This featured story is brought to you by the Power of Why Podcast in collaboration with Invest Ottawa, with critical support from BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, the Title Sponsor of International Women’s Month 2024.
We teamed up to produce this special series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa for International Women’s Month and shine the spotlight on our IWW 2024 featured leaders to unpack their passion and purpose.
Five inspirational leaders are selected each year to represent International Women’s Month. They are role models who significantly impact our economy, community and society and embody the spirit, goals and values of IWM.
“I wasn’t going to follow someone else’s script—I was going to show up as me.”
When Justine Hendricks interviewed for her role as CEO, that was the promise she made to herself.
She interviewed and got the job.
And in her first 100 days, she traveled across the country, shook 800 hands, and sat down with farmers, staff, and industry leaders to listen. Not to be seen, but to understand. She understood it was critical to build the future of Canadian agriculture *with* the people who live it daily.
Now, as President & CEO of FCC / FAC, Justine is leading the charge to unlock what she calls the biggest economic opportunity of our generation—agriculture and food.
With nearly three decades in financial services, including 17 years at Export Development Canada and 7 years at the Royal Bank of Canada, Justine brings deep experience. But what sets her apart is how she leads. She is present, listens deeply, says what she means, and follows through on her word.
In this episode of the Power of Why, we talk about:
📌 Why agriculture can solve health, hunger, climate, and economic challenges—all at once
📌 What it really means to lead with presence
📌 How Justine approached her first 100 days and how it shaped FCC’s strategy
📌 Why integrity matters more than perfection
📌 Why she believes credibility is built in the small moments (by doing what you say you’ll do)
If you’ve ever felt pressure to lead like someone else, this one’s for you.
Who’s someone you know that leads with this kind of presence?
This is the final episode of a five-part series in collaboration with the incredible team at Invest Ottawa, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries.