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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1484213
58 BCBUSINESS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 L E A D E R S H I P K en Galbraith may not want "replacing scientific founders" to be his niche, but it kind of is. Having served on the board of 19-year-old biotech company Zyme- works until 2016, he was familiar enough with the company's environment and people to be picked to replace CEO Ali Tehrani this January. The appointment marked Galbraith's third time stepping in during a critical time to take the reins from a scientific founder. "I think those scientific founders would agree—and I think Ali from Zymeworks also agrees—that they had stayed too long for their capabilities in the company's growth and probably wish they had left a little sooner," says Galbraith. The UBC alum, who studied business, grew up in Vancouver wanting to be a chemist. "I just wasn't very good at it," he says with a laugh. After graduation, Galbraith got a CPA desig- nation and landed his first finance job at Vancouver-based QLT, one of Canada's first biotech companies. He has since dedicated some 35 years to the industry: "If I can't be a scientist, I can at least try and help scientists turn their ideas into real products that can get to market." Zymeworks—which moved its headquarters to Delaware in October but is maintaining Vancouver as its operational base—is in the business of developing and deploying cancer biotherapeutics. And its CEO is carrying advice he got from the late businessman, financier and philanthropist Milton Wong. "He said: Eventually you'll realize there are things that will make you feel more complete as a person in leading companies, and those tend to be things that aren't financial and aren't in the limelight. People at later stages panic studies from UVic even though her dad warned her not to, claiming that it would never land her a job. She then started working in international devel- opment in Latin America, but the struggles that come with living overseas called her back home to help people in her own community. In Vancou- ver, she earned a master's in international leadership from SFU, graduating in 2008, just after she gave birth to her first daughter. Over the years, Seeley's idea of leadership has changed. She used to think she could do it all herself, from listening to employees to being cost effec- tive, but with time she's come to appreciate delegation and teamwork. "You have to lean on other people, and that wasn't al- ways easy for me," she admits. In taking the baton from Deb Bryant, who served as CEO for three years, Seeley respects her predecessors' fingerprints on the organization but also hopes to "modernize" moving forward—starting with an up- dated mission statement. "The mission statement is: Advancing gender equity alongside women, families, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people," says Seeley of the revision from "Touching lives and building better futures for women and their families." "And it's that 'alongside' that I really want to be mindful of." YWCA Metro Vancouver has long been involved in detangling the complexities associated with Truth and Reconciliation and anti-racism. In the years to come, Seeley plans to lead from behind so that Indigenous and racialized voices get a seat at the table. "It's hard, it's emotional, and by nature means that we [as an organization] shouldn't always lead," she insists. "I think that's a different leadership style than we've been accustomed to." The CEO has come a long way from serving hot dogs at the hockey rink and volunteer- ing as a Girl Guide. The YWCA's broad goal is to create a "just and equitable world," and Seeley is excited to work with government and nonprofits to further its employment, child- care and housing programs. The nonprofit now offers transitional housing for women fleeing violence as well as permanent housing. One of its newest housing developments, xʷƛ əpicən, was created in part- nership with housing organiza- tion Tikva, the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of B.C. and the City of Vancouver. It's been open for a year now, with mixed-use floors for seniors, families and single moms. "It's not just being a land- lord of buildings—we have com- munity development workers who can provide assistance for the tenants in relation to em- ployment programs or mental health services or food access, or even just connections to the community," Seeley adds. Despite the hindering im- pact of COVID on the delivery of programs (many of which are in-person, such as YWCA's single moms' group), the YWCA Health + Fitness Centre and the YWCA Hotel in downtown Vancouver are back up and running. The nonprofit has grown significantly over the last five years, primarily thanks to its government-funded em- ployment programs. When she's not sponsoring children or animals, Seeley is leading her team of 500 to help newcomers land on their own feet. With the understanding that delivering programs— especially ones that involve the complicated world of hous- ing—is always a challenge, the new CEO is set on shattering some ceilings. Corporate Diagnosis ZYMEWORKS CEO KEN GALBRAITH ISN'T AFRAID TO MAKE THE TOUGH CALLS