Stagione 1
Ep. 27: Fernando García
Ep. 26: Walied Soliman
Ep. 25: Mina Farinacci
Ep 24: Lynn Beauregard
Ep 23: Luis Vázquez
Ep 22: Greg Bryk
Ep 21: Gordon D. Giffin
Ep 20: Ian Urbina
Ep 19: Denis Giangi
🎙️ On this episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Fernando Garcia, the Chief Legal and People Officer of Opta Group. Fernando Garcia has over 15 years of experience as General Counsel and has also lead the HR departments in various companies and sectors. Fernando is passionate about advancing diversity and inclusiveness within the legal profession, as well as discussing the future of law and the impact of technology on the profession. He was named the Thought Leader of 2018 by the Association of Corporate Counsel and Lexology, one of the 100 World's Leading General Counsel by Legal Era Media Group in 2017, received the Professional Contribution Award from the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, and was also named one of the Top 25 Most Influential in the justice system and legal profession in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.
🎙️ On this episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Walied Soliman, the Canadian chair of Norton Rose Fulbright and co-chair of the Special Situations team. Walied is widely regarded as one of Canada's leading lawyers in his field, having been involved in some of the most significant and complex M&A transactions and proxy battles in the country, advising buyers and sellers, boards, hostile bidders and shareholder activists. In addition, his practice focuses on restructurings, corporate finance, governance and structured products. Walied was the only lawyer featured in The Globe and Mail's Report on Business Magazine Power 50 list in 2017, was designated as a "Star Lawyer" by Acritas for ranking in the top 28 lawyers globally, and he has been continuously recognized by the most prestigious legal rankings over the years, including Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. Walied sits on the boards of Ryerson University and the BlackNorth Initiative against anti-Black racism, and is also the chair of the Board of the Toronto SickKids Hospital Foundation. This is one episode you don't want to miss! #Podcast #FiringOnAllSyllables #ProfessionalDevelopment
On this episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Mina Farinacci, the East Managing Partner in BDO’s business services and outsourcing practice. Mina Farinacci has 15 years of client-serving experience in providing assurance, accounting advisory and private client services. Her clientele operates in a variety of industries, namely financial services, manufacturing, agribusiness, real estate, construction and high-net-worth clients. She focuses on strong client satisfaction level, while sparking new ideas and innovative client solutions. Her goal is to provide a five-star service to all of her clients. An accomplished professional and recognized as such by her peers, Mina Farinacci is a compassionate and articulate woman who touches others with her sense of perspective, integrity and dynamism.
On this episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Lynn Beauregard, the President of Governance Professionals of Canada (GPC) and President/CEO of T.O Corporate Services. Lynn Beauregard’s mandate is to lead and to be the spokesperson for GPC, which provides a voice for governance professionals in Canada. Lynn Beauregard also offers a complete range of strategic and administrative back office solutions to smaller associations, such as membership services, event management, IT/website, financial and accounting support as well as governance assistance through T.O Corporate Services.
On this episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Luis Vázquez, the founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Diavaz Group. Luis Vázquez is a chemical engineer who graduated from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. He founded the company Diavaz in 1982 which evolved into a Mexican business partnership made up of several business units specializing in oil and gas exploration and production. As former president of the Mexican Natural Gas Association and of Mexico’s Chapter of the World Energy Council, Vázquez is a veteran in the Mexican energy industry. Luis discusses his love for Canada and highlights the significance of natural gas in Mexico, the challenges of building Diavaz, and the importance of taking risks in business.
On this episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Greg Bryk, a Canadian actor, producer, writer, coach, and keynote speaker known for his work in both film and television. Greg is one of Canada’s most compelling and versatile actors with starring roles in over 110 films, television shows and video games. Some of Bryk’s award-winning and more memorable roles include his work in the films History Of Violence, Poor Boys Game, Deadliest Sea, Ad Astra, Code 8, and My Spy. Television credits include the harrowing CBC/BET mini-series The Book Of Negroes, the critically acclaimed @Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale, JETT for HBO/Cinemax, SyFy’s Bitten, Wynonna Earp and The Expanse, @CBC’s Caught, Global’s Mary Kills People, as well as Frontier and V Wars for @Netflix. Bryk also lent his talents and his likeness to the iconic antagonist, Joseph “The Father” Seed in the all-time best-selling Ubisoft produced video game Far Cry 5. Greg talks about his early moments as a young actor that shaped his career. He delves into his philosophies on acting, passions, hobbies, professional communication, and how an actor's skillset empowers his everyday life.
On the latest episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Gordon D. Giffin, partner and global vice-chair emeritus in Dentons, the world's largest law firm. With 30 years of experience in the practice of law and government service, Gordon’s practice at Denton’s continues the trend, focusing on international transactions and trade matters, government procurement, energy regulatory and policy matters, corporate governance and crisis counseling, federal and state regulatory matters and public policy. Having previously served as Ambassador of the United States to Canada from August 1997 to April 2001, he also managed US interests in the world's largest bi-lateral trading relationship, as well as US collaboration with Canada on global issues in international fora. The recipient of a number of honorary degrees granted by Canadian and US universities and several awards that recognize outstanding achievement, this episode sees Gordon share his career journey and the skills his experiences have honed. Turning to leadership, he also shares some hard-won wisdom and valuable advice for those who seek success in today’s rapidly changing and increasingly digital world.
On the latest episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Ian Urbina, the founder and director of the nonprofit journalism organization, The Outlaw Ocean Project. Before founding the organization, Ian spent roughly 17 years as a staff reporter for The New York Times, during which time he received a number of esteemed journalism awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting with a story about New York Governor, Eliot Spitzer. Ian has also received an Emmy nomination, and recently, his second George Polk Award for International Reporting with The New Yorker. In 2019, he published The Outlaw Ocean, a New York Times bestseller about lawlessness at sea, the movie and TV rights for which were purchased by Netflix and Leonardo DiCaprio. In this episode, Ian talks about some of the most formative moments of his impressive career. He also dives into the reality of investigative work at sea and the challenges that come with it, while sharing his advice on how we can all work towards a more sustainable and just future for our Oceans and those who work on them.
On the latest episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Denis Giangi, the president of Rolls-Royce Canada. Having started his career at Rolls-Royce as a Tax Manager in 1999, eventually reaching the position of president in 2016, Denis talks about what his more than 24 years at Rolls-Royce have been like, including some of his biggest learnings along the way. He touches upon some of the challenges he has faced throughout his career and how he was able to overcome them, while remaining positive. A 2023 Fellow of the Ordre des CPA du Québec, Denis speaks about leadership, and his beliefs and methods when it comes to bringing an organization together through a shared vision and mission. He also touches on why Rolls-Royce Canada instituted family day, to allow employees to show their workplace to their families, and what it reflects in terms of the values of the organization.
On the latest episode of Firing On All Syllables™, Gary Kalaci speaks with Michael Casia, the president and managing director of Organon Canada. With more than 20 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry, Michael shares the highs and lows of his prestigious career, and the experiences that brought him to where he is today. A major part of Michael’s role in his organization is the promotion of an inclusive culture and he shares why he feels this is important, as well as his beliefs in the benefits that it can bring. Additionally, Michael speaks to his belief in the importance of fostering technological innovation within teams and organizations, and the role it can play in the success of the work being done..