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The Boardroom 180 Podcast

The Boardroom 180 Podcast

By: Munir Haque (ma-near hawk)
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 Board Governance Best Practices and Stories/Experiences Shared©2024-2025 ActionEdge Executive Development Economics Education Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Platforms, Power & The Boardroom: Kirstine Stewart on Media Governance

    Platforms, Power & The Boardroom: Kirstine Stewart on Media Governance
    Aug 20 2025

    In this episode, host Munir Haque sits down with Kirstine Stewart, an internationally recognized executive at the intersection of media, tech, and innovation. From transforming Canada’s public broadcaster to leading Twitter’s expansion across North America, Kirstine’s journey offers a masterclass in navigating disruption, driving change, and staying anchored in purpose.

    The conversation traces Kirstine’s dynamic career—from overseeing brands like HGTV and National Geographic at Alliance Atlantis to modernizing CBC as head of TV, radio, and digital. She shares the behind-the-scenes realities of building Twitter Canada from the ground up, later stepping into a VP role across North America during a time of immense platform growth and scrutiny. Kirstine also reflects on her global work at the World Economic Forum, where she shaped the future of media, entertainment, and sport alongside industry giants like Facebook and Procter & Gamble.

    With honesty and clarity, Kirstine unpacks what it means to lead through influence, why inclusive leadership is more than a buzzword, and how her board work with Blink 49 Studios and Ingenium reflects her values around storytelling, science, and Canadian identity. Whether you’re scaling a startup, building public trust, or navigating your own leadership chapter, Kirstine’s story is proof that real influence starts with clarity, courage, and conviction.

    About the Guest
    Kirstine Stewart is a globally respected leader across media, tech, and innovation. She was the founding head of Twitter Canada and later served as VP of Media for North America, helping shape the platform’s trajectory on a continental scale. At CBC, she spearheaded a bold transformation as head of TV, radio, and digital. Kirstine has also served as head of future media, entertainment, and sport at the World Economic Forum, working with global brands like Facebook, Global, and Procter & Gamble. Earlier in her career, she was SVP at Alliance Atlantis, overseeing a portfolio that included BBC Canada, National Geographic, and HGTV. A bestselling author of Our Turn, Kirstine is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and currently serves as board chair for Blink 49 Studios and Ingenium in Ottawa. She has been named to Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, Person of the Year, and one of the country’s most powerful businesspeople.

    •••

    Contact Munir Haque | Action Edge Executive Development
    Website: AEEDNow.com
    LinkedIn: Action Edge Executive Development Inc.

    Contact Kirstine Stewart
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kirstinestewart
    Website: https://ourturn.vip | https://kirstinestewart.com/

    Podcast Production
    Recorded at Pushysix Studios.

    Thanks for listening to Boardroom 180. Follow, rate, and share to help more leaders turn struggle into success.
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    56 mins
  • Turning Pain into Purpose: Struggle Is Your Success w/ Musap “Moose” Abdel

    Turning Pain into Purpose: Struggle Is Your Success w/ Musap “Moose” Abdel
    Aug 5 2025

    In this episode, host Munir Haque sits down with Musap “Moose” Abdel, a social-impact entrepreneur whose journey from systemic barriers to award-winning changemaker reframes what purposeful growth really looks like. Moose explains how he built QA Enterprises to guide companies on AI governance and literacy while running Struggle Is Your Success (SIYS), a nonprofit that turns lived experience into mentorship for underserved youth.

    The conversation moves from crafting ethical AI strategies that respect data ownership to designing nonprofit boards that balance accountability with mission. Moose shares why journaling, disciplined calendars, and a values-driven advisory network keep both his for-profit and nonprofit ventures aligned. He also describes serving more than 500 young people and outlines plans to digitize programming and open an innovation hub that places community at the center of succession planning. Whether you’re leading a board, launching a social enterprise, or mentoring the next generation, Moose’s story proves that sustainable impact starts with humility, strategy, and relentless consistency.

    About the Guest

    Musop “Moose” Abdel is the founder of QA Enterprises, a Calgary-based consultancy that helps organizations navigate AI through a lens of governance and growth, and the founder of Struggle Is Your Success (SIYS), a nonprofit empowering youth through entrepreneurial skill-building. His leadership philosophy—rooted in empathy, action, and resilience—has guided public, private, and nonprofit partners across North America. Moose’s work highlights the power of combining disciplined strategy with community-first purpose.

    •••

    Contact Munir Haque | Action Edge Executive Development
    Website: AEEDNow.com
    LinkedIn: Action Edge Executive Development Inc.

