When Hesam Mahdavi came to Canada at age 14, he could barely speak a word of English. His entrepreneurial drive and talent was such that barely three years later, he’d launched a tutoring business that was so successful it paid for his first year of university.
After graduating from the University of Ottawa with a degree in electrical engineering in 2006, Mahdavi joined the family business, Zodiac Light Waves. He spearheaded a major new direction for the firm, transforming a company that installed security camera systems into a major provider of IT managed services for the health-care industry.
Thanks to Zodiac’s technology that integrates IT systems at retirement and long-term care homes under one platform, the firm has achieved triple-digit revenue growth. Under Mahdavi’s watch, the company has also branched out to provide phone services to its clients and recently launched a voice-activated nurse call system.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)

Give your home a stunning makeover—for 30 to 40 per cent less cost—with NorthCo Services
In the home renovation industry, companies don’t often see repeat clientele—but Ottawa’s NorthCo Services is a rare exception. “We have an upcoming project which will be the third one for

Paris, Tokyo, or Berlin, even if we don’t have centuries of urban legacy to build on. We have an official plan that, initially, sets out ambitious planning goals. The minutiae
Away from the office, Mahdavi is an active member of the community. In addition to being a board member with the Orléans Chamber of Commerce for the past three years, he’s also volunteered with the Ottawa Police Service’s crime prevention program and helped organize events for the city’s Iranian community.