Mandy Shapansky

Mandy Shapansky
President and CEO, Xerox Canada

Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario

Website: www.xerox.ca, www.xerox.ca/index/frca
Primary Business: Business process and document management
Revenues: $1.1 billion
Employees: 4,000

2011 CEO in Action

As a 25 year Xerox employee, I know this organization to be one that has great values that have stood the test of time. At the core of our values is diversity; and at Xerox, it’s more than a commitment; it’s who we are.

We operate in 160 countries and employ professionals from every corner of the globe. Every day, we bring together people from different disciplines and backgrounds to make our products and services even better. Our commitment to diversity is evident across the company. In fact, we’re proud to say that women and minorities make up 52 percent of our North American workforce.

Let me share just some of the external recognition we have received. Xerox was named one of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by Diversity Inc. and one of Canada’s Top Diversity Employers. The Globe and Mail recently ranked Xerox Canada as one of the Greater Toronto area’s top employers for 2011, and last year Xerox Canada was recognized for its commitment to building the success of women with The Canadian Women in Communications Employer of the Year Award.

Diversity goes beyond race and gender. It celebrates and values differences in age, outlook, cultural background, lifestyle, physical ability and sexual orientation. The power of our people development model is that it recognizes the value of diversity from entry-level positions to the top seats. When you have been at it as long as we have, the bench gets pretty strong for the next generation of leaders who represent the real world. What they all have in common are strong skills, a solid work ethic, commitment and a will to win.

I am honored to be a woman in the leadership role for Xerox Canada, but more importantly, Xerox is an organization that has consistently broken barriers for women in leadership positions. In fact, when Ursula Burns was appointed worldwide CEO of Xerox in 2009, she took the reigns from Anne Mulcahy in the same role. It was the first time that any Fortune 100 company had passed leadership from one woman to another.

When I joined the company, the Xerox Canada leadership team was made up of 11 white men; by contrast, my leadership team is comprised of five women and five men, three of whom are visible minorities. With our consistent focus we will continue to build and enhance our diverse workforce while living our values to ensure all employees feel included and valued for their unique contributions.

It is my view that this diversity of background, experience and thought is a key driver of continued success. Employees with different ways of thinking – and different ways of perceiving our world – are employees who create innovative solutions. In a business like Xerox, whose lifeblood is fresh ideas, this variety of perspectives is a priceless resource and a key to achieving critical business results.

Education: Honors BA in Economics, University of Waterloo; Chartered Accountant
First Job: Working at a German Deli in the meat counter
What I’m Reading: The Sentimentalists, by Johanna Skibsrud
My Philosophy: Life is about the journey, not the destination.
Best Advice: Give credit to others and it will come back tenfold.
Family: Husband Kerry and four kids: Sarah, Melissa, Taylor and Sydney
Interests: Travel
Favorite Charity: Feed the Children