Being one of the largest municipal utility providers in Canada can prove to be a challenge. Jon Finkelstein sits down with Eileen Campbell, VP of Customer Service for Alectra Utilities, which is using new technology to better equip energy producers and consumers in making informed energy decisions. They talk about balancing emerging technology with quality customer care, and what the future of utilities looks like.

Driving customer centricity in complex organizations

Business transformation lives on the Shift podcast. In each episode, we amplify the voice of leading industry experts and share their unique perspectives on what it takes to face transformation head-on. Join us to spark new ideas and learn how others are becoming digital trendsetters in an increasingly complex world. 

The success of an organization is no longer measured solely by its financial results: leaders must also know how to respond to issues of climate change, workforce diversity, supply chain ethics, and economic inequality along with identifying growth threats and prioritizing trust. 

The next several episodes of the Shift podcast will take the form of a mini-series titled CEO Viewpoints. 

The series explores Canadian insights from PwC’s 25th Annual Global CEO Survey to help leaders uncover the best strategies for a smooth transition.

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Join host Jon Finkelstein and guest Ron Jaikaran to discuss Ontario’s Accelerated High-Speed Internet Program. Ron is the Director of Commercial Projects at Infrastructure Ontario, where he is driving progress on Ontario’s 4 billion dollar investment in high-speed internet. The program aims to bring high-speed connectivity to some of the hardest-to-reach communities in the province, to deliver this essential service to all Ontarians. A project of this size requires consensus between partners and collaboration between the public and private sectors to deliver results by 2025, something Ron and his team manage. Ron discusses the opportunities and challenges in undertaking such a large project, how Infrastructure Ontario is managing various partnerships at the municipal and provincial levels, and how the private sector is helping the government tackle some of the largest challenges.  ﻿﻿(00:02)- Jon’s introduces Shift and Ron Jaikaran(01:29)- Ron introduces himself and Ontario’s Accelerated High-Speed Internet Program(03:54)- Ron discusses the teams and partners involved in the program (06:15)- Ron discusses how the private and public sector are working together to implement high speed internet (09:05)Ron and Jon discuss why access to high-speed internet is so important, and the challenges posed by the geography of Ontario (14:49)Jon asks Ron about the legislation involved in the project (15:44)Ron talks about the importance of setting expectations with the market (19:22)Ron and Jon talk about the project’s quick timeline, (24:33)- Ron shared the challenges that had to be overcome along the way, and how this project can be used as an example for future Infrastructure Ontario projects (28:06)Ron and Jon discuss the importance of building consensus (29:56)- Jon and Ron share their closing thoughts and conclusions


Building consensus on large infrastructure projects

Welcome back to a new season of PwC Shift. In this episode, host Jon Finkelstein, Executive Creative Director, PwC Canada, interviews Pierre Miron. Pierre is the Executive Vice-President and Chief Growth Officer Canadian Operations at Industrial Alliance (IA), where he has been at the helm of a variety of impactful transformations. Pierre and Jon dive into these transformations, specifically the pivot that IA has made in its thinking around its customers, and its new approach to I.T and the cloud. Jon and Pierre discuss how to convince people within the organization that these changes are worth it, how to set meaningful KPIs during periods of transformation, and what’s next for Industrial Alliance.  ﻿(00:01)- Jon’s introduces Shift and Pierre Miron(02:02) - Pierre explains how he established the digital ambition of IA when he first joined(05:16)- Pierre discusses why I.T is central to the transformations at IA, and to business transformation generally(07:32)- Pierre explains his current role of Chief Growth Officer (12:03)- Jon and Pierre discuss navigating the ramifications of large transformations on company culture, and how to set meaningful KPIs for a transformation(16:52)- Pierre explains Industrial Alliance's growth strategy (21:15)- Pierre dives into how he implemented key transformations, and his strategy for getting executives on board(23:56)- Pierre explains how to get buy-in from employees who don’t think change is needed(26:50)- Jon and Pierre share their closing thoughts and conclusions


Navigating large scale transformation as a business leader

In the latest episode of our CEO Viewpoints podcast series, host James McLean sits down with John Cleland, CEO of Australia’s Essential Energy. This year, the annual CEO survey focuses on critical questions facing leaders today including how to balance reinventing the business to succeed in a changing world with the need to manage short-term pressures and challenges. In the podcast discussion John shares his experiences and learnings of leading and accelerating a utility through the energy transition, balancing customer and stakeholder expectations, his commitment to sustainable and safe energy, and his outlook on where the sector is headed. 
 
