Anar Popatia: The Power of Asking, “How Can I Help?”

Anar is a Corporate Director and governance leader who combines strategic business acumen, stakeholder intelligence, and broad cross-sector governance experience to help boards identify opportunities, navigate complexity, and build trusted, high-performing organizations.

Over a 35+ year career, Anar has built her governance portfolio in parallel with executive leadership. For more than two decades, she has served on 15+ boards and advisory councils across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including as Board Chair and Chair of Governance & Nominating, Human Resources & Compensation, and CEO Search Committees.

Anar currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia and Transparency International Canada. She also serves on the Departmental Audit Committees of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Department of National Defence.

Earlier in her career, Anar worked across diverse industries in consulting and business development and later led the successful turnaround of her family’s international steel distribution and agricultural manufacturing business during a period of significant leadership and operational challenge. Working across Africa, Europe and the Middle East strengthened her ability to navigate unfamiliar environments, engage diverse stakeholders and identify opportunities through complexity – perspectives that continue to inform her approach to business and governance.

Anar’s leadership has been recognized through the BMO Celebrating Women on Boards Award for empowering women in corporate governance and advancing diversity in the boardroom; the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award for leadership and impact through community engagement; and multiple D&B Presidential Citations for exceptional business performance and client engagement. She was also nominated for the BMO Celebrating Women on Boards Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing exceptional women board leaders whose leadership and service have shaped the future of corporate governance in Canada.

She is a graduate of the Wharton School Executive Development Program, holds the Institute of Corporate Directors Designation (ICD.D), and has earned both the Global Competent Boards Designation (GCB.D) and Climate Competent Boards Designation (CCB.D).

Anar is committed to developing the next generation, mentoring aspiring directors and emerging professionals, and speaking on governance, leadership, and board effectiveness.

What led you to choose Brock and the Goodman School of Business?

I came to Brock University as an international student from Kenya. 

Growing up, I had always wanted to go to law school in England, and I had applied to several British universities to study law. However, business was part of my family’s bloodline, so I also applied to business programs at Canadian universities. 

Political unrest in Kenya at the time affected our access to mail; the first acceptance letter I received came from Brock. I accepted with the plan to go to Brock for one year, then law school in England.

The unrest continued, delaying my visa paperwork and my move from Kenya to Canada. I arrived at Brock two or three weeks after classes had begun.

On my very first day at Brock, I was in an elevator on my way to pay my fees when the doors opened, and an amazingly well-dressed man stepped in. He asked me to come to his office, and young as I was, I didn’t ask who he was.

As soon as I got to his office, he called out my name. It was then that I realized the man was the president of Brock, Dr. Alan Earp. 

Before I could even say a word, he said, “How can I help?”

At 19 years old, far from home, I felt seen, welcomed, and supported. Those four words have greatly influenced not only the trajectory of my education, but also my life.

After that one encounter with Dr. Earp, I knew I was going to stay at Brock, and that’s where my Canadian journey began.

Are there any fond memories, fun stories, or anecdotes from your time at Brock that stand out?

I think the people and friendships mattered most.

Through Dr. Earp, I was introduced to the foreign student advisor, who really took me under his wing and introduced me to many different international students. At the time, there were probably three students from Kenya, and he introduced them to me. That’s how my network got built.

Brock gave me a safety net as a student from a faraway land with no internet, no Facebook, no WhatsApp, and no connections.

I made very good, lifelong friends at Brock.

How did your Goodman education prepare you for the career path you’ve taken?

Brock gave me a strong business foundation and the opportunity to stay curious, which helped me feel confident starting my first career in a new country.

It started out with business. Business led to entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship led to board governance, and that’s my career path.

My Goodman education has been instrumental in who I am today, and all the people that I have met along the way have been important to my career as well.

The ethos of giving back has also stayed with me. I make sure that I give back to not-for-profit organizations and to public service. I currently hold two federal appointments to the Department of National Defence and the RCMP, contributing to stronger governance and helping these organizations better serve their people, communities and Canadians.

Are there any moments in your career where you felt underestimated? How did you become undeniable?

I’ve always had a strong sense of self-belief and have generally been a confident person. But there have certainly been times when I’ve stepped into situations where I didn’t have the conventional background or experience people might have expected.

One of the most significant was returning to Kenya and joining my family business. I came with a strong background in business consulting and in understanding businesses, clients, and opportunities, but I knew very little about steel distribution and manufacturing.

I could have focused on everything I didn’t know. Instead, I focused on what I did know: understand a business, ask good questions, listen, build relationships, develop opportunities, and bring people together.

