Executive Recruitment

Fueled by increased commitments around reconciliation, the need and demand for Indigenous talent has increased dramatically. This is true across sectors, including financial services, retail, natural resources, heavy industry, academia, and the public sector. Pathways’ strong presence in these areas, in Canadian jurisdictions and beyond, combined with our reputation for delivering great talent in a highly professional manner, makes us a go-to partner for corporate clients.

At the same time, Indigenous communities—First Nations, Métis, and Inuit—are increasingly active participants in the economy, and Indigenous organizations are growing, developing, and maturing. This often means they have a need for senior executives in their organizations and business entities.

Indigenous Peoples in Canada have long been excluded from true participation in Canada’s capital markets because of unfair and discriminatory laws and policies. In 2022, according to the First Nations Financial Management Board, Indigenous peoples made up five percent of the Canadian population, and yet held only 17 corporate board positions (less than one percent).  In addition to being drastically underrepresented based on population, companies need Indigenous peoples and perspectives. More Indigenous decision-makers at boardroom tables can result in:

• Better relationships with Indigenous communities;
• Different perspectives around environmental stewardship;
• More jobs and economic opportunities for Indigenous individuals, companies, and communities, including opportunities for procurement and owing equity.

Some Pathways clients prefer deeper engagement and consultation processes with their community, partners, constituents, and interest groups as part of their search processes for executives and board members. If required, Pathways creates a separate and complementary plan with clients to ensure the right information is collected and shared in appropriate ways. Sometimes this means we join our partners in knowledge sharing or learning cultural protocols. Other times, it can mean we connect on a deeper level to assist our clients to refine their strategies based on community input. In all circumstances, we forge a path toward clarity for both clients and candidates.