The Empire Club of Canada
In Person Only
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Leaders in the Auto and Tech Mobility sector — How a diverse workforce can increase innovation
Empire Nights: Ontario Election Viewing Party!
The Empire Club of Canada is back with another of our highly anticipated Empire Nights! In celebration of Black History Month, the Empire Club of Canada is thrilled to present Leaders in the Auto and Tech Mobility Sector — How a diverse workforce can increase innovation.
This Empire Nights event will dive into how diversity drives progress in Canada’s auto and tech industries, which are not only vital to our economy but also provide over 1 in 8 jobs across the country.
But that’s not all — get ready for an Ontario Election Viewing Party! Expect a night full of excitement, networking and candid conversations as we watch the results unfold together and enjoy this thought leadership panel. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable evening of inspiration and anticipation!
Speakers include:
– Yolanda Biswah, President, Canadian Black Book
– Jerome Chinner, Senior Vice President, Dealer Development and Support, SCI Lease Corp.
– Shereena Robinson, Director of Human Resources, Porsche Cars Canada
– Moderated by Stephanie Henry, Canadian TV Journalist
Mark your calendars for February 27, 2025! Join us for an unforgettable evening of passed canapés, drinks, and a vibrant atmosphere designed to inspire and connect the next generation of diverse talent and leaders in Canada’s auto and tech mobility sectors.
In her role as President of Canadian Black Book, Yolanda leads one of Canada’s most trusted automotive brands. With a wide and diverse customer base, Canadian Black Book serves the automotive industry, including automotive manufacturers, captive finance companies, lenders and financial institutions, dealers, local and provincial governments, software providers, marketing companies, and more.
In 2015, Yolanda joined Canadian Black Book was promoted to President of Canadian Black Book. She previously held positions in sales leadership, data licensing, and customer experience.
She is an active steward and participant in her community as well as in the automotive industry, volunteering with organizations that help less fortunate people. Yolanda was named one of ten “Notable Champions of Diversity” by Auto News Canada in 2022. As a volunteer of Accelerate Auto committees, she works to advance career opportunities for Black talent within Canadian automotive industry.
Senior Vice President of Dealer Development and Support at SCI Lease Corp. My career spans multiple industries and organizations, where I’ve had the privilege to lead, build and grow high-performing teams and cultures. Companies like taq Automotive Intelligence, American Express, and AutoTrader where I have been in some sort of business function for over 35 years. I have had many different roles including finance, business reporting, internal control, technical consulting as well as sales and account management. My true passion is leadership, working in a team environment, and building strong relationships with colleagues and customers. I immigrated to Canada from South Africa 55 years ago. I am one of the founding members of Accelerate Auto and currently handle Corporate Partnerships. I have a wonderful family and love spending time with them. I enjoy watching and playing golf, hockey and football. I am committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within our society and the automotive industry. Let’s take action to impact change.
“Be All In or Get All Out, There is No Halfway.”
Stephanie Henry is a media professional and automotive advocate with a passion for empowering and educating women. Raised in Brampton with ties to Toronto, Antigua, and Jamaica, her diverse background has shaped her unique approach to storytelling and education.
With a Sociology degree from York University and a Broadcast Journalism diploma from Seneca College, Stephanie began her career in radio at 680NEWS before moving into television. For five years, she was a host on Canada’s number one morning show on CityTV, Breakfast Television, taking on various roles,
including on-location reporting, traffic reporting, and hosting the entire broadcast on several occasions. Stephanie was also the only automotive guest expert on Cityline’s 40 year run.
In 2020, Stephanie expanded her portfolio by diving into the automotive industry, completing an automotive service technician course at the Automotive Training Centre in Toronto. This addition to her skillset led to the founding of She Auto Know in 2022, a platform dedicated to empowering women on their individual automotive journeys. Through education, events, and content creation, She Auto Know equips women with the confidence and knowledge to tackle automotive challenges. While continuing her work in media, Stephanie has seamlessly integrated her passion for automotive into her career. On top of creating, Stephanie Henry is an experienced host, moderator, and keynote speaker, bringing energy, professionalism, and relatability to any event.
Shereena is a forward-thinking and results-driven HR professional with over 20 years of leadership experience in the automotive sector. Known for her strategic vision and entrepreneurial approach, she excels at aligning organizational goals with the development of an engaged, high-performing workforce. As a dynamic leader, Shereena has consistently driven business success through thoughtful HR strategy, talent management, and employee engagement initiatives.
Throughout her career, Shereena has demonstrated a proven ability to manage HR functions across various levels of the organization while cultivating environments where employees thrive. She played a pivotal role in helping Porsche Cars Canada achieve Canada’s prestigious “Great Place to Work” Certification in 2022 and 2023.
Shereena is a skilled HR strategist with expertise in areas such as performance management, talent development, conflict resolution, and organizational development. Her knowledge of HR law and compliance ensures that businesses operate within legal frameworks while maintaining a culture of inclusivity and respect.
Currently serving as the Director of Human Resources at Porsche Cars Canada, Shereena oversees all HR functions for the Canadian OEM and its Canadian entities. She leads a team of HR professionals and drives strategic direction in areas such as employee relations, recruitment, training, compensation, diversity, and inclusion.
With a career built on trust, innovation, and collaboration, Shereena remains dedicated to driving positive change through people-first HR leadership.
