Presentations

Leadership at the International Level
Farah Mohamed knows the power of making an impact at a national and international level.   She shares how to start a movement on a global scale;  change the narrative, ensure you have the skills, then  drive change in terms of real actions and impact.  Her success in developing and leading organizations like The Belinda Stronach Foundation and it’s One Laptop Per Child, and in leading G(irls)20, had her tapped to become the current leader of the international Malala Fund.  Farah’s international roles include work as co-anchor, The Clinton Global Initiative’s Network on Investing in Girls & Women, and Advisor, Virgin Unite Canada (Richard Branson’s foundation).

Diversity and Opportunity
Farah notes that in an increasingly globalized, interconnected world, it’s a competitive edge for any organization or country to have a variety of opinions around the table. If you are not firing on all cylinders with your human resources, you will not grow, you cannot sustain, you cannot compete. If the people involved are all from similar backgrounds, you can’t understand what’s really going on outside the room. We do a good job of celebrating diversity; now we have to figure out how to leverage it. She recommends having more diversity – of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, people with disabilities – in governments, and changing the curriculum in schools.  She also notes that 1 billion women will enter the workforce over the next decade.  World Bank stats show that women put 90 per cent of their earnings into their family or community. Farah encourages companies to find out how to engage these women. And, if a woman is part of the labour force, your GDP will increase. For organizations, your percentage, your growth, your profit margin will go up if a woman is sitting at a table making a decision. A diverse organization ensures you’re thinking about things differently and pursuing opportunities in your own way.  

The Future in Canada & Competitiveness
The diverse make-up of our country is one of our competitive advantages.We have the opportunity to assert ourselves – to rebrand ourselves – as a bigger power in light of what’s happening in the world. Farah notes ‘There will be nine billion people to feed by 2050, and we’ve got some of the strongest agricultural policies. During the 2008 world financial crisis, we showed our financial prowess, and we continue to be a leader in our taxation and banking systems, our stability and our relatively low unemployment rate when compared to other nations. We are seen as a country you can look to for a good moral compass. But do we export enough of that knowledge? No. Do we showcase enough just how awesome we are? No. It’s called the tall poppy syndrome – we don’t want to stand out by being the tallest poppy in the field, so when Canadians do amazing things, we won’t take credit for them. I’d like to see us be more patriotic, but until the world applauds us, we don’t applaud ourselves. Humility is nice, but not when it holds you back.’

Social Entrepreneurship
In this presentation, Farah challenges audiences to make a paradigm shift. Social Entrepreneurship is shoving the traditional philanthropic and association approach to the side. No longer seen as a ‘third sector’ Farah will shed light on what it is, the different models organizations use, as well as taking a look at how it changes what businesses are currently doing. Her innovative approach had her Girls(20) ‘stock’ launched on the TSX gaining the attention and support of the Prime Minister’s office. She encourages audience to avoid ‘not-for-profit’ language and speak about what they stand ‘for’ (instead of what they are not), and to focus on ‘investments in your cause’, rather than charity. 

Investing in Girls & Women
Why do we do it? How do we do it? Pulling examples from her new work with the Malala Fund and her work with G(irls)20, she shows the economic imperative for organizations to cultivate a new generation of leaders through entrepreneurship and education with opportunity.