“Strategic HR should no longer be limited to the domain of the HR professional. Strategic HR is a two-way street. Executives need to equip themselves with leading edge HR concepts and tools in order to champion strategic HR within their organizations. Watch for those companies who create broad, cross-functional ownership of core HR practices and build future competitive advantages that differentiate them in the eyes of customers, employees, and shareholders.”

BACKGROUND

Mike has 20 years of experience in consulting and business leadership. His consulting roles span that of consultant, engagement manager, and contributing to intellectual property development. Mike has also enjoyed multi-functional North American management experience in product development, process engineering, sales and marketing, quality management, and general management across a variety of markets.
Mike has had profit and loss accountability in the chemical, specialty chemicals and plastics industries with Eastman Chemical and Hoechst Celanese Corp. As Business Director at Hoechst Celanese he successfully launched a new business unit within the specialty chemicals area that included a start up facility in the United States and the negotiation and integration of an acquired entity in Canada. He thrives in any situation that requires a radical break from the status quo and believes that high performing organizations develop the capability to repeatedly innovate in the face of change.
He holds a B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering majoring in Petroleum and Polymers from the University of Toronto, an MBA majoring in Operations Management from the Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Mike Panowyk is a Consulting Partner with The RBL Group with a proven track record as business leader, strategic architect, and change agent behind initiatives that transform organizational performance. He brings a strategic perspective to all organization effectiveness initiatives by ensuring that the scope, approach, and expected outcomes are clearly aligned to the business goals and strategic requirements of the client organization.
Mike’s primary focus is strategy development and organizational design and development. Representative clients include BP, Kellogg, Dofasco, IBM, Merck, and Texas Health Resources.

PUBLICATIONS & HONORS

Publications

• "Building Capabilities", Executive Excellence Magazine

Honors

• Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario