Seneca RED 2022 - 12

PRO
FILES
Q
Q&A with Mohamed Dhanani
Vice-President, Stakeholder Engagement
and Business Development
On collaboration,
community engagement
... and dressing well
12 RED 2022
Mohamed Dhanani means
business. He knows how
to build strong
relationships, manage
multimillion-dollar
budgets and raise capital
for transformative
academic and charity
ventures.
Seneca has become a global institution.
How does Seneca's place in the world
inform your approach to relationship
building? I was recently speaking with a
senior person at Microsoft, which is one of
our partners. She told me, " Think big. And
when you are thinking big, think bigger. "
Seneca can have a greater global impact. An
international student body gives us a unique
resource. It pushes us to think about issues
in a much broader way. And it creates alumni
networks around the world. I encourage
our international graduates to reach out and
let us know what we can do together.
Your LinkedIn profile tagline states, " Let's
eliminate poverty. " What inspires you to
engage as a volunteer and support those in
need? Those of us who are fortunate to have
postsecondary education from a Canadian
institution have a heavy responsibility to use
that education to improve the lives of those
who are less fortunate, whether they live near
our doorstep or across an ocean. I take that
responsibility seriously.
Mr. Dhanani comes to Seneca from Toronto
Metropolitan University, where he spent five
years advising the president on strategic
projects, including securing $160 million in
provincial and municipal funding for the
university's new campus in Brampton.
At Seneca, Mr. Dhanani works to establish
and grow strategic partnerships with industry,
civic agencies and government, while
advising on business development activities
with a focus on revenue generation.
What does stakeholder engagement
mean to you? I see postsecondary institutions
playing an important role as problemsolvers
for the most complex challenges
that we face. Stakeholder engagement is an
opportunity to bring government, industry,
not-for-profits and communities into that
problem-solving process.
Government and industry stakeholders
have similarities and differences. How
do you approach each? Businesses and
governments are trying to meet the needs of
society. Their constituents are the same, and
there are often overlaps in objectives, even if
their outcomes may be different. Our role is
to help translate the needs of both and help
bridge those aspirations.
What has been your biggest surprise at
Seneca so far? I am really excited by the
depth and breadth of talent at Seneca. But if
someone asks about my first impressions of
Seneca, I will say it was the free breakfast
program for students in need provided by
the Seneca Student Federation. For me, it
was huge to see Seneca's values in action!
You are famous for your sense of style.
When did this start for you? In one of my
earlier jobs as a management consultant with
PwC, we had a business casual dress policy.
Partners would wear suits when meeting
with clients. There was a young consultant,
only a few years older than me, and he always
wore a suit. I asked him, " Are you a partner? "
And he said, " No. I want to be a partner. " That
stuck with me. When you are well dressed,
people take you more seriously, and that is
important because I am representing Seneca.
What excites you most about promoting
Seneca to our stakeholders? I am standing
on a very solid foundation built on great
leadership - past and present. Seneca has
a fantastic reputation for quality, creativity,
collaboration, innovation and integrity.
These qualities resonate and are what I am
taking out to people I meet.
PHOTO: IAN PATTERSON

Seneca RED 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Seneca RED 2022

Contents
Seneca RED 2022 - Cover1
Seneca RED 2022 - Cover2
Seneca RED 2022 - 1
Seneca RED 2022 - Contents
Seneca RED 2022 - 3
Seneca RED 2022 - 4
Seneca RED 2022 - 5
Seneca RED 2022 - 6
Seneca RED 2022 - 7
Seneca RED 2022 - 8
Seneca RED 2022 - 9
Seneca RED 2022 - 10
Seneca RED 2022 - 11
Seneca RED 2022 - 12
Seneca RED 2022 - 13
Seneca RED 2022 - 14
Seneca RED 2022 - 15
Seneca RED 2022 - 16
Seneca RED 2022 - 17
Seneca RED 2022 - 18
Seneca RED 2022 - 19
Seneca RED 2022 - 20
Seneca RED 2022 - 21
Seneca RED 2022 - 22
Seneca RED 2022 - 23
Seneca RED 2022 - 24
Seneca RED 2022 - 25
Seneca RED 2022 - 26
Seneca RED 2022 - 27
Seneca RED 2022 - 28
Seneca RED 2022 - 29
Seneca RED 2022 - 30
Seneca RED 2022 - 31
Seneca RED 2022 - 32
Seneca RED 2022 - 33
Seneca RED 2022 - 34
Seneca RED 2022 - 35
Seneca RED 2022 - 36
Seneca RED 2022 - 37
Seneca RED 2022 - 38
Seneca RED 2022 - 39
Seneca RED 2022 - 40
Seneca RED 2022 - 41
Seneca RED 2022 - 42
Seneca RED 2022 - 43
Seneca RED 2022 - 44
Seneca RED 2022 - Cover3
Seneca RED 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/seneca/red_2012fall
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com