Lisa de Wilde

CEO | TVO

Toronto, ON, CANADA

CEO of Ontario's public educational media organization believes in the power of media to engage, to inform and to serve the public good

Media

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Biography

Lisa de Wilde believes in the power of media to engage, to inform, and to serve the public good. Since her appointment in 2005 as TVO's CEO, Lisa has ushered in a new era for Ontario's public educational media organization, leading its transformation to a fully-digital, interactive source of multi-platform educational content that empowers people to be engaged citizens of Ontario.

Lisa's dedication to a strong Canadian media sector began upon her graduation from McGill University's law school, when she joined the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission as legal counsel. While with the CRTC, she also served as Director General-Cable Television, Specialty and Pay Television Service. Lisa practiced law in Montreal (where she was a partner at Heenan Blaikie). As Astral Television's President and CEO, she was instrumental in transforming the then-declining pay TV category into highly successful branded television networks, and in supporting the Canadian film-making community.

The world of film is a passion for Lisa, which she has combined with her commitment to contributing to the growth of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as Vice-Chair of the TIFF Board of Directors. Fluently bilingual, Lisa champions the cause of educational broadcasters across the country as the Chair of the Canadian Association of Public Educational Media.

Her other not-for-profit, advisory and private sector boards include the Canadian Digital Media Network Advisory Board; International Advisory Board; the University of Toronto's Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation Advisory Board; ORION (Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network); the Government of Ontario's Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress; EnerCare Inc.; the Noranda Income Fund (she was a Trustee from 2002-2010 and Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2004-2010).

In 2009 Lisa de Wilde was among the country's highest achieving women leaders to be recognized with the Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award

Industry Expertise (7)

Telecommunications

Media - Online

Media Production

Women

Media - Broadcast

Education/Learning

Corporate Leadership

Areas of Expertise (6)

Telecommunications in Canada

Public Broadcasting

Education and the Media

Mulit-Platform Educational Content

Public Television and the Media Landscape

Media Collaboration for the Public Good

Accomplishments (10)

Vice-Chair - Toronto International Film Festival (professional)

2012-01-01

The Toronto International Film Festival is the leading public film festival in the world, screening more than 300 films from 60+ countries every September. Our programmers have earned a reputation for excellence, and a diverse array of films are shown: Hollywood galas, complete with red carpet glamour; the best in international cinema, the latest homegrown comedies… and everything in between. TIFF has become one of the most important and respected film institutions in the world.

Recipient – Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 (professional)

2009-12-01

In 2009, Lisa de Wilde was among the country's highest achieving women leaders to be recognized with the Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award. Lisa received the award in the Public Sector Leaders category, which recognizes women who hold senior positions in Canada’s public sector organizations.

Advisory Board Member – Canadian Digital Media Network (professional)

2009-01-01

To ensure Canada’s place at the forefront of the digital economy, the CDMN was founded in 2009 as a national Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research to create companies, jobs and wealth for the nation. The CDMN applies a collaborative spirit to connect innovative entrepreneurs to each other, and to markets around the world.

Advisory Board – University of Toronto's Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation (professional)

2009-01-01

The Mowat Centre is an independent, non-partisan think tank. Their research focuses on the federal policy frameworks and strategies that will most strongly affect Ontario's prosperity and quality of life in the next century.

Board Member - Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (professional)

2007-01-01

ORION is an advanced techology, ultra-fast fibre optic network that supports and facilitates research, education, collaboration and innovation across Ontario.

Board Member - EnerCare (professional)

2006-01-01

EnerCare Inc. (EnerCare) is a strong company with a compelling business model. Established in 2002 as The Consumers' Waterheater Income Fund, the company's January 2011 conversion to a dividend-paying corporation, and its acquisition and growth strategy, has enabled it to become an industry leader in the energy-related businesses in which it operates.

CEO – TVO (professional)

2005-09-25

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires, and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media.

Recipient - The Financial Post's "Power 50" (professional)

2001-01-01

The Financial Post's "Power 50″ - the 50 most powerful women in Canadian business.

Chair, Finance Committe, Board of Directors – Toronto International Film Festival Group (professional)

1997-01-01

Member – Government of Ontario's Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress (professional)

The Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic progress is an independent task force that reports directly to the public. Its mandate is to measure and monitor Ontario’s productivity, competitiveness and economic progress compared to other provinces and the U.S. states and to report to the public on a regular basis. Members of the Task Force are leaders in their fields of business and research.

Education (2)

McGill University: B.A. (Honors), Political Science and History 1977

McGill University: LL.B., Common Law 1980

Affiliations (1)

Academy of Film and Television

Links (6)

Event Appearances (7)

KEYNOTE: How Digital Media is Helping to Educate, Inspire and Build a Stronger Ontario

Rotary Club of Toronto Toronto

2012-09-25

PANEL DISSCUSSION: "In 2012, the Content, Not the Medium, is the Message”

Canada 3.0 Stratford, Ontario

2012-04-25

KEYNOTE SPEECH: Paying the Bills

Journalism Strategies Conference Montreal, Quebec

2012-04-20

KEYNOTE SPEECH: “Ah Ha” Moments and My Path to TVO

Women in Business Conference Toronto, Ontario

2012-03-25

KEYNOTE SPEECH

Canadian Ethnic Media Association Speaker Series Toronto, Ontario

2011-12-02

PANEL DISCUSSION: "Public Broadcasting Around the World: An International Perspective"

International Institute of Communications Annual Conference Ottawa, Ontario

2011-11-28

KEYNOTE SPEECH: Makes You Think: Transforming TVO for the Digital Age

Digital Convergence Executive Series: Exploiting Digital Opportunities: Strategic Approaches Toronto, Ontario

2011-11-16

Sample Talks (3)

Paying the Bills: The Role of Educational Media in Canada

In this discussion, Lisa de Wilde outlines the public policy challenges and opportunites facing the media industry. She also discusses how digital technology has reshaped the media landscape and what this means for a public educational media organization like TVO.

Transforming TVO for a Digital World

In this talk, Lisa de Wilde gives you a back stage pass to digital innovation at TVO. Leading TVO through the transformation from a single TV station to a multiplatform media organization for the 21st Century she shares what she learned along the way, the strategy that underpins the success, the concepts that guide the organization and strategies to effectively deal with the inevitable curves in the road.

“In 2012, the Content, Not the Medium, is the Message”

In this talk Lisa de Wilde explains how digital technology is driving change in how people are consuming media and how content is being developed. She outlines how TVO underwent a digital transformation which has positioned the organization for increased impact and relevance in an increasingly crowded media landscape.

Style

Educational

Entertaining

Strategic

Tactical

Lecture Style

Interactive

Formal

Relaxed

Availability

Keynote
Moderator
Panelist

Fees

^*Will consider certain engagements for no fee