McGill News

Business

A woman wearing a bright red jacket standing outdoors in a snowy mountainous area holding a red and white flag stretched out behind them with a background featuring snow-covered slopes and evergreen trees. People

Olympian, CEO, and chef de mission – Jennifer Heil’s next move 

A former Olympic gold medallist, Jennifer Heil, BCom’13, knows all about the pressures that the Canadian athletes taking part in the upcoming Winter Games will have to contend with. She is drawing on that experience to serve as Canada’s chef de mission for the Games.

A festive table with a gift box on it. People

Overseeing The Jilly Box experience

The Jilly Box, the brainchild of former The Bachelorette star Jillian Harris, provides a boost to many small, socially responsible businesses, most of them owned by women. As its CEO, Julia Freeman, BCom’07, is focused on steering The Jilly Box to new heights.

An illustration of a group of people in a boat. On Campus

McGill data analytics lab proving to be good for business

The DataSphere Lab at the Desautels Faculty of Management aims to help companies and organizations tackle challenges with data-driven solutions. For students, it’s a valuable hands-on – and paid – work experience.

A man holding a skateboard in a manufacturing room with other people. People

The denim disruptor

Brandon Svarc’s family has been in the jeans business for three generations, but the Naked & Famous Denim founder brings his own unique sensibility to clothing, one that has earned him accolades. James Bond has been spotted in his jeans (but not the glow-in-the-dark ones).

A man leaning on a stack of books. Culture

A little bookstore that’s had a big impact

For generations of McGill students, The Word Bookstore on Milton Street has been almost as familiar a landmark as the Roddick Gates or the Redpath Museum. As The Word marks its 50th anniversary, Adrian King-Edwards, BA’71, the bookshop’s co-founder and owner, shares some memories.

A man standing next to a machine with rolls of the Canadian flag. Society

A flag-hungry nation is turning to this McGillian

As “51st state” rhetoric drove Canadian patriotism to a fever pitch this year, Brian Naish, BSc’93, unexpectedly found himself playing a pivotal role at an historic moment – as the country’s biggest flag maker.

A woman smiling at camera On Campus

Paying it forward

Josée Goulet, MBA’90, and Jean-Charles Caty, BCom’63, both benefitted from their management studies at McGill before embarking on their successful careers. They are helping to ensure that current francophone students have similar opportunities.

A person with a mustache wearing glasses People

Co-designing a transformational fund (between classes)

As an undergraduate, Jonathan Glencross, BA’11, was one of the driving forces behind the University’s Sustainability Projects Fund. Years later, he is still busy working on investments with an ethical focus.

A person standing in front of a window. Society

Weathering the storm

When Peter Oliver, BCom’71, co-founded Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality, he helped elevate Toronto’s dining scene. Now his son Andrew Oliver, BCom’06, is taking O&B to new heights (literally and figuratively), but first he had to contend with a disastrous pandemic.

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