Last month, Maria Edison, a fourth-year student at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, emerged as one of the winners of the CEOx1Day program and competition. As a result, she had the opportunity to spend a day being mentored by our President & CEO, Renaud Adams.
“It was a pleasure getting to know Maria and being able to share insights into the role of CEO with her,” said Renaud Adams, President & CEO, IAMGOLD. “I believe that offering opportunities like this to students interested in becoming business leaders not only helps answer the questions they have about the CEO role early in their career, but it also helps them identify the skills they will need to develop to become a successful member of the C-suite.”
Maria is one of thirty students who earned a day of mentorship with one of the thirty participating CEOs. We sat down with Maria and asked her about her studies, career goals and what this experience with our CEO meant to her.
I am studying Integrated Business and Humanities with a minor in Sustainability at McMaster University.
I chose IAMGOLD because I was impressed by their commitment to sustainability and community engagement. As an Integrated Business and Humanities student with a minor in sustainability, I was interested in learning how the theoretical frameworks I learned in school are being applied in the context of natural resource mining in Canada. I was also keen on spending the day with the CEO, Renaud Adams, because of his track record as an international leader.
My career goals are centered on making a positive global impact. My vision encompasses leveraging my skills and expertise to bridge gaps, foster understanding, and create solutions that resonate internationally. Whether it's working with multinational organizations, participating in diplomacy or spearheading initiatives that promote cross-cultural exchange, I'm committed to advancing causes that make a difference on a global level.
I applied for CEOx1Day because I wanted to experience the unique mentorship opportunity of spending a day with a CEO. I wanted to learn about what it takes to be a CEO and get a better understanding of paths I can take after university, especially since I feel drawn towards leadership positions.
This question was hard to answer concisely since I learned a lot during my visit to IAMGOLD. I had the privilege of talking to people across different departments and sitting in on a variety of meetings. My biggest learning from the day is that relationships are everything in a business. I got to witness how the different departments coordinate together to complete projects, and how they prioritize building and maintaining relationships with a variety of stakeholders. I also learned a lot about the gold mining industry and got a better understanding of opportunities for people like me to grow in the industry. Overall, the day of mentorship with Renaud was a transformative experience that deepened my understanding of effective leadership, strategic decision-making, and the qualities required to drive organizational success. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from his expertise and look forward to applying these lessons in my professional journey.
I was surprised to see that the role of CEO was very multifaceted and came with a broad range of responsibilities. While I anticipated that being a CEO would involve making high-level decisions and providing strategic direction for the company, I was struck by the breadth of tasks and challenges that came with the role. What stood out the most is the CEO’s need to balance competing priorities and interests. This is why an excellent team is necessary to help the organization make the best decisions. I was also impressed by the importance of interpersonal skills and relationship-building. A CEO must be able to inspire, motivate and align a diverse team towards a common goal, while building strong relationships with stakeholders to drive organizational success. Overall, I learned that being CEO is a challenging yet rewarding role that demands a comprehensive skill set and a commitment to continuous learning and growth.
About the CEOx1Day Program
Initiated in Germany 14 years ago, the CEOx1Day program provides leadership development, career insights and executive networking opportunities to the next generation of leaders, and it is now run in over 10 countries.
Geared towards students enrolled in university or college in third or fourth year with a strong leadership record on and off campus, the program is a great way to kickstart one’s career after school! In Canada, a total of 30 companies participated in the program in 2024.