Empowering Auto Conference returns for its second year, championing female empowerment and diversity in the Canadian automotive industry

TORONTO, September 21, 2023 - Building on the success of its inaugural conference last year, the Empowering Auto Conference returned on September 18, 2023, to ignite conversations and drive change within the automotive industry. This year's event, hosted at the Fairmont Royal York Toronto, brought together diverse perspectives from within the auto industry and beyond, to foster meaningful dialogue and drive positive change.

Title sponsors for the 2023 Empowering Auto Conference were Ford Canada and Hyundai Canada, with additional financial support from BMW Canada; Dealertrack; FEL Motorsports; Honda Canada; Hyundai Capital; Keyloop; Mazda Canada; Nissan Canada; Scotiabank; Stellantis Canada; UAP and Volkswagen/Audi Canada. These industry leaders have demonstrated their commitment to fostering an inclusive automotive sector and were integral to the success of the conference.

The automotive industry is one of Canada’s largest sectors, directly employing more than 117,200 people, with an additional 371,400 people employed in aftermarket services and dealership networks in 2020. Despite making up nearly half (47.4 per cent) of the labour force, women and many other diverse groups have traditionally been under-represented in Canada’s automotive industry. The Empowering Auto Conference is the flagship initiative by Empowering Auto, a federally registered not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the automotive industry more inclusive and representative of Canada's diverse population. Each year, the conference serves as a platform to raise professional profiles, create networking opportunities and provide mentorship for both women and their allies in the automotive field.

“The automotive industry is exceptionally dynamic and fast-paced, with technology rapidly disrupting how we approach the business of manufacturing and selling vehicles. Empowering Auto raises awareness about how fulfilling working in auto can be, while attracting fresh new talent to keep this sector evolving,” says Aryan Habib, co-founder of Empowering Auto and manager of telematics and connected vehicles at Hyundai Auto Canada. “The 2023 Empowering Auto Conference planted the seeds for a more diverse automotive industry of tomorrow, one that accurately reflects the diversity of the Canadian customer base, and we will continue to drive progress forward in years to come.”

The conference's schedule was designed to inspire and educate attendees at every stage of their careers. It featured a lineup of engaging sessions, panel discussions and workshops that covered topics such as personal branding, career paths in the automotive sector, the art of negotiation, effective communication and more. The event kicked off with an opening keynote by negotiation and communication expert, Fotini Iconomopoulos, and featured a fireside chat with Ford Canada’s president and CEO, Bev Goodman, and Lauren Tedesco, senior vice president at the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association. In between panel discussions, award-winning journalist and host of Cityline, Tracy Moore, participated in a fireside chat.

"The Empowering Auto Conference is a valuable opportunity to gather voices from across the industry, breaking down competitive boundaries to foster a safe, inclusive and open space for learning and growth," says Katherine Mior, co-founder and director of Empowering Auto “Creating a more diverse industry is the responsibility of everyone and the collaboration between so many OEMs shows that our sector is committed to this work, we are so grateful to all who have supported us and brought us to this point.”

The 2023 conference took place at the Fairmont Royal York Toronto where leaders in the Canadian automotive industry convened to discuss diversity in the sector.

Last year's conference saw over 200 attendees representing a wide range of automotive brands, underscoring the industry's shared commitment to change. This year, the Empowering Auto Conference expanded its reach, and embraced the mission of recruiting and retaining individuals who may not have previously considered the automotive industry due to its traditionally male-dominated landscape. With the support of industry leaders and organizations, this year’s 2023 conference built on last year’s momentum and drove the automotive industry toward a more inclusive future.

For more information about the Empowering Auto Conference, please visit https://empoweringauto.ca/.

About Empowering Auto

Empowering Auto is on a mission to recruit, retain and empower women of the automotive industry. Empowering Auto raises profiles of women in auto, and creates networking and mentoring opportunities. This is accomplished through the annual flagship conference, mentorship, and student outreach.

Empowering Auto Conference has humble beginnings. It started in 2019 at a half-day breakfast conference hosted by an employee resource group, named “Empowerment.” The intent was always to be an annual, growing conference with the entire industry. Empowering Auto is now a federally registered not-for-profit organization.

Media Contact:

Joseph Crimi

joseph.crimi@wearemiddlechild.com