Mercedes-Benz Canada congratulates the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders Award winners

• First launched in 2018, the Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders Award recognizes professional women (30-45) who are seen as high-potential contributors, and have achieved successive leadership positions.
• Winners were announced at the Women's Executive Network's (WXN) first-ever virtual Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards Gala. 
• In November, Mercedes-Benz hosted the She's Mercedes Virtual Wellness Retreat to celebrate, connect, and inspire the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leader Award winners.

TORONTO, ON – Mercedes-Benz Canada congratulates the 16 women who have been named as 2020 Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders Award winners, and recognizes the achievements of the rest of this year's Women's Executive Network's (WXN) Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards recipients. The Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders Award celebrates the professional achievements of women aged 30 to 45 who are at the mid-level stage of their careers. These women are seen as high-potential contributors within their organizations and have been targeted for successive leadership positions.

"Mercedes-Benz is deeply committed to supporting women's professional and personal advancement," says Virginie Aubert, Vice President of Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Canada. "As part of this commitment, we are proud to partner with WXN to celebrate female achievement and recognize Canada's next generation of female leaders."

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders Award recipients are:

• Meghan B. Azad, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics & Child Health, University of Manitoba
• Nazia Shahrin, Senior Director, Regulatory Strategy & Delivery, Royal Bank of Canada
• Stachen Frederick, Executive Director, Weston Frontlines Centre
• Dr. Fiona Clement, Department Head, Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
• Commander Kelly Williamson, Director Public Affairs, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
• Angela Thompson, Director, Environmental Services and Vice President, Project Services, ClearStream Energy Services
• Fatema Pirone, Senior Director, Enterprise Innovation, CIBC
• Roopa Davé, Partner, Sustainability and Impact Services, KPMG in Canada
• Janine Barry, Assistant Vice President, Digital Engagement, Manulife Bank
• Vasie Papadopoulos, Communications and Outreach Manager, Philip Morris International Canada
• Lorraine Gray, Superintendent, Stations Services, Hydro One
• Naki Osutei, Associate Vice President, Social Impact, TD Bank Group
• Letecia Rose, Principal Consultant, Skill Market (Formerly Manager, Partnerships & Programs, MLSE LaunchPad)
• Aida Cipolla, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Toronto Hydro Corporation
• Ravy Por, Leader, Partnerships & Outreach, Advanced Analytics, Desjardins Group
• Ani Castonguay, Executive Vice-President, Public Affairs, CDPQ

As part of its commitment to female advancement, Mercedes-Benz supports a platform called She's Mercedes, which connects, inspires and empowers women who are at the top of their game. It is intended to serve as a network for successful women—a catalyst for great conversations, a forum for developing new ideas, and a space to connect likeminded women.

In November, Mercedes-Benz hosted the She's Mercedes Virtual Wellness Retreat to celebrate, connect and inspire the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders. Hosted by award-winning wellness leader Eva Redpath, the virtual retreat was designed to provide fuel and motivation to propel these high-performing women even further along the path to success with a curated experience that focused on four pillars: Mindset, Movement, Nutrition, and Regeneration. The She's Mercedes Virtual Wellness Retreat was a chance for the Emerging Leaders to briefly disconnect from their day-to-day obligations and connect with peers who share similar challenges, offering them an opportunity to learn from and inspire one another.

"Celebrating and supporting the next generation of women in leadership is important to Mercedes-Benz, because the brand has benefitted from strong female voices from the very beginning," says Aubert. "As the first person to undertake a long-distance car ride, Bertha Benz made an early and powerful impact on the company. Her faith in her husband's invention resulted in a trip that proved the automobile's worth to the world and laid the groundwork for more than 130 years of automotive history. While automotive is a traditionally masculine industry, at Mercedes-Benz, in the spirit of Bertha Benz, we are actively prioritizing the importance of bringing women's voices and experiences to the table."

About Mercedes-Benz Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing, and service of Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG passenger vehicles and Mercedes-Benz Vans. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,200 people in 14 locations across Canada. Through a nationwide network of seven Mercedes-Benz own retail operations and 52 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 46,090 vehicles in 2019. This positioned Mercedes-Benz as the top luxury manufacturer in Canada for the sixth consecutive year.

For more information, please contact:
Sinead Brown: sinead.brown@mercedes-benz.ca

Further information from Mercedes-Benz Canada is a ailable at media.mercedes-benz.ca.

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