Zabeen Hirji

Zabeen is a strategic advisor to the private and public sectors as a thought leader in leadership, talent, culture, purpose, AI and work, and diversity, equity and inclusion. She is also speaker, writer, and media commentator, and is a Linkedin Top Voice (we encourage you to follow her). Now in her Purposeful Third Act, she strives to make impact by activating her purpose: “to unlock human potential and build inclusive prosperity.”

Zabeen had a distinguished career at RBC, culminating as Chief Human Resources Officer until her retirement in 2017, with oversight for 80,000 employees in 40 countries. She was a member of RBC’s Group Executive Committee, which set the bank’s strategic direction, and she also held responsibility for brand, communications, and corporate citizenship.

Currently as Executive Advisor at Deloitte, Zabeen advises clients on People and Culture issues key to transformation and long-term success. She serves as Senior Advisor to Knockri, an AI-based HR scale-up and she previously was on the board of Sleep Country Canada.  Public sector roles include Special Advisor to the Clerk of the Privy Council, and Co-Chair of City of Toronto’s Economic Development Advisory Panel. She is Executive-in-Residence at Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Beedie School of Business, and a member of numerous University advisory boards. Active in the not-for-profit sector, Zabeen serves on the boards of Junior Achievement Worldwide, a top 10 global NGO, Public Policy Forum, Canadian Club Toronto and formerly chaired the Board of CivicAction.

A trailblazer in corporate Canada, Zabeen has received numerous recognitions, including Canadian HR Awards Lifetime Achievement in HR Leadership, Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal for Diversity and Inclusion, SFU Outstanding Alumni Award, Catalyst Canada Honours for championing women and minorities in business, 2-time Top 25 Women of Influence, 3-time WXN Top 100 Most Powerful Women and Hall of Fame inductee, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the year and has been listed as a Canadian Who’s Who for over 20 years. She holds an MBA from SFU and an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate.