Canada’s Most Admired CEO
Recognizing Leaders In Corporate Culture
Founded by Waterstone Human Capital, this award honors the country’s most admired CEOs, those who recognize culture isn’t just connected to performance; it drives performance in a way that cannot be achieved through other means.
Our winners represent an esteemed group of most admired Canadian CEOs who have achieved significant accomplishments in their career – specifically focusing on those individuals who have fostered a culture within their organization in a way that enhances performance and sustains a competitive advantage.
The Canada’s Most Admired CEO™ winners are typically broadly admired, and recognized as industry leaders by their peers and in their respective fields.
How It Works
The Canada’s Most Admired CEO™ award runs in conjunction with the Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ program. It was founded by Waterstone Human Capital to recognize the country’s most admired chief executives. To qualify for a Canada’s Most Admired CEO™ award:
- You must be the CEO of a Canadian or Canadian-based organization
- You must be nominated by the Canada’s Most Admired CEO Board of Governors
- You must complete a written submission.
Each year, one winner will be selected in each of five award categories.
| What are the award categories? |
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| The awards recognize the country’s most admired CEO’s based on five categories: Emerging (revenues of $5 million to under $25 million, and over 25 employees) Growth (revenues of $25 million to under $100 million) Mid-Market (revenues of $100 million to under $500 million) Enterprise (revenues of $500 million and above), and Non-Profit (not-for-profit and charitable organizations) One winner in each category will be chosen, for a total of our five winners annually. |
| Who votes on the winners? |
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| Our Canada’s Most Admired™ CEO Board of Governors is made up of esteemed leaders and includes past winners of the Canada’s Most Admired™ CEO award. They review, and vote, on the submissions. This vote selects the final five winning CEOs, one in each category. |
| How are winners announced and celebrated? |
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| One winner in each category will be chosen annually, for a total of four winners. Winners are announced in November of each year and featured in a special section published by our media partner, the National Post. They are then celebrated at the annual Canada’s Most Admired™ Gala. This is an evening of celebration with 700+ of Canada’s preeminent executives and leaders. Preceding the Gala, there is also a daytime learning event – a CEO Summit. It features speeches, Q&A’s and in-depth panel discussions with about 100 CEO’s from a wide variety of highly successful organizations across Canada. Tickets for these events go on sale in November. |
| How are nominees selected? |
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| Nominees must be CEOs of Canadian companies who have achieved significant accomplishments in their career – specifically focused on using the power of corporate culture to drive organizational performance. They are typically broadly admired, and deemed as industry leaders by their peers. Nominees are put forward and finalized by our Canada’s Most Admired™ CEO Board of Governors. Finalists are then approached in August of each year to make a detailed submission to the program. |
| What is required of me if I am invited to submit? |
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| If you are nominated, and choose to submit, you would be required to complete a brief written submission that explores the following five categories: Vision, Strategy and Leadership Describe the vision, competitive strategy and execution plan that have enabled the CEO to achieve their business goals and objectives. Cultural and People Development How does the CEO create a culture that inspires team members towards a new level of growth and achievement? How has the CEO enhanced and aligned the organizational culture which has helped attract, retain and developed a top talent executive and leadership team? Innovative Business Achievement and Competitiveness How has the CEO developed unique or innovative approaches to building and running the organization in its relationships with employees and customers? Competitiveness details any best practice initiatives undertaken by the CEO’s organization. This may involve situations where the nominee has entered potential new markets, enhanced operations in other markets or countries, set up new ventures or expanded the organization significantly. Business Performance How has the CEO demonstrated top line revenue growth, profitability and sound financial management over the past three fiscal years? Corporate Social Responsibility An admired CEO promotes and displays passion for creating a corporate culture that supports organizational/individual employee involvement in overcoming community, social and environmental issues. How has the CEO done so? You would also be given the opportunity to provide supporting materials such as a CV, a brief history of the company, key milestones in your success and a complete summary of financial performance. This is a summary. A full set of submission questions would be provided to you. |
| What is required of me if I win? |
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| As a 2023 participant, should you be successful, you would be required to attend the Canada’s Most Admired™ CEO Summit and Awards Celebration on April 18, 2024. You would be asked to participate on a Summit panel, and then you would be presented with your award on-stage and be asked to give a short speech to the attendees as well as be introduced by a mentor, colleague or friend of your choosing. It is a very special evening and winners typically invite family, friends and important colleagues to celebrate with them. **Attendance at the Gala is mandatory as part of your participation – please do not proceed with your submission unless you can attend. |