Picture of Priya

IMIx Inaugural Alumni Speaker Series Event was a Success

Natasha Walli & Professor Leonard Brooks
U of T alumni met for a networking reception and outstanding speaker on October 23rd in downtown Toronto.  It was the launch event for IMIx, new the executive programs unit for UTM’s Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI), and the attendees were genuinely excited.  Our speaker, a young UTM alumna, Priya Dogra, has risen extraordinarily to be the Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development at WarnerMedia in New York.  She spoke about key success factors that have propelled her career, with a focus on her 9-year stint overseeing Time Warner’s global M&A efforts.  She stressed the importance of mentorship, networking and being authentic as key elements of her success, as well as how she learned to read and deal with bosses and subordinates.
 
Our audience showed their interest and excitement during the question period.  Robert Dunford, Commerce alumnus from 1988 was in attendance and had some particularly thoughtful feedback following the event:
 
“You are never too old to learn something new.  As a 1998 UTM alumni, with two daughters (18 and 23) and a son (20),  Ms. Dogra's story resonated with me.  When I returned home, I shared her successes with my youngest daughter who is trying to choose what she will be studying next year.  Ms. Dogra's words gave me renewed hope and confidence to reassure my daughter that, if she works hard in her studies and in the experiences her life has to offer, she can do whatever she wants and define what success means to her in her own way. I do look forward to the next Alumni Speaker in the series and now that I know what this event is like, I'll invite my family to join me.”
 
This event was sponsored by IMIx, the new IMI Executive Programs unit dedicated to enhancing the careers and guiding the leaders of tomorrow.  The IMIx Alumni Speaker Series open to the whole U of T Alumni community and will be held twice a year. Attendees can take advantage or networking with a diverse range of alumni, reconnecting with old peers and faculty, and hearing from today’s industry and professional thought leaders.  Visit the IMIx website ( https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/imi-exec-ed/welcome-imix-executive-programs ) to learn about IMIx learning opportunities, and the announcement of future IMIx Alumni Speaker Series Events.