(00:01)- James’s introduction to CEO Viewpoints and John Cleland(01:34)- John shares more about his career background so far(03:02)- John explains more about Essential Energy in terms of scale, customers and employees(04:29)- John shares more about what enticed him towards his current role(06:49)- John explains some of the challenges he’s faced along the way in his role, and how he’s navigated those challenges(11:18)- John explains the implications of the major cultural and digital changes that have taken place in recent years(13:32)- John explains how the company’s recruitment strategy has evolved over time(15:17)- John sheds light on his stakeholder management strategy(17:59)- John shares some of the critical investments and surprises along the way during the company’s transformation(22:53)- John explains how the company is being cost-effective while still innovating(25:50)- John shares some of the things he might have done differently when looking at the journey in hindsight(28:13)- John and James share their closing thoughts and conclusions


Accelerating your Energy Transition - From Idea to Action A conversation with John Cleland, CEO of Australia’s Essential Energy

In this episode of the CEO Viewpoints podcast, host Allan Buitendag, a Partner in PwC’s Financial Services practice, speaks with Kevin Strain, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life about his approach to staying ahead of the accelerating pace of change while navigating increasingly complex and volatile conditions. Kevin shares his approach to building a bright future for Sun Life during these challenging times and talks about the power of creating an engaging and agile culture as a key to navigating disruption and strengthening resilience. 
 Show Notes: (00:01)- Allan’s introduction to CEO Viewpoints and Kevin Strain(01:12)- Kevin explains how Sun Life handles crises and changes in today's economic climate(04:59)- Allan and Kevin discuss SunLife’s recent acquisitions and expansion plans(07:45)- Kevin shares how SunLife balances long-term goals with immediate pressures(08:48)- Allan and Kevin discuss how hybrid work affects productivity as well as the lasting impact of COVID on workplaces(10:35)- Kevin explains how he plans to build and strengthen SunLife’s internal culture across its global business(16:34)- Kevin shares his thoughts on generative A.I(19:42)- Allan and Kevin share their closing thoughts and conclusions

How an engaging and agile culture strengthens resilience

This podcast mini-series is dedicated to discussing Canadian insights from PwC’s 26th Annual Global CEO Survey. In this episode of CEO Viewpoints, host Andrew Dooner, a partner in PwC’s global corporate strategy practice, sits down with Christine Bergeron, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vancity to discuss the power of being a purpose-led organization while navigating key issues like economic uncertainty, transforming for the future and ESG matters like climate change. Christine talks about Vancity’s integrated approach to thinking about people, planet and profit and how embedding purpose into the business strategy enables sustainable outcomes. 
 Show Notes: (00:01)- Andrew’s introduction to CEO Viewpoints and Christine Bergeron(01:12)- Christine shares her background and career experience so far(02:37)- Christine explains Vancity’s mission and vision for thriving communities and businesses(03:16)- Christine explains her outlook on the current macroeconomic situation and the survivability of organizations over the next ten years(06:55)- Christine shares what it means for Vancity to be a purpose driven organization and how individuals and teams can become purpose driven(10:30)- Christine explains her stance on whether organizations are on track in terms of climate goals, and how individuals and organizations can make a difference(12:37)- Christine shares how organizations can keep up with the changes surrounding climate action while being inclusive in their approach(18:30)-Christine explains how Vancity navigates the tensions between ESG driven organizations and profit driven organizations(21:04)- Christine and Andrew share their closing thoughts and conclusions


Driving customer centricity in complex organizations

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