Les Haut-Parleurs

Santo Ligotti is the VP of Member Services and Marketing at Retail Council of Canada and brings over 20 years of experience of marketing leadership. Santo began his career in data sciences and progressed to lead B2B/B2C marketing teams across financial, technology and payments industries including companies such as TD Canada Trust, Rogers Communications, CIBC, Moneris and JPMorgan Chase.

In addition, Santo is the President Elect for the  American Marketing Association, Toronto Chapter and teaches part time at George Brown College and York University. Santo holds an undergraduate degree in statistics from McMaster University, a Master’s in Information Science from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from York University.

Kais Makhlouf is Vice President, Digital Solutions at Thinkmax, responsible for fostering and leading the practice with a mission to provide clients with technological and creative ideas and solutions to help them achieve their business digital transformation. Prior to joining Thinkmax, Kais held the position of VP, Strategic Partnerships at Nurun (a global full service interactive agency) and Orckestra (Commerce Cloud Software), where he led and managed major multi-million dollar international accounts in the travel, retail, distribution, media, manufacturing and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) sectors. In these positions, Kais has also developed new offers and established long standing partnerships and alliances with world class technology organisations such Microsoft, IBM, SAP, Sitecore, Optimizely and many others.

With over 20 years experience, Jessica is a seasoned leader in the technology and media industry. As a dynamic and data-driven professional, she specializes in strategy, revenue growth, product development, and marketing initiatives. Throughout her career, Jessica has demonstrated a remarkable ability to steer companies from technology-centric to a customer-centric approach, fostering growth and digital transformation. 

Currently serving as Senior Vice President, Strategic Growth at Cineplex Digital Media, Jessica plays a pivotal role in driving the company’s expansion and leveraging data insights for strategic decision-making, and seeking to better understand customers for value-based partnerships.

Prior to joining Cineplex Digital Media, Jessica held leadership positions at renowned organizations including BlackBerry, D2L, Christie Digital, and RBC. Her diverse background and wealth of experience have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the technology landscape and its evolving trends.

Jessica holds an MSc in Technology Management from Wilfrid Laurier University and a BSc in Computer Science from Western University.

Moderator

Alan Whitfield serves as Executive Vice President of Operations at Harry Rosen, leveraging 30 years of experience working closely alongside three generations of the Rosen family. Alan Whitfield possesses extensive expertise across a spectrum of disciplines, including leadership of flagship operations, development of comprehensive training programs, oversight of external sales strategies, and expertise in made-to-measure and tailoring services. A passionate advocate for leadership development, Alan is committed to enhancing and elevating the client experience, upholding Harry Rosen’s reputation for world-class hospitality and superior service standards.

Hailing from the Saskatchewan Prairies, Shauna Lenius exuded so much ambition and tenacity as a kid when asked ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ She constantly replied,

“I’m not sure yet, but I know it will be great!” . 

After business school, her first ‘great’ experience was working with the RCMP but her thirst for entrepreneurship and working for herself was a fire inside she couldn’t ignore.
With an eye for detail and an intrinsic flare for design, it seemed inevitable for Lenius to delve into multimillion dollar residential and commercial markets for clients all over North America

As Shauna’s reputation in the medical-construction vertical was rapidly spreading across Canada, a repeated question: “Are you really in construction, you don’t look like someone who would be”

Consider this another fire that lit Lenuis soul, motivating her to encourage more women and marginalized communities to enter the trades and be leaders in this industry.

At the beginning of the pandemic Shauna met Mandy Rennehan,CEO and founder of Freshco.ca, a serial advocate for the skilled trades, and construction mogul.

The two have been inseparable ever since, and now known in North America as a powerhouse industry duo.

Shauna is now the President and Shareholder of Freshco (not the grocery store!) and has grown the company exponentially with her knowledge and ability to foster authentic relationships with fortune 500 brands.