Shahrzad Rafati
Rafati in 2019
Born1979 (age 44–45)
Tehran, Iran
NationalityIranian, Canadian
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia (BSc)
Occupation(s)Chairwomen & CEO, BBTV Holdings Inc.

Shahrzad Rafati is an Iranian-Canadian[1] chairwoman and CEO of BroadbandTV Corp (BBTV) – a global media company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, which has been operating in video entertainment since 2005 by working with content creators and media companies.[2][3][4]

In October 2020, Rafati led BBTV to its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange.[5]

Early life

Rafati was born 1979 in Tehran, Iran and immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada as a teenager.[6] In 2005, she completed her BSc in computer science at the University of British Columbia.[7] Rafati also studied French at Université Paris Sorbonne (Paris IV),[8] and is a graduate of the Young Global Leaders Oxford Module: Transformational Leadership at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.[9] Shahrzad also received her Honorary Doctorate from University Canada West in 2020.[10]

Career

Rafati founded BBTV in 2005 and has led it since then, garnering a 2013 $36 million investment from RTL Group.[11] In October 2020, Shahrzad also led BBTV through its initial public offering on the TSX.[12]

Separate from her role at BBTV, Rafati is also a board member for Bjarke Ingels Group, an architecture firm, and was named Vice Chair of the board for Invest in Canada in 2019.[13] She has been a board member of the Vancouver Economic Commission,[14] and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.[15]

In September 2018, it was announced that Shahrzad was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to represent Canada on the Business Women Leaders task force, which was formed to advise global leaders on issues of women's economic empowerment as part of the G20 Summit.[16] She was later appointed as Canada's representative for G20 EMPOWER, a private sector alliance with the goal of advancing women's representation at leadership levels in the private sector.[17] In 2019 she was also appointed as the Vice Chair of Invest in Canada, a federal agency that aims to create jobs in Canada by facilitating foreign business investment by highlighting Canada's diverse and skilled talent pool, economic growth across multiple industries, and geographic advantage as a hub for global trade.[18]

Rafati and Justin Trudeau at Collision conference in Toronto in 2019

Awards

Rafati has been the recipient of many awards and honors, including Canada's Top 40 under 40,[19] the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award,[20] Person of the Year by BC Technology Association,[21] CEO of the Year by Business in Vancouver,[22] and Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business.[23]

In 2022, Rafati was named on Business in Vancouver's list of Most Influential Women in Business.[24] BC Business named Rafati the winner in the Entrepreneurial Leader category of the 2022 Women of the Year Awards.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati". Digiday. 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  2. ↑ "Canaccord Genuity launches coverage of BBTV with a $24.00 price target". Cantech Letter. 2020-11-27. Archived from the original on 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  3. ↑ Shaw, Gillian. "BroadbandTV helps companies leverage YouTube branding potential" Archived 2015-09-29 at the Wayback Machine Vancouver Sun
  4. ↑ Mckenzie, Kevin Hinton & Ryan. "BCBusiness". BCBusiness. Archived from the original on 2019-11-15. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  5. ↑ Simpson, Meagan. "BBTV CLOSES IPO, COMPLETES BUYOUT OF RTL'S INTEREST IN COMPANY". Betakit. Archived from the original on 2021-08-31. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  6. ↑ Blattberg, Eric. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati," Archived 2015-08-01 at the Wayback Machine Digiday
  7. ↑ "CS Alumna Turned Pirate into Profit | Computer Science at UBC". Cs.ubc.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  8. ↑ Rickwood, Lee. "Man or Woman, Tech Offers Opportunity for All, Says Canada’s Top Digi CEO" Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine Diversity Now
  9. ↑ "Shahrzad Rafati". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  10. ↑ "BroadbandTV CEO Shahrzad Rafati receives UCW honorary doctorate". ucanwest.ca. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  11. ↑ "BroadbandTV receives US$36 million investment from RTL Group". www.canadianbusiness.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  12. ↑ Simpson, Meagan. "BBTV CLOSES IPO, COMPLETES BUYOUT OF RTL'S INTEREST IN COMPANY". Betakit. Archived from the original on 2021-08-31. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  13. ↑ "Minister Carr announces new Vice Chair and Director to the board of Invest in Canada". Global Affairs Canada, Government of Canada. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Shahrzad Rafati". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  15. ↑ "2016 Annual Award Winners". Women in Communications and Technology. 2017-03-10. Archived from the original on 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  16. ↑ Weiss, Geoff. "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Taps BBTV Founder Shahrzad Rafati For Women’s Economic Initiative" Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine Tubefilter
  17. ↑ OECD."Policies and Practices to Promote Women in Leadership Roles in the Private Sector Report prepared by the OECD for the G20 EMPOWER Alliance" Archived 2021-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ "BBTV Founder Shahrzad Rafati Named Vice Chair Of Canadian Federal Investment Agency". Tubefilter. 2019-05-20. Archived from the original on 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  19. ↑ Unknown. "2017 – Canada’s Top 40 Under 40" Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine Canada’s Top 40 Under 40
  20. ↑ "Shahrzad Rafati: Video revolutionary; In: Canada's Top 25 Immigrants, 2017". Canadian Immigrant, Metroland Media Group Ltd. 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-10-05. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  21. ↑ Unknown. "BroadbandTV’s Shahrzad Rafati Named Person of the Year by the BCTIA" Archived 2018-05-01 at the Wayback Machine BC Technology
  22. ↑ "BIV unveils 2013 BC CEO of the Year winners" Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Business in Vancouver
  23. ↑ "MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE 2011 37. SHAHRZAD RAFATI" Archived 2015-07-22 at the Wayback Machine Fast Company
  24. ↑ "BBTV's Shahrzad Rafati Recognized as One of Business in Vancouver's 2022 Most Influential Women in Business". T-Net British Columbia. Archived from the original on 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  25. ↑ Mckenzie, Kevin Hinton & Ryan. "BCBusiness". BCBusiness. Archived from the original on 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
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