Shahrzad Rafati

Shahrzad Rafati is an Iranian Canadian[1] founder and CEO of BroadbandTV Corp, a digital media and technology company that helps content creators monetize.[2][3][4]

Shahrzad Rafati
Shahrzad Rafati in 2019
Born1979
Tehran, Iran
NationalityIranian, Canadian
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia (B.Sc. Computer Science)
OccupationFounder & CEO of BroadbandTV Corp

In October 2020, Rafati led BBTV to its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange.[5]

Early life

Rafati was born 1979 in Tehran, Iran and immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada as a teenager.[6] In 2005, she completed her BSc in computer science at the University of British Columbia.[7] Rafati also studied French at Université Paris Sorbonne (Paris IV),[8] and is a graduate of the Young Global Leaders Oxford Module: Transformational Leadership at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.[9] Shahrzad also received her Honorary Doctorate from University Canada West in 2020.[10]

Career

Rafati founded BroadbandTV in 2005 and has led it since then, garnering a 2013 $36 million investment from RTL Group.[11] In October of 2020, Shahrzad also led BBTV through its initial public offering on the TSX.[12]

Separate from her role at BroadbandTV, Rafati is also a board member for a number of organizations including Bjarke Ingels Group, an architecture firm, as well as Vice Chair of the board at Invest in Canada.[13] She has also been a board member of the Vancouver Economic Commission,[14] and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.[15]

In September 2018, it was announced that Shahrzad was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to represent Canada on the Business Women Leaders task force, which was formed to advise global leaders on issues of women's economic empowerment as part of the G20 Summit.[16] She was later appointed as Canada's representative for G20 EMPOWER, a private sector alliance with the goal of advancing women's representation at leadership levels in the private sector.[17] In 2019 she was also appointed as the Vice Chair of Invest in Canada, a federal agency that aims to create jobs in Canada by facilitating foreign business investment by highlighting Canada's diverse and skilled talent pool, economic growth across multiple industries, and geographic advantage as a hub for global trade.[18]

Rafati and Justin Trudeau at Collision conference in Toronto in 2019

Awards

Rafati has been the recipient of many awards and honors, including Canada's Top 40 under 40,[19] the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award,[20] Person of the Year by BC Technology Association,[21] CEO of the Year by Business in Vancouver,[22] and Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business.[23]

References
  1. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati". Digiday. 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  2. "Canaccord Genuity launches coverage of BBTV with a $24.00 price target". Cantech Letter. 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  3. Shaw, Gillian. "BroadbandTV helps companies leverage YouTube branding potential" Vancouver Sun
  4. Mckenzie, Kevin Hinton & Ryan. "BCBusiness". BCBusiness. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  5. Simpson, Meagan. "BBTV CLOSES IPO, COMPLETES BUYOUT OF RTL'S INTEREST IN COMPANY". Betakit. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  6. Blattberg, Eric. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati," Digiday
  7. "CS Alumna Turned Pirate into Profit | Computer Science at UBC". Cs.ubc.ca. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  8. Rickwood, Lee. "Man or Woman, Tech Offers Opportunity for All, Says Canada’s Top Digi CEO" Diversity Now
  9. "Shahrzad Rafati". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  10. "BroadbandTV CEO Shahrzad Rafati receives UCW honorary doctorate". ucanwest.ca. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  11. "BroadbandTV receives US$36 million investment from RTL Group". www.canadianbusiness.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  12. Simpson, Meagan. "BBTV CLOSES IPO, COMPLETES BUYOUT OF RTL'S INTEREST IN COMPANY". Betakit. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  13. Releases, Business Wire News (2019-05-20). "Shahrzad Rafati Appointed as Vice-Chairperson of Invest In Canada | Financial Post". Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  14. "Shahrzad Rafati". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  15. "2016 Annual Award Winners". Women in Communications and Technology. 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  16. Weiss, Geoff. "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Taps BBTV Founder Shahrzad Rafati For Women’s Economic Initiative" Tubefilter
  17. OECD."Policies and Practices to Promote Women in Leadership Roles in the Private Sector Report prepared by the OECD for the G20 EMPOWER Alliance"
  18. "BBTV Founder Shahrzad Rafati Named Vice Chair Of Canadian Federal Investment Agency". Tubefilter. 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  19. Unknown. "2017 – Canada’s Top 40 Under 40" Canada’s Top 40 Under 40
  20. "Shahrzad Rafati: Video revolutionary; In: Canada's Top 25 Immigrants, 2017". Canadian Immigrant, Metroland Media Group Ltd. 2018.
  21. Unknown. "BroadbandTV’s Shahrzad Rafati Named Person of the Year by the BCTIA" BC Technology
  22. "BIV unveils 2013 BC CEO of the Year winners" Business in Vancouver
  23. "MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE 2011 37. SHAHRZAD RAFATI" Fast Company
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