Social media can be a valuable tool for executives looking to boost their company’s public profile – and Twitter Canada managing director Rory Capern has a list that proves it.
In a June 7 blog post, Capern highlighted 40 Canadian executives worth following on the social media platform, including several leaders from both northern tech luminaries such as Shopify and BlackBerry, and executives from the Canadian divisions of tech giants such as Google and Microsoft.
“These are names from across Canada that are driving thought leadership, influence, and impact by their presence on Twitter,” Capern wrote. “The list is populated with executives who use Twitter regularly to share company updates and industry news, engage with customers, employees and partners and Like, Retweet and Reply to top Twitter content.”
Two years ago we went public. These days IPOs are an unpopular choice for fast growth companies but it was the perfect decision for $SHOP pic.twitter.com/ITr8lC5z40
— Tobi Lütke (@tobi) May 21, 2017
The list is a follow-up to an article Capern wrote in February for The Globe and Mail in which he appealed to members of Canada’s C-suite to “get aboard the digital train.”
Immediately after the article ran, Capern admitted, he began receiving emails, texts and direct messages indicating that “across the board, Canadian business leaders were indeed part of the conversation on Twitter.”
May The Fourth Be With You #BlackBerry pic.twitter.com/aMSOqxfKLO
— John Chen (@JohnChen) May 4, 2016
The full list of 40, in alphabetical order, includes:
- Ottawa Senators CEO Tom Anselmi (@TomAnselmi)
- McDonalds Canada CMO Antoinette Benoit (@zabenoit)
- Telus executive vice-president of health Josh Blair (@josh_a_blair)
- BC Lions vice-president and general manager of football operations Wally Buono (@GM_Brillo)
- BlackBerry Ltd. CEO John Chen (@JohnChen)
- Samsung Canada CMO Mark Childs (@MarkInspired)
- Sun Life Financial Inc. president and CEO Dean Connor (@DeanAConnor)
- TVO CEO Lisa de Wilde (@lisadewilde)
- RBC chief brand officer Mary DePaoli (@marydepaoli)
- PwC Canada partner and national deals technology leader Michael Dingle (@dinglemichael)
- Goodlife Fitness CIO Steve Groves (@SteveatGoodLife)
- Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes (@invoker)
- Rogers chief brand officer Dale Hooper (@DaleHooper)
- Wealthsimple co-founder and CEO Michael Katchen (@mkatchen)
- Microsoft Canada president and CEO Janet Kennedy (@JKennedyMSFT)
@microsoftcanada was proud to host #Digigirlz Day. Amazing to see so many young women coding #womeninSTEM pic.twitter.com/J9L4G7mYcK
— Janet Kennedy (@JKennedyMSFT) May 24, 2017
- Canadian Olympic Committee CMO Derek Kent (@dkent1)
- Macdonald-Cartier Airport president Mark Laroche (@markblaroche)
- Wattpad co-founder and CEO Allen Lau (@allenlau)
- Bell Media president Randy Lennox (@randylennox7117)
- Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke (@tobi)
- Transcontinental Media chair Isabelle Marcoux (@TcIsabelle)
- Corus Entertainment EVP and CRO Greg McClelland (@Greg_Salesguy)
- Freshbooks founder and CEO Mike McDerment (@MikeMcDerment )
- TD global CMO Theresa McLaughlin (@TheresaM_TD)
- LoyaltyOne president Bryan Pearson (@Pearson4loyalty)
- Dell Canada president Kevin Peesker (@KevinAtDell)
- BroadbandTV founder and CEO Shahrzad Rafati (@shahrzadrafati)
- Electronic Arts group general manager and vice president of Visceral, Motive Studios, and Star Wars Jade Raymond (@ibjade)
- Universal Music Canada president and CEO Jeffrey Remedios (@jeffreyremedios )
- Adidas Group Canada CEO Michael Rossi (@themjr44)
- Google Canada president Sam Sebastian (@samsebastian)
- Klick Health co-founder and CEO Leerom Segal (@leeromsegal)
- League CEO Michael Serbinis (@mserbinis)
- Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan (@brendanshanahan)
- eBay Canada managing director Andrea Stairs (@astairsk)
- BMO CMO Connie Stefankiewicz (@ConnieStefank)
- Diply CSO Kirstine Stewart (@kirstinestewart)
- Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn (@mtamblyn)
- IBM Canada president and general manager Dino Trevisani (@DinoTrevisani)
- Starbucks Canada president and senior vice president Rossann Williams (@Rossann1)
In addition to compiling a list of Canada’s most social media-savvy business leaders, Calpern outlined 10 goals that executives seeking to follow in their footsteps should have in mind when using Twitter:
- Connect with colleagues and employees.
- Humanize your brand; be its conscience.
- Listen and respond to customers.
- Control your message and influence the press.
- Move the market.
- Respond to critics.
- Attract and retain great talent.
- Engage with your partners and peers.
- Inspire the next generation of business leaders.
- Promote causes and ideals; share a unique point of view.
