Over nearly four decades, Sue Paish has inspired thousands of British Columbians through her leadership and vision in law, business and health care.
As CEO of the Digital Technology Supercluster, she has pursued her vision to position Canada as a global leader in digital technology through Canadian-made digital solutions. Her plan, founded on collaborative innovation and co-investment, will help realize this vision.
Energized by her leadership and determination, the Digital Technology Supercluster has exceeded or met nearly all of its five-year goals in three years, creating a portfolio valued at more $300 million across 82 projects. These projects are delivering best-in-class virtual care, mitigating climate change impacts, protecting our natural resources and more, all in record time. Canadian industry’s confidence in the Supercluster’s model and momentum is clear: industry partners have grown from 31 in 2018 to now over 950 with representation from every province.
“With her innate ability to accelerate business objectives, Sue has become a leading voice of our nation’s digital technology industry,” said Bridgitte Anderson, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Fostering diverse talent is a hallmark of Paish’s leadership. A trailblazer herself, Paish was the first and youngest female managing partner of a major B.C. law firm (Fasken), the first female CEO of Pharmasave and LifeLabs, the fourth woman to chair the Vancouver Board of Trade, chair of the Business Council of BC and often the first and only female director on corporate boards. Today, she remains a role model and mentor committed to supporting and developing exceptional talent and diversity. Her accolades include the BIV Influential Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award, the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and her induction into WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame.
In March 2020, the Digital Technology Supercluster inspired development of digital solutions to COVID-19 issues. In under three weeks, more than 400 qualifying proposals were received with investment values of more $1.4 billion, (for a $60 million fund). In 100 days, projects were delivering solutions including handheld ultrasounds to detect COVID, the creation of a national data platform connecting researchers exploring the virus’ evolution and the use of genomics to unlock opportunities for a universal vaccine.
She follows a novel business model, bringing together hundreds of private, public and academic organizations to solve major problems through collaborative innovation and co-investment. Her bold leadership is helping industry consortia drive digital solutions better and faster. •
For more information about this year's BC CEO Awards, click here.
