Two Ivey alumni and one Executive MBA candidate are among the 2023 Best Executive Award winners recognized today by Report on Business magazine for their leadership style, achievements, and impact.
The annual list celebrates excellence in non-CEO leaders at public and private businesses, not-for-profits, associations, and academic institutions. Ivey’s recipients are John Bayliss, HBA ’99, Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer, Walmart Canada; TJ Flood, HBA ’95, MBA ’98, President, Canadian Tire Retail, Canadian Tire; and Patrick Lo, EMBA ’23 candidate, National Power and Utilities Lead, Microsoft.
In addition to being featured in The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine, the winners have been invited to share their experiences and insight at the 2023 Report on Business Best Executive Summit on May 3.
Here’s a look at the Ivey recipients on the list.
John Bayliss, HBA ’99
In his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at Walmart Canada, John Bayliss is responsible for driving the company’s strategy, innovation, corporate development, and transformation agenda. Prior to this role, he was senior vice president of logistics and supply chain at Walmart Canada and led the Canadian retail and eCommerce logistics network.
In his profile in Report on Business, Bayliss said it’s important to be creative and do unexpected things. He made his mark at Walmart Canada for just that, including designing a grocery distribution centre that takes up half the usual space and bringing in electrified trucks.
Before joining Walmart Canada, Bayliss worked for more than 16 years with The Boston Consulting Group in several roles and served retail clients in Canada, the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Australia.
He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Food Banks Canada Board of Directors, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Luminato Arts Festival, and is an advisor to Ivey’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value.
TJ Flood, HBA ’95, MBA ’98
TJ Flood is president of Canadian Tire Retail at Canadian Tire Corporation where he oversees all aspects of the company’s business across five divisions – driving, living, fixing, playing, and seasonal and gardening. He is also responsible for Canadian Tire’s global operations, eCommerce initiatives, and relationship with associate dealers.
Flood joined Canadian Tire in 2005 and held progressively senior roles within the organization. Under his leadership, Canadian Tire’s marketing team reinvigorated the brand with the introduction of "Canada's Store" and the "We All Play for Canada" marketing campaigns.
Report on Business acknowledged Flood’s work in laying the groundwork for a $1.2-billion investment in the company’s store network, overseeing the launch of its newest generation of large-format retail outposts, and bolstering connections with its dealer network.
Prior to Canadian Tire, Flood was president of SportChek and responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the company’s more than 400 retail locations across Canada.
Patrick Lo, EMBA ’23 candidate
Patrick Lo is the National Power and Utilities Lead at Microsoft where he collaborates with utilities across Canada to co-innovate big-picture projects around energy transition. He has been recognized as a national expert, representing Canada at International Energy Agency working groups in both power systems and flexibility markets.
Lo also currently sits on the board of directors for Mohawk College’s Energy, Power, and Innovation Centre as well as Design Lights Consortium.
He has more than 15 years of experience in the electricity sector and previously oversaw the Grid Innovation Fund for the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). Lo also held various positions at Hydro One, including leading its 10-year distribution strategy and advising on grid modernization.
In his Report on Business profile, Lo said decarbonization initiatives require innovation and the role he’ll play is “to show everyone in the power and utility sector what’s possible in terms of decarbonizing.”
