As the leader of a global company, the ability to anticipate unforeseen events, think strategically, and embrace change is imperative, says Ian Cameron, CPA, CA. Ian is the senior vice-president of finance and CFO at Methanex Corporation – the world’s largest producer and supplier of methanol. Headquartered in Vancouver, the company currently operates production facilities in Canada, Chile, Egypt, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

According to the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia’s (CPABC) annual Business Outlook Survey, 81% of B.C.’s CPAs identified attracting and retaining skilled labour as a challenge to effective business investment and productivity. B.C.’s high cost of living and increasingly expensive housing, particularly in Greater Vancouver, have impacted recruitment efforts. 

Commerce is no stranger to the disruptive power of technology. A generation ago, we thought ATMs were the ultimate convenience compared to waiting in line for a bank teller. In the next evolution, online banking and e-transfers allowed us to conduct most of our financial transactions without even having to go to the bank. Now, Bitcoin, the world’s first digital currency, not only exists but also circulates with a total worth of close to US$9 billion, and blockchain, the decentralized ledger technology behind it, is on the verge of revolutionizing financial technology (fintech).