Michael & Vanessa Hyatt

Vanessa  is a Senior Counsel  at  RBC. Prior to joining RBC, Vanessa was a litigation counsel at the Department of Justice Canada, specializing in a broad range of complex legal and policy matters involving social benefits programs and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Vanessa regularly represented the Attorney General of Canada before the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal. 

Vanessa is on the Board of Directors of International Planned Parenthood Federation / Western Hemisphere Region and of IPPF Canada. She was a guest speaker on women empowerment at the International Women’s Empowerment and Leadership Conference and at the Women’s Festival Toronto Gala. She has volunteered for the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa, which supports and advocates for young and adult women who are criminalized or may become criminalized. She earned both a JD and a License of Civil Law from the University of Ottawa. Vanessa speaks English, French and Spanish fluently.

Michael Hyatt is the co-founder of BlueCat, which was sold to Madison Dearborn Partners, of Chicago, IL. He serves as a director of BlueCat, ranks as one of Canada’s top entrepreneurs, and is known as a technology visionary.  Michael is also a weekly business commentator on CBC and was a celebrated “Dragon” on CBC’s online Dragons’ Den. He is the Host of BMO’s Unplanned Business podcast to help small businesses and an investor on the hit Spotify podcast “The Pitch”. Michael is a Founding Partner and Fellow at the Rotman School of Management’s prestigious Creative Destruction Lab and sits on the CEO Board of Advisors of Georgian Partners, one of Canada’s leading venture capital firms. He was also recently named Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at Blakes, one of the most successful law firms in the country.

Michael was awarded the “Power Partner Award” from the Women of Inspiration Awards for his supportive and innovative work with Women in Canada and the developing world.

Michael and Vanessa are active investors and philanthropists who are part of the Hyatt Family Foundation. The foundation focuses on women’s health, critical hospital research and sponsorship of underprivileged minorities.