Economic Development Trailblazer to Lead Invest Ottawa’s Future and Collaborative Impact
June 10, 2024 – Ottawa, ON: Invest Ottawa, the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital, is delighted to announce the selection of Sonya Shorey as its new President and CEO. Shorey, an economic development trailblazer with more than 25 years of leadership in technology, entrepreneurship and investment, was selected following a comprehensive search by Boyden Canada. She is the first woman executive to take the helm of Invest Ottawa.
Throughout her career, Shorey has successfully spearheaded more than $300 million in public-private funding, including more than $100 million with Invest Ottawa and regional partners. Her strategic acumen and passion for economic growth have been instrumental in creating new opportunities for founders and companies across the region, and Ottawa as an inclusive global tech, innovation and business hub.
She has demonstrated exceptional leadership in her prior role as Invest Ottawa’s Vice President of Strategy, Marketing, and Communications. Her strategic vision was pivotal in developing the organization’s Women Founders and Owners Strategy; the Pan-Ontario ScaleUp Platform, which helps accelerate the growth of scaling firms on their path to $100M in annual revenue; Bayview Yards, Ottawa’s innovation hub; and Area X.O, the R&D complex for next-gen smart mobility. She is also a co-founder of SheBoot, a national non-profit that helps women founders secure capital to grow, scale and compete globally.
Prior to Invest Ottawa, Shorey founded a successful consulting firm that addressed the corporate strategy, operational, and investment needs of dozens of accelerators, innovation hubs, entrepreneurship and economic development organizations across Canada and their global partners. A Carleton graduate, she also held previous leadership roles in tech with Calian, Nortel Networks and CMC Microsystems.
Her commitment to fostering an inclusive culture of belonging is at the heart of her governance and volunteer activities. This includes her service as a Director of the Board for SheBoot, the Royal Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Women in Automotive Tech, Mindtrust, and Elevate International.
“I am honoured to serve as the President and CEO and am deeply committed to fuelling and fulfilling Ottawa’s economic potential, competitive advantage, and impact,” said Shorey. “I am excited to collaborate with our team, clients, funders and partners, and help founders and companies across our region to pursue big dreams, solve big challenges, and win globally. Together, we will create the jobs, economy and community of our future, and drive triple-bottom line opportunities and prosperity for generations to come.”
“Sonya’s extensive experience and steadfast commitment to our community make her an ideal leader to guide Invest Ottawa’s next chapter. She is tireless in her efforts to drive entrepreneurship, investment and economic growth in our region. Her vision and commitment to collaboration are invaluable as we strive to create new economic opportunities and impact in every corner of our city. I am excited about the future under her leadership,” said Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Co-Chair of the Board of Invest Ottawa.
“Sonya brings a proven track record of performance, leadership and mission-driven impact. She is an ideal leader to steer Invest Ottawa through its next phase of development with our community,” said Adam Miron, Co-Chair of Invest Ottawa. “As Interim CEO, her leadership yielded impressive results, surpassing key fiscal targets for job creation, new investment, and revenue generation. Choosing a CEO is one of the most important decisions a Board undertakes. I am confident we have selected the best leader for this role.”
Shorey succeeds Michael Tremblay, who served as President and CEO of Invest Ottawa for seven years
About Invest Ottawa
Invest Ottawa is the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital Region, facilitating economic growth and job creation in Ottawa. Guided by a vision to help realize Ottawa’s full potential as a globally recognized, innovative, inclusive, and future-ready city, Invest Ottawa delivers venture development, global expansion and talent programs and services that catalyze the growth and success of entrepreneurs and firms. These include small business training, mentorship, acceleration for technology firms, foreign business and investment attraction, local business retention and expansion in targeted sectors, commercialization and marketing Ottawa’s diversified economy and high quality of life. Invest Ottawa is also the manager of Bayview Yards, Ottawa’s innovation hub and one-stop business acceleration shop, and founder and operator of Area X.O, the R&D complex for next-gen smart mobility, autonomy, and connectivity technologies. Since 2013, Invest Ottawa has supported almost 14,000 companies, contributed to the creation of more than 14,700 jobs, helped domestic companies raise $1.86 billion in capital and attracted $1.47 billion in domestic and foreign direct investment to Ottawa. www.investottawa.ca