There’s a lot to unpack in the title of this award.

At the same time, it’s mostly self-explanatory. We specify Atlantic Canada because the honourees must live in one of the four Atlantic provinces. Twenty-five obviously identifies the number of people we’re celebrating. We say ‘Business’ to clarify that these award winners must have significant direct impact on the business community.

It’s the final two terms that need a touch more explanation.

This isn’t merely a list of powerful people… it’s ‘Most Powerful’ for a reason. These women are changemakers whose power extends beyond the context of their jobs to influence their industry and the broader community.

Finally, why tag women for gender-specific recognition? According to Canadian Women’s Foundation, 82 per cent of all Canadian women between 24 and 54 are employed, but only 15 per cent of Canadian CEOs are women. Their labour force participation rate doesn’t have a similar correlation in the c-suite. Which means that women are often excluded from leadership recognition programs. So we created one just for them.

PROFILES BY DAWN CHAFE, FELESHIA CHANDLER, TERRI COLES AND STEPHANIE GOUGH

About the award

The shape of Atlantic Business Magazine’s Most Powerful Women award is a visual representation of the award’s meaning. The upraised arm is a celebration of the individual’s success, while the extended arm shows how they reach out to support others.

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