I set high standards for myself and was willing to put myself in uncomfortable situations. I made mistakes along the way, but I learned from them, became a much stronger leader, and ultimately left the business in a much stronger position.

There were undoubtedly times when I was underestimated, but I didn’t put my energy into that. I put my energy into learning, contributing, and demonstrating what I could bring to the table.

Working across countries and cultures with very different stakeholders taught me that you don’t have to be the expert to lead effectively. You have to be willing to learn, exercise judgment, and earn trust.

My approach was never to demand to be considered undeniable. I simply tried to do the work that made my contribution undeniable.

What milestones or achievements best represent your career journey or impact since graduating?

My career has never followed a straight line, and when I look back, some of the milestones I’m most proud of are ones I could never have imagined when I graduated from Brock.

I’ve had the opportunity to work across business consulting, wealth management, entrepreneurship, and international business, with each experience adding a different dimension to how I understand business and leadership.

Some of my most meaningful milestones, though, have come through leadership and service. In 2012, I became the first female President from a diverse background in the Canadian Club of Vancouver’s century-long history. What was particularly meaningful was being able to use that opportunity to broaden the organization itself – diversifying our membership and modernizing our programming. The role also gave me the opportunity to engage with and host Governors General, government leaders, and thought leaders, giving me a unique perspective on leadership and public service in Canada.

There were also many times in my career when I was the only woman – or one of very few women – in the boardroom, and frequently the only diverse person. So being able to contribute to opening those rooms to broader perspectives has been particularly meaningful to me.

Another milestone I will always treasure was being invited to speak to new Canadians at a Canada Day Citizenship Ceremony. I had once sat in their place as a new Canadian myself, so returning in that capacity was a tremendous honour.

What began as a desire to contribute to my community through not-for-profit boards eventually developed into more than two decades as a governance professional, serving on increasingly complex boards and advisory councils across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Today, having the opportunity to contribute at the national level and to see and understand Canada through very different lenses, including defence, national security and law enforcement, has been one of the most fascinating and rewarding experiences of my career.

Having that journey recognized through national awards and nominations has also been an extraordinary honour.

When I graduated from Brock, I could never have imagined any of this. Perhaps that’s what I value most about my journey: continuing to learn, contribute, and step into opportunities I never could have planned.

What advice would you offer current Goodman students to feel undeniable?

First, I would say that being undeniable doesn’t mean being the loudest person in the room or having all the answers. It means having substance behind your confidence.

Set your own bar high. Stay curious and do the work. Invest in relationships before you need them. And don’t make success only about yourself.

I never really had a traditional mentor. What I did have were outstanding managers, executives, board chairs, and directors who eventually became sponsors because they knew my work and trusted me.

There’s an important distinction: a mentor gives you advice; a sponsor gives you opportunity. But sponsorship has to be earned through performance, integrity, and relationships.

And finally, when you become successful, open doors for others.

So my advice is: believe in yourself, build substance behind that confidence, protect your reputation, invest in people, and when someone tells you something isn’t possible, ask, “Why not?”

How do you hope your story inspires the next generation of Brock and Goodman graduates?

I hope students take from my story that there isn’t one definition of success and there isn’t one path to achieving it.

I’ve moved across countries, industries, and sectors, and some of my greatest opportunities came before I had every answer.

So I would tell students: Be inspired by someone else’s established journey, but don’t compare yourself to it. Your path is yours to build. Stay curious. Take opportunities that stretch you. Build your reputation and invest in relationships.

If I could speak to my younger self, I would say: don’t wait until you feel completely ready. Be prepared, believe in yourself, stay curious, and step through the door when it opens. And when you are able, hold that door open for someone coming behind you.

Why is supporting the Goodman Legacy important to you, and what does legacy mean in the context of your journey?

Supporting the Goodman Legacy is deeply personal because it connects so closely to my own journey.

Throughout my life, people have believed in me, opened doors, and created opportunities that helped shape my journey. No one succeeds alone.

When I became a Canadian citizen, the Citizenship Judge spoke about the responsibility to be an engaged and contributing citizen. That message stayed with me and reinforced my belief in giving back.

Years later, that experience came full circle when I was invited back to Canada Place, where I had received my citizenship, to speak at the flagship Canada Day Citizenship Ceremony. I found my original Citizenship Judge through my network and called to tell her I had never forgotten her message. She came to hear me speak.

Legacy isn’t simply what you leave behind. It’s what you set in motion.

For me, that means using my experience, relationships, and network to open doors and create opportunities for the next generation.