CxO of the Week: Vanessa Kanu, Chief Financial Officer at Mitel

Published on
17/04/2020 12:22 PM

In the early 2000s, a nervous Vanessa Kanu left her managerial job at leading accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers to work in Mitel's financial department, with her passion for bigger and better things leading the way to the telecomms company's door. As a rising star in her industry, Vanessa was already destined for great things. Fifteen years later, Kanu emerged as one of the most powerful tech executives in Ottawa, taking on the position of Chief Financial Officer at Mitel. Vanessa successfully climbed the ladder at the company, showcasing her exceptional knowledge and skills in the financial world along the way. 

Growing with Mitel 

Kanu first started at Mitel as a financial reporting manager when it was a company struggling to break even. As she grew through the ranks – becoming Vice President and then Senior Vice President of Business Finance – the company also grew with her support to become a global leader in business communications. In fact, Mitel has since credited Vanessa for being instrumental to the growth and profitability of the company over the years.  In May 2019, Mitel promoted Vanessa to Chief Financial Officer following Steve Spooner's decision to retire. Today, Vanessa is responsible for driving Mitel’s global finance operations into the future, focusing in particular on accounting, taxation, analysis, planning, and reporting. 

An Experienced Leader in Finance

From rising star to leading executive, Vanessa’s strategic mindset and exceptional knowledge have helped her accomplish many a goal. In turn, she has received widespread recognition for her outstanding accomplishments in the financial world through a number of accolades. For now, she’s continuing to do her part to help Mitel stand out as one of the market leaders in communication technology. 

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