Brand Council


The CMA Brand Council provides thought leadership on key trends and hot topics related to brand strategy for Canadian marketers and agency professionals.

Council Members

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Chair

Bruce Symbalisty

Chief Solutions Specialist, Reality Engine Inc.

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Chair

Christine Smith

Director, Marketing, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

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Member

V Gaik

Executive Director, Brand Sales & Partnerships, TikTok Canada, TikTok

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Member

Alexandra Ungureanu

Chief Strategy Officer, AlexU.ca

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Member

Antoine Levasseur

Business Director, Branding & Design, lg2

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Björn Bruschke

Vice President - Marketing Planning and Integration, Desjardins

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Member

Cameron Stark

Co-founder, Head of Strategy & Growth, Hard Work Club

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Member

David Brown

President, Mindshape

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Member

Elena Herweyer

Founder, President & Chief Executive Artiste, Art Fresh Inc.

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Member

Emily Rabe

Director, Marketing and Communications, The Bishop Strachan School

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Member

Jon Crowley

Partner, SVP, Head of Strategy, Fuse Create

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Member

Justin Haberman

Vice President, Client Services, Elemental

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Member

Mike Leon

Managing Director, Brand Heroes Inc.

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Peter Rodriguez

Professor of Strategic Marketing, Seneca Polytechnic, and CMO & Founder, Brand Igniter Inc.

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Member

Stephanie Bateman

Director, Integrated Brand Engagement, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited

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Member

Hilary Windrem

Senior Director, Brand Marketing, CIBC - Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

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Member

Sheri Hachey-Cox

Sr. Program Director, Publicis Canada

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Esther Benzie

Senior Consultant, Listenmore Inc.

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Gena Sherwood

Lead Client Partner - Brand Partnerships, Canada; Community Impact Ambassador, Canada, Pinterest

Recent Articles Authored by Council

Balancing brands: the client you serve, the agency you represent, the voice you own

hy alignment across clients, agencies and individuals defines modern brand integrity.

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Futureproofing brands: How brands become engines of value and impact

In an AI driven world of relentless change and intensifying competition, organizations are searching for the advantage that transcends product cycles, technological disruptions, and short-term gains.

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Unpacking the new era of brand partnerships: The power of shared values

Now more than ever, Canadians have a lot on their minds. In fact, Canadians cite that they have over 20 things on their mind at any given time, making it even more difficult to capture the attention of busy audiences.

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Brand building in the era of instant gratification

This is the final piece in a Brand Council content series on “Balancing short-term and long-term strategies.”

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Inside Toronto Public Library’s strategy for building brand trust

This is part of a Brand Council content series on “Balancing short-term and long-term strategies.”

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Balancing the short- and long-term: A strategic approach to marketing

This is part of a Brand Council content series on “Balancing short-term and long-term strategies.” Read the introductory blog here.

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