Archives: Most Influential People

As co-leaders of Kindred Construction, Bryan and Matthew Reid have transformed a family legacy into one of B.C.’s most respected and people-focused construction companies. Since taking the reins from their father, they’ve led Kindred through a period of remarkable growth—expanding across B.C., moving into Alberta, and diversifying the company under three distinct brands. Bryan brings bold, opportunity-driven leadership, while Matthew provides grounded, strategic oversight. Together, they’ve cultivated a culture where people feel seen, supported, and proud to belong. Their commitment to relationships, innovation, and long-term resilience has positioned Kindred as a builder of projects—and communities—that stand the test of time.

As Partner and Director of Digital Practice at Fast + Epp, Tobias Fast is advancing the firm’s legacy of structural innovation. Drawing on experience in New York, London, Germany, and Vancouver, he leads the integration of engineering, digital optimization, and automation—driving efficiency and creativity in hybrid and mass-timber design. Since becoming a partner in 2023, he has overseen landmark projects such as the $150 million Williams College Art Museum and the $230 million Harry Jerome Recreation Centre in North Vancouver. Under Tobias’s leadership, Fast + Epp has strengthened its global reach and digital-first approach—redefining what structural engineering can achieve.

As CEO of EllisDon, Kieran Hawe is navigating one of Canada’s largest construction firms through an era of rapid change—balancing innovation, risk, and culture at scale. After starting his career at EllisDon in 1999 as an M&E coordinator, he rose through the ranks to lead the company’s $5-billion construction operation before becoming CEO in 2023. Hawe is a vocal advocate for smarter technology adoption, overseeing in-house development teams and global accelerator programs that bring new tools to Canadian jobsites. He’s also driving a thoughtful approach to mega-project risk, emphasizing the need for collaboration, experience, and adaptability. Known for his humility and self-awareness, Hawe leads with intention—focusing on continuous growth, operational excellence, and a culture that empowers teams from the field to the boardroom.

As President and CEO of PCL, Chris Gower leads one of North America’s largest construction organizations with a hands-on mindset shaped by his early days framing houses. Over a 30-year career with PCL, he’s risen through nearly every role—from estimator to project manager to COO—delivering landmark projects across Canada, the U.S., and Australia. Now at the helm, Gower champions innovation, risk management, and industry advancement, ensuring PCL continues to set new standards in excellence. A past recipient of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and the Premier’s Award, he also serves on multiple boards and remains a committed advocate for both community impact and construction’s next generation.

As President and CEO of Aecon Group, Jean-Louis Servranckx brings more than 30 years of international construction leadership to one of Canada’s most prominent infrastructure firms. With a career spanning Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, he has overseen major projects across industrial and civil sectors—previously serving as CEO of Eiffage’s Civil Works Division, a $6-billion operation with global reach. Since joining Aecon, he has guided the company through large-scale, complex builds while strengthening its reputation for technical excellence and project delivery. A trilingual executive with deep engineering and business credentials, Servranckx is shaping Aecon’s next chapter on the world stage.

As founder and CEO of eStruxture, Todd Coleman is building more than data centres—he’s building the digital backbone of Canada. Since launching the company in 2017, he has grown eStruxture into the largest Canadian-owned data centre provider, with 16 facilities across the country and nearly 1,000 clients. Under his leadership, the company is delivering Alberta’s largest data centre and expanding critical infrastructure to meet the demands of cloud computing, AI, and digital transformation. A visionary in the sector, Coleman is not only scaling capacity—but redefining what made-in-Canada digital infrastructure can look like in a global economy.

As President of George Brown College, Dr. Gervan Fearon is championing inclusive, career-driven education that prepares students for the future of work—including the skilled trades and construction. A PhD economist and former university president, Fearon has spent decades expanding access to post-secondary education across Canada. At George Brown, he’s strengthened industry partnerships, advanced equity and anti-racism initiatives, and launched global dialogues that connect students to opportunity. Named one of Canada’s Top 25 Immigrants in 2024 and a recipient of the Order of Ontario, Fearon brings personal experience, academic excellence, and public service together to lead with vision and purpose.

As President and COO of Cooper Equipment Rentals, Darryl Cooper has led the company from a small regional operation to one of Canada’s fastest-growing equipment rental providers. Since taking the reins in 2003, he’s expanded Cooper to more than 85 branches nationwide—building a reputation for service, safety, and strong culture along the way. Darryl’s people-first leadership style emphasizes trust, empowerment, and values-driven decision-making, which has helped Cooper seamlessly integrate acquisitions and launch new specialty divisions.

As President and CEO of Wesgroup Properties, Beau Jarvis leads one of Western Canada’s most influential real estate developers with vision, grit, and a deep sense of responsibility. Beau’s real strength lies in strategy—guiding long-term growth while navigating the industry’s most complex challenges. Wesgroup has delivered thousands of homes and millions of square feet of commercial space—including some of Vancouver’s most transformative developments like River District, one of the largest master-planned waterfront communities in the city, and The Brewery District in New Westminster, a mixed-use hub integrating health, retail, office, and residential.

