Canada's next wave of emerging marketing talent go head-to-head

On Monday March 30th the 18th edition of The Canadian Marketing League, formerly Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec, will host the finals and announce this year’s winning team. In collaboration with learning partners Microsoft, GM, Kraft Heinz and Environics Analytics this year’s competition saw over 200 students from 27 universities participate. This field is now narrowed down to the finalists – 15 students on nine teams from seven universities. These finalists will present to a panel of 20 plus senior marketing leaders who will award the winning team a $20,000 grand prize.

Eighteen years of developing Canada’s future marketing leaders

Founded in 2007, Professor Mandeep Malik from McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business worked with a team of dedicated students to co-create Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec, which evolved to the Canadian Marketing League in 2020. The goal is to bridge the gap between classroom and boardroom. Now in its 18th year, it remains the largest marketing competition and it has engaged over 4,000 entrants from more than 30 universities while awarding dozens of career starts and over $570,000 in prizing.

The program has served as a career launchpad for countless high-achieving young marketers, many of whom now hold prominent roles at Canadian organizations.

Putting AI and the future of marketing at the forefront of the competition

This year’s competition shines a spotlight on artificial intelligence and challenges participants to increase interest and use of Copilot as an everyday tool in industry while also positioning Microsoft as a thought leader in the space.

“As AI reshapes our world, it’s more important than ever to support the development of future Canadian business leaders” said Sherief Ibrahim, AI Business Processes – Solution Leader at Microsoft. “The Canadian Marketing League has always represented the ‘un-classroom’ experience, giving students a chance to learn, grow, and thrive in an environment designed to empower them to achieve more and shape the future of business. CML reflects Microsoft’s mission, to empower every individual and organization to do more and we couldn’t be more proud to support them”

Crowning this year’s winner

• Adam Ogniewski and Ramsay Locke (University of British Columbia)
• Svend-Emil Poulsen (University of Guelph)
• Cristoffe Sy (University of Toronto Scarborough)
• Haleema Irfan (McMaster University)
• Emily Payne and Ashni Pandita (McMaster University)
• Julia Thomas and Malay Patel (McMaster University)
• Amy Xinrui Li and Majid Nikouee (University of Alberta)
• Doyinsola Agbaje and Ibukunoluwa Adeleye (McGill University)
• Isabelle Habib and Thomas Penteado (Queen’s University)

Following the presentations, the winner will be crowned at the night’s Awards Gala which will celebrate the 18th year of the competition and feature a special keynote on the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Click here for ticket details and information on the competition.

About The Canadian Marketing League

The Canadian Marketing League is a national business case-study post-secondary student competition based out of McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business. Now in its 18th year, it is the largest experiential education competition of its kind in Canada and has served as the career launchpad for countless marketing professionals. The competition is entirely student-run with the generous support of sponsoring organizations and advisors including: Microsoft Canada, General Motors, Kraft Heinz, Environics Analytics, Canadian Marketing Association, National Bank, and Environics Research.

For more information visit the Canadian Marketing League.