2021 Annual Recognition Gala

TIME TO SHINE ! Join the leaders from the corporate and political world for the Women in Governance’s 2021 Annual Recognition Gala!

Presented by the Canadian Bankers Association, the Gala will be held under the honorary co-presidency of Ms. Maria Della Posta, President of Pratt & Whitney Canada and Mr. Marc Parent, President and CEO of CAE.

Special thanks to Bell, our Gourmet Partner, as well as Desjardins Group, Rolls Royce Canada, and Société de transport de Montréal, Gala Partners.

Together we will make this year’s Parity Certified organizations shine and celebrate their outstanding actions in favor of gender equality. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to pay tribute to the certified organization’s leading teams and the Parity Certification partners: Accenture, Mercer, and Willis Towers Watson.

This innovative certification, built with the pro bono support of McKinsey & Company, not only assesses parity at the decision-making level but also evaluates the organization’s commitment to the implementation of mechanisms that enable women at all levels of hierarchy to achieve career advancement, thus creating a pipeline of female talent. In order to obtain their Certification, organizations must adequately structure their procedures and meet the various selection criteria.

About our honorary co-presidents

Maria Della Posta was named President, Pratt & Whitney Canada in June, 2019. She leads all global operations, engineering, customer service, sales, marketing and business development organizations, and a team of more than 10,000 employees worldwide. She is focused on launching products and services that drive sustainable growth and deliver exceptional customer service across all its segments including: the general and business aviation, regional turboprop, helicopter and auxiliary power unit markets.

Mrs. Della Posta joined Pratt & Whitney in 1985 and progressed through roles of increasing leadership in Supply Chain, Finance and Customer Service. Named Vice President, Customer Support in 2001, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing in 2010, and Senior Vice President Pratt & Whitney Canada in 2012, Mrs. Della Posta has been instrumental in driving a significant business model transformation and a customer-centric culture. She led the growth of a global aftermarket network which supports an extensive portfolio of more than 64,000 engines in service, and more than 13,000 customers worldwide.

Mrs. Della Posta is recognized as a champion of inclusion and leadership development both within Pratt & Whitney and the aviation industry. Active on many educational boards, Maria serves on a number of industry boards and associations, including AIAC, Aero Montreal, GAMA, Centraide (United Way) of Greater Montreal, and McGill Advisory Boards.

Mrs. Della Posta holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and an MBA from McGill University.

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Marc Parent was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE in 2009.

Prior to that, he held several leadership positions at CAE since joining in February 2005, including Group President, Simulation Products and Military Training & Services, and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He has over 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry, having previously held positions with Canadair and Bombardier Aerospace in Canada and the United States.

Mr. Parent currently sits on the boards of the Business Council of Canada (BCC), the Business/Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), the board of Telus, and the board of McGill University Health Centre Foundation.

Mr. Parent earned a degree in engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from École Polytechnique de Montréal, and is an active pilot holding an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) from Transport Canada.

Mr. Parent was honoured in 1999 as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 Leaders. In 2011, was named the Canadian Defence Review’s (CDR) first ever Defence Executive of the year, a distinction awarded to him again in 2020. In 2018, was nominated as CEO of the year by Montreal’s Les Affaires newspaper. In 2019, received the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) James C. Floyd Award. In November 2020, Marc Parent became a member of the Order of Canada.

Can’t find an answer to your question below? Don’t hesitate to reach out:
communications@womeningovernance.world

Will we receive a Zoom link?
Here is the link to the Gala’s webcast page: https://webstreaming.ca/lagouvernanceaufeminin/home/

Will the Gala be bilingual?
Yes! Participants will be able to listen to the Gala in the language of their choice. There will be both “English” and “Français” channels.

Does the virtual Gala include the usual Montreal and Toronto events?
Yes, there will be a single, global Gala this year.

How many regular guests can we invite?
Due to high demand, we opted for a platform that allows Parity Certified organizations and Gala Partners to now have an unlimited number of regular guests. Seize this opportunity to invite your employees, customers, business partners, suppliers across the country, and proudly showcase being part of this prestigious group!

Will our guests be able to network amongst themselves?
Your VIP guests will have access to a private breakout room, the equivalent of a table at a presential event. It is recommended to restrict attendance at 9 people to maximize the quality of interactions. All regular guests to the event will also have the opportunity to network in a virtual ‘Lobby’. Your VIP guests will be able to switch from your private breakout room to the virtual ‘Lobby’ should they wish to do so.

How will VIP guests access their private breakout room?
We will use the information provided in your VIP guests’ form (name + email) to pre-assign them to a private room.
**Attention: Please note that each VIP guest will need to previously download the latest version of Zoom 5.2 and register with the email you provided for everything to be functional.**

What are the “9 free annual memberships” offered to the VIP guests?
Members of Women in Governance benefit, among other things, from free access to all virtual events of the regular programming, as well as discounts on events of the special programming and the mentoring programs: https://womeningovernance.world/become-a-member/

Can the gourmet baskets be delivered anywhere other than Montreal and Toronto?
Considering the high volume of requests for gourmet baskets across Canada, we confirm that they can be delivered anywhere in the country.

Is it possible to order extra gourmet baskets, besides the 9 we are allotted?
You can order additional baskets up until April 26, 5:00 p.m. EDT at the latest. Follow this link: https://lasolas.ca/la-gouvernance-feminin/

**Refund Policy: No refunds 7 days before the Gala.**