MAX Calgary Women in Leadership: International Women’s Day

Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Start Time: 5:00 pm
Location: McCarthy Tétrault Calgary Office - 421 7th Avenue SW, Calgary AB, T2P 4K9

MAX Women in Leadership is pleased to announce the International Women’s Day event, sponsored with the generosity of McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

This year’s theme, "Building Resilience", is dedicated to highlighting the journeys of women leaders who have navigated challenges, overcome barriers, and built meaningful impact across their careers. Through honest reflection and shared experience, this evening will explore how adversity can shape leadership, resilience, and purpose.

Designed to inspire and educate, this event creates a space where meaningful conversation meets action. Empowering women at all stages of their careers to reflect, learn, and grow through shared stories of perseverance and leadership.

Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day 2026 with MAX Women in Leadership and McCarthy Tétrault, as we come together to learn from one another and rise together!

Speakers:

• Farhiyah Shariff | Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
• Sherifat Akinwonmi | Business Information Security Officer, TD
• Ghada Nafie | Chief Executive Officer, Litus Inc.

Muslim Achieving Excellence (MAX) was founded with the aim to recognize, reward, celebrate and motivate high achievement and encourage positive and productive contributions to society by Muslims in Canada. MAX fosters that through creating connections between senior level, mid level and early career professionals.

Farhiyah Shariff | Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Farhiyah Shariff is a Partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Calgary. She maintains a corporate practice focused on corporate finance and securities, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.

Farhiyah represents issuers, as well as underwriters, in connection with a broad range of capital markets transactions, including debt and equity offerings. She has extensive experience with public and private mergers and acquisitions, and related strategic transactions. Her practice also includes assisting clients in their dealings with regulatory authorities, including stock exchanges and securities commissions. Farhiyah regularly advises clients on continuous disclosure obligations and other securities law and governance matters.

Farhiyah obtained her LLB (Honours) from the University of Birmingham and successfully obtained her Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. Farhiyah is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association and the Calgary Bar Association.

Sherifat Akinwonmi | Business Information Security Officer, TD

Sherifat Akinwonmi is an information security and technology risk leader with deep expertise in cybersecurity, AI governance, and emerging technologies. She currently serves as an AI & Emerging Technologies Business Information Security Officer at TD Bank Group, where she partners with the business to enable secure innovation. With over a decade of experience across financial services and technology, Sherifat is passionate about building resilient systems, driving secure digital transformation, and mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Ghada Nafie | Chief Executive Officer, Litus Inc.

As Co-founder & CEO of Litus, Dr. Nafie is transforming global energy sustainability with innovative lithium recovery solutions, driving Canada’s leadership in clean tech. A COP28 speaker & award-winning entrepreneur, she’s shaping the future of energy. A chemical engineer, Nafie completed her undergraduate engineering degree, Master of engineering and PhD at Schulich, working in water treatment in the oil and gas industry before coming back to pursue her doctorate.

For any attendees who may have financial needs and require a sponsored complimentary ticket, or for any questions or comments please contact:

Najah Al-Atassi | Lead, Women in Leadership | [email protected]

Website: onemax.org | LinkedIn: MAX | Twitter: @max_gala | Instagram: @onemax.ca

All tickets purchased are final

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

McCarthy Tétrault, 421 7 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, Canada

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