As Founder and CEO of Fitzrovia, Adrian Rocca is redefining what rental housing can look like in Canada. With nearly 9,000 homes delivered or in development and $10 billion in assets under management, he’s leading the charge on family-focused, amenity-rich communities that blend design, wellness, childcare, and hospitality. A former investment executive turned housing advocate, Rocca works across public and private sectors to unlock new models for long-term rental supply. His leadership has earned national recognition, including the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the Riley Brethour Leadership Award. Adrian isn’t just building homes—he’s building a better housing future for Canada.

As CEO of Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation, Mindy Wight is helping redefine what Indigenous-led economic development can look like in Canada. A CPA and member of the Squamish Nation, she stepped into the leadership role in 2022 after years of experience advising Indigenous governments and businesses across the country. Today, she’s guiding Nch’ḵay̓’s flagship project—Sen̓áḵw, an 11-tower development in Vancouver that blends world-class urban design with deep community consultation, Indigenous hiring, and preferential procurement for Squamish-owned businesses. Wight leads with transparency, collaboration, and a strong sense of purpose—building opportunity, identity, and reconciliation into every part of the process.

As President and CEO of Graham, Andy Trewick is shaping one of Canada’s largest construction firms through a focus on culture, leadership development, and strategic diversification. He’s known for fostering talent from within, encouraging employees to grow across departments—even in unconventional ways. Under his leadership, Graham has embraced flexibility, risk management, and grassroots innovation to navigate an unpredictable market. Trewick’s people-first approach and emphasis on collaboration have made Graham a top choice for talent and a resilient force in Canadian construction.

Apoorv Sinha is leading the charge to decarbonize one of the world’s most emissions-heavy industries. As co-founder and CEO of Carbon Upcycling, he’s helping the cement sector capture CO₂ emissions and convert industrial waste into a low-carbon alternative to traditional cement. His company is behind two commercial carbon capture and utilization (CCU) projects at cement plants in Canada and the UK—efforts that could cut tens of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ annually. Recognized by Maclean’s as one of the country’s top 10 climate leaders, Sinha is turning carbon from a liability into an opportunity.

Bryan Kerr is the co-founder of Phil, a contech platform tackling one of construction’s biggest hidden costs: excess soil. Phil helps builders slash transportation distances, fuel use, and carbon emissions by matching sites with closer fill destinations—cutting costs that often represent 15% of a project’s budget. Before launching Phil, Kerr built a reputation as a creative technologist, serving as global creative director at Polygon Labs and co-founding Every, a banking app acquired by Wave in 2019. He also founded Aircraft, a Toronto design agency serving clients like Adidas, RBC, and The Weather Network.

Angela Clayton is the President and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, where she oversees the planning and delivery of more than $100 billion in infrastructure projects across the province. With over 25 years of experience spanning both public and private sectors, she brings deep expertise in strategic planning, risk management, and program execution. A Chartered Professional Accountant and holder of multiple professional designations, Clayton is also a dedicated advocate for women in infrastructure and a consistent contributor to industry and community initiatives.

Tim Hodgson is Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and a former executive in global finance. Elected as the Member of Parliament for Markham–Thornhill in 2025, Hodgson brings decades of leadership experience from roles at Goldman Sachs, the Bank of Canada, PwC, and Hydro One. A former CEO of Goldman Sachs Canada and special advisor to Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, he has worked across New York, London, Silicon Valley, and Toronto. A Canadian Armed Forces veteran and lifelong public servant, Hodgson now leads Canada’s energy portfolio at a pivotal moment for the country’s climate and industrial strategy.

Ron Tomlinson is the CEO of the Tomlinson Group, one of Eastern Canada’s largest infrastructure, construction, and environmental services companies. Under his leadership, the Ottawa-based firm has grown from a regional contractor into a vertically integrated powerhouse with more than 2,500 employees. Tomlinson has overseen major expansions into areas like aggregates, ready-mix, waste recovery, and environmental services, helping shape the region’s built environment for over three decades. Known for fostering long-term partnerships and investing in people, Tomlinson has also positioned the company as a leader in sustainability and circular construction practices.

David Redfern is the President of North America Aggregates and Construction Materials of Amrize, formerly Lafarge Canada’s Eastern Canada division. With 25 years of experience in the global building materials industry, he has worked across Canada and in more than 20 countries. Redfern now leads Amrize with a bold vision to decarbonize cities and deliver sustainable infrastructure at scale. His mission is rooted in building progress—for people and the planet—through innovation, collaboration, and a relentless focus on reducing carbon in the built environment.

Sabrina Fiorellino is the CEO and co-founder of Fero International, a leading Canadian modular construction firm. With a background in corporate law and over a decade of experience advising on complex M&A and capital markets transactions, she transitioned into entrepreneurship and successfully scaled a road construction company to over $80 million in annual revenue. In 2020, she co-founded Fero to address urgent healthcare infrastructure demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Fero operates Canada’s largest single-site modular construction facility, offering innovative, off-site building solutions for healthcare, education, housing, commercial, and industrial markets. Under Sabrina’s leadership, Fero is rapidly scaling to meet growing demand for faster, smarter, and more sustainable building solutions.