we do in my organization is going to some of the most challenging parts of the world … what some people might say is a really tough and despairing place. But I look for those opportunities for hope. You see the hope and courage and resilience of people – their inherent dignity and their potential,” he said. “Finding and fostering hope is core to who I am. And I just am grateful for the Ivey experience that helped me to articulate that.”
Inspiring the next generation of leaders to embrace their purpose
Noting that he is transitioning out of his role as CEO of World Vision Canada so he can explore new opportunities in coaching, consulting, and teaching at Ivey, Messenger said he is excited to help the future generation of leaders to lean into their sense of purpose.
“I want them to see the potential that they have to use their leadership, business skills, thinking, and positions to make a difference in the world for good,” he said. “I think every one of us can articulate some sense of what drives us. Purpose is not about having a grand statement – it could be small steps – steps that align with your values and making a difference in your own way.”
Messenger will have such an opportunity as the closing speaker for the upcoming HBA Sustainability Certificate graduation on March 21 where he will discuss the importance of purpose and impact.
Read Messenger’s article reflecting on his purpose.
Josh Domingues: Revolutionizing food systems through innovation
In a world where food waste contributes more to climate change than nearly any other industry, Domingues is proving that innovation and impact can go hand in hand. Through Flashfood, Domingues has developed a platform that allows grocery stores to sell surplus food at discounted prices rather than discarding it – an innovative approach that helps reduce environmental impact and provides consumers with more affordable grocery options.
Since launching Flashfood, Domingues has helped divert more than 100 million pounds of food from landfills and saved consumers more than $250,000 and his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to sustainability have earned him recognition as a leader in both business and environmental advocacy.
Domingues’ journey to becoming a Worldchanger wasn’t straightforward. Speaking to Ivey HBA students at the Worldchangers Forum on March 11, he shared that he played hockey at a high level, worked in finance on Toronto’s Bay Street, and managed wealth for NHL players before making an abrupt pivot to entrepreneurship.
The spark came when his sister, a chef, called him in frustration after throwing away $4,000-worth of perfectly good food after a catering event and he started to do some research.
“The statistic that changed my life was that if international food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, behind the U.S. and China,” he said. “That absolutely floored me. It’s not airplanes and factories and cars – it’s food.”
He also encouraged the next generation of leaders to embrace the chance to make an impact and to soldier on even in the face of rejection, noting that solutions won’t build themselves.
“The world is on fire and we need to do things to solve it. We don’t have a second Earth,” he said.
At the Ivey Worldchangers Forum on March 11, Ivey students also heard from additional Worldchanger award nominees, Firman Latimer, EMBA ’20, founder of FNpower, and Jenessa Olson, HBA ’16, MSc ’18, founder and CEO of Ecologicca. One additional nominee, Raissa Espiritu, EMBA ’21, Co-Founder of Cosm Medical, was unable to attend the event.
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