Assent’s new chief marketing officer had never heard of the company when the opportunity first came her way, but knew quickly that she wanted to be part of it.
Earlier this week, the supply chain systems company announced it had appointed Leslie Alore, a veteran leader in enterprise SaaS marketing, to the executive role.
Alore, who has more than 15 years of marketing experience, said her initial conversations with Assent leadership left a positive impression.
“What initially intrigued me was the opportunity to work with an organization that is doing good work in the world,” she said. “This is my third week (with the company) and I have been blown away by how enthusiastic and motivated people are. This is a team that really wants to do good things. They believe in the mission of this company and they want to drive it forward.”
Alore has held other marketing leadership roles in the tech industry. Most recently, she was CMO and senior vice-president of marketing at software developer Flexera. Before that, she was global vice-president of growth marketing at IT services firm Ivanti.
But the experience she said will be most valuable in her new role is her time at Boston-based IT company Iron Mountain. Alore spent seven years at the firm, holding a variety of leadership roles, including four years as director of global marketing operations and automation. After that, she spent time in London as head of marketing for Europe and Canada.
In her new position, she’ll be leading Assent’s global marketing strategy, which will include expanding into areas like Europe. Because of that, she said her experience with Iron Mountain will be a major asset.
“I was working extensively across Europe with a very widely distributed team across many markets,” she said. “It really gave me an appreciation for the nuances and complexities that exist in different cultures across different markets. Assent is at a really exciting point in its growth where we’re materially growing in the European market. That experience is going to help us do that, and more quickly tailor to the needs of that market.”
While the company expands its footprint, Alore said it is also looking for new ways to harness artificial intelligence to improve its already AI-driven platform. An early advocate of AI, Alore said the technology has become a cornerstone of marketing.
“AI has totally disrupted the world of marketing,” she said. “For Assent, this isn’t a situation where we’re a SaaS company figuring out how to inject AI. This is really about how AI is connecting directly to our strengths as a managed service company with expertise and all the data across our network. Being able to tell that story as a marketer is really important.”
Assent CEO Michael Southworth said Alore’s experience scaling global software organizations paired with her passion for AI will be invaluable.
“Assent is entering an exciting new chapter as we help manufacturers and distributors move beyond reactive compliance and toward more intelligent, resilient supply chain decision-making,” Southworth said in a press release. “Leslie brings the strategic vision, operational rigor, and modern marketing leadership we need to accelerate our next stage of growth.”
Other people on the move
Ottawa-based software company Corel has announced multiple changes to its executive leadership team following its acquisition by U.S. company Vector Capital. In a press release earlier this week, the company said Prasannaa Ganesan has taken over as CEO. Ganesan previously worked with Corel from 2010 to 2021, holding various executive roles including chief operating officer and interim president and CEO. Other appointments include Rob Charlebois as chief revenue office, Dana Dingman as vice-president of legal and Jason Royer as senior vice-president of finance.
Voltari Electric, a Merrickville-based electric shipbuilding company, announced this week that it had added former naval officer Jeff Hamilton to its team. Hamilton, who served more than 30 years in the Royal Canadian Navy reaching the rank of rear admiral, has been named director of business development in Canada. During his time with the Canadian Armed Forces, Hamilton held roles such as director of general readiness for the Canadian Joint Operations Command and chief of programme for the Department of National Defence. After retiring in 2023, he joined EY as director of markets and business development and senior adviser for defence and security.
Former CTV reporter and communications expert Catherine Lathem Anas has joined public relations consultancy firm Edelman. Lathem Anas is the latest addition to the firm’s Ottawa team, taking on the role of senior vice-president of public and government affairs, media and communications. She previously spent more than 17 years with CTV News, leaving in 2020 to launch her own consultancy firm, PowerHouse Media Communications.
The University of Ottawa has added Julie Cafley as vice-president of francophone and external and community relations. In a LinkedIn post earlier this month, president and vice-chancellor Marie-Eve Sylvestre said Cafley will serve a five-year term beginning July 6. Between 1996 and 2010, Cafley held various positions at the university, including director of ceremonies and events and chief of staff in the office of the president. She earned her PhD from the university in 2015. Her experience since then has included executive leadership roles at the Public Policy Forum and Digital Research Alliance of Canada. Most recently, she spent nearly four years as executive director of global nonprofit Catalyst Inc.
Sabina Saeed has joined the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa as executive director of philanthropy, community engagement and partnerships. A Telfer alumnus, Saeed has spent the past 20 years gaining international experience in stakeholder relations, governance and partnership development. She held various roles at the United Nations and spent more than 13 years with the United Nations Population Fund, where she worked as a policy specialist and executive board and government specialist, among other roles.
Commercial real estate agency Avison Young has named Jordan Lovett as principal and managing director of its Ottawa office, the company announced earlier this month. In his new role, Lovett will oversee the local team while exploring opportunities to expand services within the National Capital Region. Prior to joining Avison Young, Lovett spent nearly eight years with Colliers International, first as a senior analyst, then as vice-president. His leadership experience also includes nearly six years as associate director of Roynat Capital in the Eastern Ontario region.
Hats off!
Targgart Group of Companies has launched a new initiative to support Indigenous youth pursuing post-secondary education, skilled trades training and apprenticeship programs. The Taggart Award for Algonquin Students will offer 12 annual awards of up to $3,000 to students from 10 communities represented by the Algonquins of Ontario. The goal of the program is to remove financial barriers and expand education access for students looking to “build a strong future for themselves and their communities,” the company said in a press release. Local entrepreneur Mehnaz Tabassum has been recognized as a 2026 QECT 100 Young Leaders awardee by The Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust. The program, which marks what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday, recognizes young people across the Commonwealth who have made exceptional contributions in key areas like education, environment, food and agriculture, health and inclusion. Tabassum is the CEO and co-founder of NL Eats Community Outreach, an agritech charity that works with researchers and organizations to advance food security.