    Contact Musap “Moose” Abdel
    Websites: QA-Enterprises.com | SIYS.ca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/musap-abdel/

    Podcast Production
    Recorded at Pushysix Studios.

    Thanks for listening to Boardroom 180. Follow, rate, and share to help more leaders turn struggle into success.
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Building an Innovation-Ready Culture with Ed Bernacki

    Building an Innovation-Ready Culture with Ed Bernacki
    Jul 22 2025
    In this episode of Boardroom 180, Munir Haque sits down with innovation strategist Ed Bernacki to challenge the traditional assumptions around innovation. From international consulting to developing idea journals used by thousands, Ed shares how innovation isn’t about flashy tech or radical disruption, it’s a disciplined mindset rooted in trust, collaboration, and a deep understanding of problem-solving.Together, they explore why service-based innovation is often misunderstood, how cognitive diversity drives better decisions, and what it really takes to create value in new ways. Whether you're a board member, leader, or curious thinker, this conversation will reshape how you view innovation in your organization.Innovation Isn’t Disruption, It’s Discipline"About the Guest:Ed Bernacki is an internationally recognized innovation strategist, writer, and developer of practical tools that help leaders turn ideas into action. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Ed has worked across Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and Australia—guiding both public and private sector organizations to build their capacity for innovation.He’s the creator of the Navigator Journal series, has trained over 4,000 professionals in innovation skills, and has worked with governments, cities, and global leadership programs to design systems that support meaningful change. Ed is also one of Canada’s most published voices on innovation—and a passionate advocate for reframing innovation not as disruption, but as a discipline rooted in mindset, structure, and trust.••• Contact Munir Haque | ActionEdge Executive Development:Website: AEEDNow.comLinkedIn: Action Edge Executive Development Inc.Contact Ed Bernacki:Website: http://www.navigatorjournals.com/Podcast Production:Recording: Pushysix StudiosTranscript:innovation is more than improvement.(...)I mean, improvements are important, but innovations are like a quantum improvement that breaks new ground to create value in new ways.(...)And I thought this is just brilliant because it starts a conversation.(...)Hey everyone and welcome to another episode of the Boardroom 180 podcast. I'm your host Manir Haq, an executive coach and senior board strategist. I've partnered with Action Edge Executive Development to lead their governance and political acumen division.(...) In each episode we meet with governance leaders and step into their boardrooms where decisions shape the world around us.Today's guest is Ed Bernanke, an internationally recognized innovation strategist, writer and developer of practical tools that help leaders turn ideas into action. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Ed has worked across Canada, New Zealand, the Middle East, Singapore, and Australia, guiding both public and private sector organizations to build their capacity for innovation.(...)He's the creator of the Navigator Journal Series, has trained over 4,000 professionals in innovation skills, and has worked with governments, cities, and global leadership programs to design systems that support meaningful change. Ed is also one of Canada's most published voices in innovation and a passion advocate for reframing innovation, not as disruption,(...)but as a disciplined, rooted in mindset, structure, and trust.(...) So welcome to the boardroom. Ed, how are you doing?Well, thanks very much. It's doing well, thank you.Sounds good.(...)So I just start a little bit like you were introduced to me and suggested to be on the podcast by Don Jones as he was on our last episode,(...) I think it's episode 24, and he talked a little bit about kind of the human potential. And I think that might be kind of a good segue into the stuff we're working on talking about today.(...)As well, I think during our pre-interview, he kind of said it as a bit of a small world that you knew one of my previous guests as well,(...) Bruce Anderson.Yeah. Yeah.(...) So Bruce Anderson, he was in episode 14, and he talked about nonprofit,(...)kind of nonprofit governance.(...)So are you telling me how, I think there's a bit of a story there on how you know each other and might lead into kind of our first line of questions.(...)Okay, sure.(...)Man, I have to say it's an extraordinary coincidence that two of your previous speakers were in fact, we all went to university together.(...)And all of three of us were in the sports management program at Laurentian University.(...) And basically we went there because it was the only place in Canada that in those days that actually offered a program in sports management. I mean, I had an interest in sport, but I knew I didn't wanna be like a coach. That just wasn't my thing at all.And what we studied essentially was a four year commerce degree.(...)And then on top of that, all our minor courses were essentially the business of amateur and professional sport.(...)And so you kind of learned about associations, nonprofit management.(...)And I think once we got out of there, people kind of went in different directions, but...
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    55 mins
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