Northern Lights: Canadian Women in Tech & Business

Priti Singh, Chief Risk Officer at CPP Investments

Welcome back to Northern Lights: Canadian Women in Tech and Business, the podcast where we spotlight the women redefining leadership across Canada’s business landscape. -- In this episode, we sit down with Priti Singh, Chief Risk Officer at CPP Investments. Priti leads the organization’s global risk management functions, ensuring that risk perspectives are embedded across all investment decisions, spanning market, credit, climate, liquidity, and operational risk. Prior to her current role, Priti led Capital Markets and Factor Investing, managing globally diversified investments across public equities, fixed income, currencies, commodities, and derivatives. She also previously served as Managing Director and Head of External Portfolio Management. Priti holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management and a Master’s in Physics from the University of Waterloo. She also serves on the Common Investment Committee of the Sunnybrook Foundation. We explore her career journey, her approach to risk management, and how she helps guide investment decision-making at one of the world's leading institutional investors.

Claire Thornhill, Partner at EdgePoint Wealth Management

Welcome back to Northern Lights: Canadian Women in Tech and Business, the podcast where we spotlight the women redefining leadership across Canada’s business landscape. In this episode, we sit down with Claire Thornhill, Partner and Portfolio Manager at EdgePoint Wealth Management. Claire oversees global equity strategies while working closely with families, institutions, and foundations to think thoughtfully about long-term capital, stewardship, and values-driven investing. With a background in investment management and research, Claire is known for her disciplined decision-making, people-first leadership style, and commitment to mentoring the next generation of talent. We explore her journey in finance, her perspective on long-term investing, and how she’s helping shape the future of leadership in Canadian finance.

Shelby Austin, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Arteria AI

Shelby Austin is the co-founder and CEO of Arteria AI Inc., a FinTech organization that works with some of the largest financial institutions in the world and provides them with the documentation infrastructure to surveil deals with clients and manage their unstructured data. Arteria was recognized by Gartner as a “Cool Vandor” for AI Banking, and named one of the 100 most promising AI companies by CB Insights. Before Arteria AI, she was with Deloitte, where she served as the Managing Partner of Growth & Investments and Artificial Intelligence. Before Deloitte, Shelby was the Founder of ATD Legal, which is a high-growth startup that was acquired by Deloitte. Shelby has also been a Partner at Bay Street “Seven Sister” law firm where she focused on corporate and commercial litigation. She’s also received numerous awards, including the Risings Stars award given by Lexpert Magazine to Canada’s leading lawyers under 40, and the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award given by The Women’s Executive Network (WXN). Recently, she’s been named the FastCase50 for her work as an innovator.

Susan Christoffersen, Dean, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Welcome to Northern Lights: Canadian Women in Tech & Business, where we spotlight the incredible journeys of Canada's most trailblazing women -- Susan is the Dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, the first woman to hold this position in the school’s history. A leading expert in mutual funds and capital markets, she has published extensively in top academic journals and is recognized globally for her research and thought leadership in finance. Since joining Rotman in 2010, Susan has launched groundbreaking academic programs, strengthened Rotman Commerce, and championed initiatives that expand opportunities for students and foster innovation. Her leadership continues to shape the next generation of business leaders in Canada and beyond.

Kathleen Taylor, Chair - Altas Partners, Element Fleet and The Hospital for Sick Children; Former President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Former Chair, Royal Bank of Canada

Kathleen Taylor is one of Canada’s most accomplished business leaders, best known for her groundbreaking role as the first woman to chair the Board of RBC, the largest bank in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. Her career has spanned leadership in the hospitality industry as CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, corporate governance roles at some of the country’s most respected institutions, and deep involvement in advancing education and healthcare. Most recently, Katie was named Ivey Business Leader of the Year for 2025, a recognition of her visionary leadership and lasting impact on Canadian business. Katie’s journey, from breaking barriers in boardrooms to championing innovation and mentorship, has inspired countless women and continues to redefine what leadership looks like in Canada.