Speaker Biographies

Detlev Zwick | Dean, Tanna H. Schulich Chair in Digital Marketing Strategy

Detlev Zwick is Dean of the Schulich School of Business at York University, where he guides the School in its mission to develop purpose-driven leaders who aspire to make a difference in business and society.

Under Dean Zwick’s leadership, Schulich is focused on several key strategic initiatives, including delivering a world-class, transformative student learning experience, program innovation, high-impact research and positioning the School at the leading edge of the digital transformation reshaping business.

Prior to becoming Dean, Dr. Zwick served in a number of increasingly senior academic and administrative roles, including Director of Schulich’s BBA/iBBA Program and Associate Dean, Academic, during which he led the School’s rapid transition to remote online learning following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also a member of the York University Senate and represented Schulich on the Senate Executive Committee.

Dean Zwick is an early pioneer in digital marketing and his research focuses on new marketing technologies and their impact on consumer behaviour. He is co-editor of the book Inside Marketing: Practices, Ideologies, Devices (Oxford University Press), and frequently provides expert commentary to the media.

Jasper Cheung (MBA ‘90) | President, Amazon Japan GK

Jasper Cheung joined Amazon after more than ten years of corporate finance experience for companies in Asia and North America. He began his Amazon career as Finance Director for Amazon.co.jp in December 2000, before becoming President of Amazon, K.K. in April 2001, and being named President of Amazon, G.K. in in May, 2016. Under his leadership, Amazon.co.jp has greatly expanded the selection and convenient services it offers to customers.

Prior to joining Amazon, Jasper served as Finance Manager for the Northeast Asia Health, Beauty, and Food & Beverage unit of Procter & Gamble. While at P&G he served as the Finance Manager for a number of Canadian and Japanese units and was Treasury and Sales Finance Manager for P&G Canada. Jasper began his career as an Airline Planning Officer at Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong.

Jasper received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Ontario’s York University in 1990 and he also holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Hong Kong.

Bharat Masrani (BBA ’78, MBA ’79, Hon LLD ’17) | Group President & CEO, TD Bank Group

As Group President and CEO of TD Bank Group, Bharat is leading the Bank through a period of change and progress. Under Bharat’s leadership, TD’s 90,000 employees work every day to enrich the lives of customers, communities and colleagues – helping millions of households and businesses achieve their financial goals.

Bharat’s career with TD spans more than 35 years and includes experience in retail, commercial, wholesale, wealth management and risk, with leadership roles in India, Europe, the U.S. and Canada. He is a member of the TD Bank Group Board of Directors, and currently serves on the boards of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and The Charles Schwab Corporation.

Bharat graduated from York University in 1978 and earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business the following year. For his achievements as a community and business leader, Masrani was awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the Schulich School of Business in 2017 and Mount Allison University in 2018.

Vito Paladino (BBA ‘99, MBA ‘11) | President, Audi Canada

After graduating from the Schulich School of Business at York University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Vito Paladino started his career at Mazda in 1999. He held various positions there including Product Planning Manager, Director of Marketing and Director of Sales. Additionally he also completed an MBA from the Schulich School of Business in 2011.

In 2013 he moved to Audi Canada as the Director for Sales Operations leading the company to new records. Audi Canada became the fastest growing premium car brand with an increase in sales of seventy-five percent over a five year span.

In 2018 he was promoted to the position of Senior Director for Sales and After Sales. This included responsibility for New Vehicles, Pre-Owned, After Sales, Customer Experience, Planning and Field operations.

Vito Paladino has been the President of Audi Canada since September 1, 2020.

Kim Parlee (IMBA ’95) | Vice President, TD Wealth

Kim Parlee – is a Vice-President at TD wealth – the host of CTV and BNN Bloomberg’s MoneyTalk and editor-in chief of MoneyTalk’s online magazine (www.moneytalkgo.com) an online magazine about money, investing, and all things that happen in our lives – real life and real financial insight on how to be healthy and wealthy.

Prior to joining TD in 2012, Kim was a news anchor and well-known personality on Canada’s Business News Network (BNN). During her time at BNN, she conducted over 15,000 live interviews with CEOs, prime ministers, economists, and analysts and reported live breaking news and complete North American equity coverage.

Kim holds an International MBA from the Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Guelph.

Kathleen Taylor (MBA/JD ’84, Hon LLD ’14) | Chair of the Board, RBC

Kathleen (Katie) Taylor is Chair of the Board of RBC. She has served on the Board since 2001, where she has chaired the Human Resources and Corporate Governance Committees, and served on the Audit and Risk Committees. Ms. Taylor also serves as Chair of Altas Partners, a Toronto-based private equity investment firm.

Ms. Taylor is a director of Air Canada and a member of its Audit, Finance and Risk, Human Resources, and Governance and Nominating Committees. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Adecco Group and a director of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, where she serves on the Investment, Audit and Human Resources Committees. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital for Sick Children and a Co-Chair of the SickKids Capital Campaign.

Ms. Taylor is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. During her 24-year career with the iconic global company, she held a number of senior leadership roles and was instrumental in building the firm’s global brand and its international portfolio of luxury properties.

Ms. Taylor has been inducted into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends and was named to Canada’s Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame by the Women’s Executive Network. In 2017, Report on Business magazine named Ms. Taylor among the 50 most powerful people in Canadian Business. She is a Member of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors and a Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Ms. Taylor has an MBA and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the Schulich School of Business, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Toronto. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from both McGill University and Trent University, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Vincent University.

Ms. Taylor is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s National Council where she Co-Chairs the Human Capital Policy Council. She also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Schulich School of Business and on the Principal’s International Advisory Board at McGill University.

Ms. Taylor lives in Toronto with her husband and has three grown children.