Tanja Fratangeli is head of People & Culture for IKEA Canada, a world’s leading home furnishing retailer. For nearly 50 years, Canadians have welcomed IKEA into their homes and they have been strong supporters of the IKEA brand, roduct range, and its vision “to create a better everyday life for the many people”.
Tanja leads all aspects of IKEA People and Culture practices, policies, and processes to support co-workers across the country. She is also a member of the IKEA Canada management team, providing strategic advice and translating business needs into people requirements.
IKEA is known for hiring on values that contribute to an inclusive, open, and honest culture - Tanja passionately embodies this in her curious, collaborative, and pragmatic leadership approach.
She brings a wealth of knowledge from over 30 years of experience in human resources, overseeing significant change management, business transformation, leadership development, and talent management and retention initiatives.
Tanja earned an Honours BA in Sociology from York University and is an active member of the Human Resources Professional Association. She resides in Mississauga with her husband, their twin daughters, and her two cats, Ollie and Willow. Tanja’s favourite IKEA product is the LAUTERS floor lamp because it contributes to a warm living room space.
Elizabeth McSavaney is SVP and Chief People Officer for Zurich Canada with more than 25 years of experience leading enterprise change and shaping people strategies across insurance, consumer goods, technology-enabled organizations, and government. Known for driving complex transformation and simplifying execution, she brings a pragmatic, business-first approach to aligning talent, leadership, and culture with measurable business outcomes. At Zurich Canada, Elizabeth leads the country’s people strategy and HR transformation agenda, focused on modernizing the HR operating model and embedding AI-enabled, data-driven decision-making. She is a frequent speaker on HR transformation, leadership effectiveness, and the future of work. Elizabeth also serves as a Board Member with the Pinball Clemons Foundation, supporting education and opportunity for youth from marginalized communities.
Carina Vassilieva is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Apotex, a Canadian-Based Global Health Company, responsible for all aspects of Apotex’s global people, talent, and culture strategy. She brings more than 25 years of global strategic leadership in public and private sectors, combined with management consulting experience in a tier one management consulting firm.
Previously, Carina was Global CHRO at Mundipharma, a UK-based pharmaceutical company with operations worldwide. She also held leadership roles at Sofina Foods and Rexall Pharmacy Group. Carina is certified in HR & Compensation Committee (HRCC) Effectiveness by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD). She was a Chair of York Region Housing Help Centre & ID Clinic Board of Directors, is a Program Advisory Committee member for the MS Biotechnology in Northeastern University, and a member of Human Resources Professionals Association, WorldAtWork, Society for Human Resources Management, and International Coaching Federation.
Carina holds an MBA from California Coast University and a BSc in Engineering from the State University of Printing Arts, Moscow, Russia. Carina is a Certified Executive Coach, Certified Compensation Professional, and Certified Global Remuneration Professional.
Executive Advisor, Author, & Sr. Director of Technology
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About Dr. Kalifa Oliver
Dr. Kalifa Oliver is a global HR industry expert and award winning Employee Experience (EX) strategist, distinguished scholar, author and a luminary in the intersection of academia, business, and innovation. Focused on creating brilliant employee experiences based on data analytics, people-centered design, and customer experience philosophy. Her groundbreaking research, talks, and published works have not only expanded the boundaries of knowledge but also inspires a new generation of leaders. Dr. Oliver’s unique ability to articulate complex ideas and tell stories with clarity and enthusiasm transcends traditional academic confines, making her a sought-after voice in both expert circles and with broader corporate leadership and executive audiences.
Dr. Oliver is the author of I Think I Love My Job: Secrets to Designing a People-Centered Employer Value Proposition (That You Can Actually Boast About) a must read book for professionals and executives connected to the HR space.
