
OTTAWA – Telus’ EVP, corporate affairs, chief legal officer and corporate secretary Monique Mercier has been named Woman of the Year by Women in Communications and Technology (WCT).
Mercier, pictured, leads a team of 300 professionals, of which 49% are women. She coaches, mentors, and champions the Telus women’s executive network, and has advocated to have its board of directors be compromised of 25% women by May 2017, and 30% by 2019.
Accenture was named company of the year, and WCT also named 10 other recipients of its prestigious annual awards, which recognize efforts to advance women’s representation and achievement in Canada’s information, communications and technology sector.
The 2016 Leadership Excellence Award recipients are:
– Paul Vallee, CEO and Founder, Pythian as Diversity Champion of the Year
– Serda Evren, Vice President, North American Communications, MasterCard for Empowerment
– Shahrzad Rafati, Founder & CEO, BroadbandTV for Entrepreneur of the Year
– Julie Kumaria, Vice-President, Marketing and Content Distribution at Hollywood Suite for Mentor of the Year
– Susan Ibach, Technology Evangelist, Windows, Microsoft Canada as Technology Innovator of the Year
– Nanci MacLean, Vice-President, Bell Media Production, Bell Media as Trailblazer of the Year
– Michelle Goldson, Director, Organizational Readiness, Cogeco Connexion for Innovator of the Year
– Kate Arthur, Executive Director and Co-founder, Kids Code Jeunesse as Emerging Leader of the Year
– Nilufer Erdebil, Founder and CEO, Spring2 Innovation, WCT Leader of the Year
– Janice McDonald, President, The Beacon Agency, Chair’s Award of Distinction
“Every year we are overwhelmed by the number of talented and inspiring women in the information, communications and technology sectors in Canada,” WCT national chair Lynda Partner, in the news release. “Our awards program is growing stronger and more robust every year, with incredible nominations for women with the skills, experience and ambition to reach the top ranks in Canada’s knowledge-based economy, as well men committed to diversity.”
The awards will be presented at WCT’s annual awards ceremony and gala at Ottawa’s Fairmont Chateau Laurier on April 27, 2016.