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Tapfuma Musewe is a seasoned trade and investment executive with over 15 years of experience in advancing emerging markets and fostering regional leaders. Tapfuma has done extensive work across Southern Africa and is recognized as one of the Top 25 people shaping the future of Canada-Africa relations. As the founder of Afrifursa, he has built one of Canada’s foremost platforms for bridging African and Canadian innovation ecosystems through trade and investment. As the Associate Director of Sustainable Finance at EYElliance, he empowers entrepreneurs in global emerging markets to scale using innovative finance solutions. He also advises Bio Usawa, an Africa-based company specializing in life-saving, next-generation cancer treatments. Tapfuma has received several accolades, including the 2022 African Scholars Global Impact Award and the 2024 Arbor Award from the University of Toronto, reflecting his dedication to community engagement and academic excellence.

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Jean Barrett brings over 25+ years of banking experience in the Retail and Commercial sectors. As the Manager for Alterna Savings’ nationally acclaimed Community Microfinance Program, she oversees nine community microloan portfolios and manages 250+ small business borrowers in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa Region annually. Certified in financial literacy, Jean advises entrepreneurs and community organizations, and she frequently speaks on business planning, credit, budgeting, and financing at institutions like ACCES Employment Services, Toronto Business Development Centre, Toronto Library, and Youth Employment Services. She also supports ACCESS Community Capital Loan Fund and the Ottawa Community Loan Fund Team.

Jean’s leadership and expertise have made a substantial impact within the community and Alterna. Her management of microloan portfolios benefits a large number of small businesses. Her educational contributions reach aspiring entrepreneurs and community organizations. Her support for ACCESS Community Capital Loan Fund and the Ottawa Community Loan Fund Team demonstrates her commitment to community development. Jean’s mentoring and recognition by the Ministry of Economic Development & Trade highlight her dedication to supporting young entrepreneurs. Her volunteering with RISE Asset Development Investment Committee contributes to microfinance and small business loan reviews. The “Outstanding Community Services & Business Development Support” award from the AfriCanada Commerce Exchange in 2023 further underscores her significant impact in the community.

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Mark J. Richardson is the Chief Technology Officer at Rich Analytics. He has 25+ Years of consulting- experience with public-sector clients at all-levels of Government in Canada, and was part of the City of Toronto’s Open Data Advisory Group which helped define the City’s first official Open Data Master Plan in 2018, and was a citizen-member of the City of Toronto’s Planning Review Panel (2015-2017).

Mark is the Founder and Technical-Lead of the HousingNowTO.com affordable-housing tracking and transparency project since 2019. Using common tools such as Google maps, photographs, videos and data-visualization, HousingNowTO.com removes industry jargon, thereby minimizing misinformation and enhancing transparency and opportunities for genuine civic engagement. The HousingNowTO.com project was given an Innovation Spotlight by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in 2021.

He is an active ULI volunteer with the Terwilliger Center for Housing in Washington, DC – and a regular collaborator on urban affordable housing innovation projects with University of Toronto’s School of Cities, and Toronto Metropolitan Universities’ School of Urban and Regional Planning.

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Mark Radha is a brand and business strategist merging behavioural science, econometrics, and finance working with brands such as, GE, State Street, Facebook, to name a few.

Currently, Mark serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at 369 Publishing, where he oversees 3 Magazine, a luxury lifestyle publication that celebrate Third Culture Individuals and the culturally curious. Mark is also the Chief Brand Economist at Strata Insights and the architect of Brand Economics.

Mark holds several influential board appointments including as an Independent Board Member at Elexicon Corporation, one of Ontario’s largest electricity distribution companies where he serves on the Audit, Finance, and Risk Management Committee, and Chairs the Elexicon Group Committee (EV, solar, and distributed energy).

In addition, Mark serves on the High Tech Automotive Industry Advisory Board at L.E.S. (USA), collaborating with top-tier automotive brands in vehicle technology, including electrification, smart cities, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and connected vehicles.

Mark has co-authored a pioneering global standard for the measurement, reporting, and management of overseeing intangible capital value and risk in order to protect shareholder value. This standard was adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Mark is also a dedicated professor, having taught at George Brown College, Trent University, and Canadore College.

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Philip is the founder and director of the Centre for Redemptive Entrepreneurship (CRE) at Tyndale University. The vision for CRE is to equip Christian entrepreneurs as culture-shaping catalysts in advancing their ventures. A co-founder of two social enterprises, KLINK Coffee and Red Propeller, by selling services and products to employ people with barriers to employment, Philip sees the critical value of addressing service gaps with an entrepreneurial mindset. Additionally, in Philip’s creative business at GenesisXD, he serves on several non-profit boards and has experience in the relationship between leadership, social impacts, and innovation.

