`Champion' of business to lead Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
Incoming CEO says priority is navigating economic recovery
Saskatchewan's Chamber
REGINA of Commerce has named the CEO of Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan, Prabha Ramaswamy, as its successor to longtime head Steve Mclellan who retired in January.
Ramaswamy, described by the chamber as “a champion of Saskatchewan business” in a news release, begins her new role with the chamber on June 20.
“The chamber role, for me, was an opportunity to do some of the things I had done with WESK but on a much larger scale,” Ramaswamy said in an interview this week. “I believe that we are in an incredible time where we can build one of the most competitive business ecosystems in Canada.”
Ramaswamy, who has been WESK'S CEO since 2014, described the last seven and a half years with WESK as purpose-driven and inspiring work which saw her meet and build relationships with women working in Saskatchewan.
There, she oversaw the launch of programs such as Matchstick, an entrepreneurship initiative aimed at Indigenous women, and the Saskatchewan Women Entrepreneurship Charter, a program to enhance support for women-owned businesses in the province.
Ramaswamy was also the CEO of the Certified General Accountants Association of Saskatchewan when it merged with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan and the Society of Management Accountants of Saskatchewan to form a single regulatory body, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Saskatchewan.
She has worked in Saskatchewan for more than two decades. Prior to Saskatchewan, she lived and worked in Ontario and Manitoba, getting her master's degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.
A major priority once Ramaswamy transitions to her new role will be navigating the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the biggest worries for chamber membership is the labour force, she said.
“Finding skilled, experienced workers has become a big challenge through the pandemic so bringing partners to address that gap certainly will be a priority,” Ramaswamy said.
The chamber has identified other key areas of priority, such as boosting Indigenous engagement in the economy, building upon the success of Saskatchewan's technology sector and expanding access and trade to international markets.
One immediate priority for Ramaswamy, in the first few months of the new job, will be to “listen, learn and understand” the organization's priorities and challenges when she begins to engage with the chamber's membership, its board of directors and staff on her team.
“The chamber will benefit immensely from her diverse and rich experience as our province continues with its strong economic recovery,” Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan's minister of trade and export development, said in a news release.