Zabeen Hirji is a strategic advisor to business, government, academia and NGOs and a thought leader in leadership, culture, purpose, future of work, AI + human skills, diversity & inclusion, and elevating the impact of HR for business and societal success. Her senior leadership and board experience bring a practical, results-focused perspective to her advisory roles, speaking, and writing.

Zabeen had a distinguished career at RBC, culminating as Chief Human Resources Officer for ten years until her retirement in 2017 with oversight for 80,000 employees across 40 countries. She was a member of RBC’s Group Executive Committee, which set the bank’s strategic direction, and she also held responsibility for brand, communications, and corporate citizenship. RBC was consistently recognized as a leading employer, brand and corporate citizen, alongside top financial performance.

Now in her Purposeful Third Act, she strives to create impact by activating her purpose – “to unlock human potential and build inclusive prosperity.” As Founder of the Purposeful Third Act movement, she champions this chapter as one defined by impact, learning, and joy. Her goal is to build an ecosystem that helps leaders design personalized Third Acts – leveraging their crystallized wisdom, skills, and social capital to make an impact that matters.

Currently, as Advisor Future of Work at Deloitte Canada, Zabeen advises clients on leadership, talent and culture, issues key to their transformation agendas and long-term success. She leads a forum of CHROs from 30 leading private and public sector organizations, and their goal is to accelerate both their own organizations as well as Canada’s economic and social prosperity through a skilled, inclusive, and resilient workforce. She is a Senior Advisor to Knockri, an AI-enabled recruitment process that improves efficiency, quality of hire, and workforce diversity.

Zabeen is Special Advisor on Public Service Renewal and values and ethics to the Clerk of the Privy Council, and Co-Chair of the City of Toronto’s Economic Development Advisory Panel. She was recently announced as Chancellor-Designate of Trent University, and is also an Executive-in-Residence at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business, a member of the University of Toronto’s Reach Alliance, and on the Advisory Board of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Bridging Divides research program.

Active in the not-for-profit sector, Zabeen serves on the boards of Public Policy Forum, Junior Achievement Worldwide and Canadian Club Toronto. She is Executive Advisor to the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.

Zabeen has received numerous honours, including her appointment to the Order of Ontario, the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal, and the Canadian HR Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. She holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Learn more about Zabeen on LinkedIn where she is a Top Voice, or on her website.