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Ryan is a strategic consultant with over a decade of experience in helping businesses thrive online. He collaborates with leaders across diverse industries in Canada, from growing startups to established enterprises, using Google Ads to unlock their full potential.

Ryan is passionate about leveraging AI-powered tools to navigate the evolving landscape of digital marketing.

Ryan lives in Mississauga with his wife with 2 young boys.

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John Kiru has over 40 years of experience specializing in local business improvement and planning for municipalities.

For the past 23 years, John has managed as its ED and CEO the day-to-day operation of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA). TABIA is an umbrella organization representing Toronto’s 85 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), with more than 90,000 main street retailers, professionals, landowners, and occupants who employ some 600,000 full and part time employees. BIA’s are a reflection of Toronto’s extensive diversity and play a key role in community building in the city of Neighbourhoods.

His years of experience with BIAs and Local small business provided an understanding of their needs and wants which resulted in John being the founder of Digital Main Street.

He has also successfully completed many projects since 1985 as the sole proprietor of John J. Kiru and Associates, Planning and Economic Development Consultants. These include by-law and operating guidelines for the municipal council of Richmond Hill for the establishment of the Richmond Hill BIA, first impression reviews of the Oakville BIA as well as for the BIA in the Town of Markham, a panel member for Mayor Bloomberg’s New York city small business review and BID enhancement. He has taken the BIA concept worldwide sharing the benefits of small businesses helping themselves and the ultimate private public partnership in places such as Hamburg Germany where he performed a peer review of the proposed enabling legislation.

Provincially John served as a member of Minister of Labour, Vulnerable Worker Task Group. From 2016 to 2021 Mr. Kiru was elected to the role of President and Chair of the Board of the Canadian National Exhibition Association (CNEA) a 147-year-old institution that annually operates an 18 day fair drawing 1.6 million people.

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Jesse Asido is the passionate owner and founder of Scarborough Spots, a dynamic social media-based retail store located in Eglinton Square Shopping Centre. With a vision to uplift and celebrate his beloved hometown of Scarborough, Jesse has transformed a simple Instagram account into a thriving community hub and retail space that embodies the vibrant spirit of the area.

Scarborough Spots began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a platform to promote local restaurants. Over time, it evolved to cover Scarborough news, memes, and unique merchandise, becoming a digital love letter to the community. Jesse’s dedication to highlighting the positive aspects of Scarborough, from its diverse culture to its rich history, is evident in every post and product.

The store itself is a unique experience, designed to resemble a subway station, with sections dedicated to different areas of Scarborough. It not only offers clothing and merchandise but also serves as a center for community events and initiatives. Jesse’s efforts extend to supporting local causes, with proceeds from certain collections going to groups such as the Scarborough Health Network.

Jesse’s work with Scarborough Spots has not only redefined retail but also helped reshape the narrative around Scarborough, challenging negative stereotypes and celebrating the area’s true essence. His deep love for Scarborough, coupled with his innovative approach, continues to inspire and bring positive change to the community.

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Few Canadians have contributed to the world of design as much as Paul Rowan. Throughout his nearly fifty-year career, Paul has worked tirelessly to create and promote thoughtful, elevated design with the dream of making the world a more beautiful place. In 1980, Paul co-founded Umbra with his childhood friend Les Mandelbaum. Initially the only designer, Paul was responsible for all product design and manufacturing, creating modern, affordable housewares that led Canada into a new era of design. As Umbra grew into a global brand, Paul built a design team, primarily recruiting from OCADU, establishing a long-lasting relationship with the university.
Paul’s passion for education and nurturing new designers led him to pioneer an innovative program in 2000 between design schools and Umbra, starting with Pratt University. Students collaborated with Paul to create products, with winning submissions produced and marketed by Umbra, providing royalties to both students and schools. This competition model was extended to numerous design schools worldwide, including Emily Carr, The Design Centre in Pasadena, and Humber College. These collaborations generated significant revenue and led to many internships and full-time jobs at Umbra and other leading design companies. Paul also sat on the OCADU board of directors for six years, contributing to initiatives like the Imagination Catalyst, an incubator promoting entrepreneurship among OCADU graduates.
Paul’s contributions extend beyond Umbra and OCADU. He has been involved in numerous educational initiatives and competitions, such as a design competition with EAFIT University in Medellin, Colombia, and advisory roles in various design startups. He has written articles for Misc Magazine and frequently speaks at design institutions and events globally, including TEDx Toronto and the Ontario Economic Summit. Paul’s achievements include his mesh can design being added to the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and receiving multiple awards, such as the Best Design Strategy Award and the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Colleges of Ontario. Currently, Paul is a partner and senior advisor at the design consulting firm Arch’ve, where he continues to support design education and advise emerging designers.