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Shahrzad Rafati
Chairperson & CEO at RHEI
Shahrzad Rafati is an Iranian-Canadian entrepreneur and business leader who serves as the Co-Chair of G20 EMPOWER, a private sector alliance aimed at advancing women's representation in leadership roles.3 She is also the founder, chairperson, and CEO of RHEI (formerly BBTV), a global media and technology company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.12
Born in Tehran, Iran, in 1979, Rafati immigrated to Canada as a teenager and completed her BSc in computer science at the University of British Columbia in 2005.1 She has since become a prominent figure in the media and technology industry, driving innovation and growth in content creation and distribution.
Key aspects of Shahrzad Rafati's career and achievements include:
- Founding BBTV (now RHEI) in 2005, which has grown to become one of the world's largest digital media companies.2
- Leading BBTV's initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2020, making history as one of the Top 10 Tech listings of all time.4
- Appointment by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to represent Canada on the G20 Business Women Leaders task force in 2018.3
- Serving as Vice-Chair of Invest in Canada, a federal agency promoting foreign business investment.1
- Advocating for gender equality, job creation, and advancing opportunities for women and girls in business.4
Rafati has received numerous awards and recognitions, including being named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and appearing on various influential business lists.2 Her leadership style emphasizes building a quadruple bottom line business, focusing not only on financial performance but also on employee, cultural, social, and environmental factors.4
Highlights

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