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Charbel Safadi

Charbel Safadi

President, Transformation and Modernization, Zafin
DepartmentMBA Advisory Council

As a business transformation leader, my focus is on innovating to transform business models, leading teams and inspiring an entrepreneurial mindset in the organizations I serve. With over 18 years of experience in leadership and execution, I am seen as an innovator who can capitalize on emerging trends and build high-performing businesses.

At IBM, I lead a large part of our Canadian business focused on Business Transformation Consulting with five key pillars:

  • Customer Transformation (also known as IBM iX).
  • Industry Transformation (Examples include Core Banking and Payments, Insurance Platforms, Sustainability, Risk and Compliance and Health platforms).
  • Data and Technology Transformation (AI, Advanced Analytics, Data Platforms and Edge Computing).
  • Finance and Supply Chain Transformation (SAP, Oracle, Maximo, and Supply Chain and Finance Reinvention).
  • Talent Transformation (Digital Change, SuccessFactors and Workday).

Accountable for the overall execution of our customers’ transformations, I lead and manage man senior partners, partners, GTM and Delivery resources for our clients across all industries.

Having spent most of my career in consulting executive roles leading large transformations for some of IBM's largest clients globally, I bring to bear a variety of key skills. These include extensive expertise in management consulting; a financial management background; expertise in artificial intelligence and driving complex client digital reinventions through innovation platforms; plus, an acute ability to grow and lead diverse teams.

Previously, I was IBM Canada’s Financial Services Consulting Leader where I led a team that helped our clients digitally reinvent their people, processes and technology with a focus on Core to Cloud Modernization and Digital Reinvention. Responsible for the full P&L across Canada, I grew the sector and helped transform the go-to-market model.

Prior to this, I was the IBM Canada’s AI and Data Consulting Leader for all industries – this consisted of three Services Lines and eight Practices, and a team of more than 350 people.

A passionate thought leader, I served as the Executive Leader for the IBM Services Associates Progra for five years. I am also a member of the IBM Services Canada Women’s Advisory Board, the Toronto Metropolitan University Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and the IBM Services Canadian Senior Leadership Team.

I am a graduate of the Ivey Business School with a Master of Business Administration and I have completed a range of executive education programs with the Harvard Business School.