industries

Leadership: Views From the Top

There are many ways to be a strong leader—as six of the province's sharpest businesspeople reminded us when we asked them how they manage and motivate staff. But increasingly, great leadership calls for collaboration

By Kirsty Senior / December 19, 2017

Their businesses range from fashion and finance to real estate and software development. Their employees number from the dozens to the thousands. Some are entrepreneurs, while others work for established corporations. Herschel Supply founders Jamie and Lyndon Cormack, Troika Developments CEO Renee Wasylyk, BCLC head Jim Lightbody, Copperleaf Technologies chief executive Judi Hess and BMO VP Mike Bonner tell us what it takes to be a leader

Shoulder to Shoulder

Herschel Supply

Leadership: Shoulder to shoulder, Lyndon and Jamie Cormack lead global phenomenon Herschel Supply

So, this is where my kids’ backpacks got their start. At Herschel Supply Co. headquarters in East Vancouver’s rough-hewn Railtown neighbourhood, the atmosphere on a sunny August morning is brisk. About 130 of the company’s 170 employees work here, alongside…

Home Truths

Renee Wasylyk

Leadership: Property developer Renee Wasylyk shares some home truths

There is no perfect leadership style—no prescription that will work for every CEO, or every wannabe, in every enterprise. Check the back issues of the Harvard Business Review, and you’ll find a long history of leadership fads, many of which…

On His Game

BCLC’s Jim Lightbody

Leadership: BCLC boss Jim Lightbody is on his game

At age nine, Jim Lightbody found himself thrust into a leadership role. In his native Victoria, Lightbody belonged to a talented soccer team, some of whose members went on to play in the National Hockey League (ex–Vancouver Canuck Geoff Courtnall)…

Technological Progress

Judi Hess

Leadership: Copperleaf CEO Judi Hess promotes women in tech

As head of software developer Copperleaf, Judi Hess favours a collaborative leadership style. But she isn’t shy about pushing to hire more women in a male-dominated industry

Passion Project

BMO VP Mike Bonner

Leadership: BMO’s Mike Bonner nurtures a new generation of leaders with a mix of drive and empathy

In business, the person leading at any given point isn’t necessarily the one with the title and the corner office, says Mike Bonner, senior vice-president at BMO Financial Group, who heads the bank’s B.C. and Yukon division.“Leadership has nothing to…