1. Recent Projects ( Oct 2021 - Current)

Dr. Sunny Ghali, DBA formalized the following 10 proprietary frameworks which guarantee business results within 6 months, 1 year, and noticeably in 2 years:

LAKSH LABS™ Value Dashboard - Dr. Sunny Ghali created, developed, and finalized this framework in April 2023 as part of his doctoral dissertation.

• Business entities and non-business entities have one purpose: to generate value.
• LAKSH LABS™ Value Dashboard is a strategic performance management framework that teaches organizations how to unlock value
• With 8 focus areas and 32 strategic priorities, organizations and team members are aligned with one purpose: to create, generate, and unlock value
• Value generation is a process, not a magic wand - however, over 6 months, 1 year, and noticeably by the 2nd year, magic, and more importantly, value is generated.

LAKSH LABS™ Leadership

LAKSH LABS™ Game Planning for Succession Planning

LAKSH LABS™ Human-centric Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

LAKSH LABS™ Employee and Organizational Engagement

LAKSH LABS™ Human Capital

LAKSH LABS™ Organizational Development and Design

LAKSH LABS™ Strategic Planning | Vision Mapping | CX

LEAD by LAKSH LABS™ Coaching

LAKSH LABS™ Framework for Living a Fulfilled Life

 

Snapshot: Stride Management

Opportunity: Stride Management, a lottery management services organization, at the request of their President, would like to deliver Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshops to all team members.

Challenge: The organization has team members from various demographics, backgrounds, and experiences. There are team members that are transitioning and others who do not understand their fellow team members. There is an overwhelming desire from all team members to build awareness and have practical and applicable tools, strategies, and information for their reference.

Solution / Results: Over a two month period, 7 workshops are delivered to all team members (executive team, management team, and the front-line).

Impact: Team members worked through a custom designed program and workbook to better understand concepts of DEI, access specific information and tools, and develop their own strategies and to-do's moving forward. The organization also developed specific action items to help improve and move forward their business. Laksh Labs scored above 9.5 / 10 across their 5 measurements of success.

 

2. Excel Management LLP & Apex Management (2020 - September 2021)

Snapshot:

Integrated Development Group of Companies with business operations in British Columbia and Alberta.

Revenues: $200M - $300M

An established business with 30+ years experience, 100-200+ employees, and an ecosystem of 50-100+ partners

Scope: Working with every function in the business and partnering with every level (Board, Executive, Management, and Front-line) across the business.

Opportunity: We have completed most elements of Project Equilibrium (see pt. 3 below) and are ready to implement Project Excel-erate.

Challenge: Global pandemic, COVID-19, has made its way across Canada and inconsistent government restrictions and guidance in BC and AB influence business decisions

Solution / Results: Over 18 months, and as required, quarter-backed, coordinated, facilitated, and supported organizational response. Ask us about action items, programs, and initiatives that helped organization compete for top market share, whilst having to deal with an outbreak, Alberta Health Services, Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Health, employment law, and varying opinions and interpretations. Our recommendations, communications, and policy led to a coordinated provincial wide response through industry collaboration.

Impact: Ask us about demonstrative process improvements, turn-around key programs and initiatives, and incentive programs to help deliver business plan.

 

3. Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (2019-2020)

Opportunity: Organization is delivering $1.2B in new infrastructure to the City of Calgary over the next four years.

Challenge: For the past 10 years, there has been no updates to job descriptions, the organization has a siloed organization structure, there is no robust business performance management approach and the long-term CEO is transitioning out of the organization.

Solution / Results / Impact: Working in conjunction with the Board Chairman and Executive Team, we achieved 4 major deliverables.

1. Implementation of our Succession Management Model and Tools: allowed us to assist with the transition to the new CEO;

2. New Organizational Structure and Design: new model created to support annual functional deliverables as well as annual Project Deliverables.;

3: New Business Performance Management Tool: linked to the Strategic Business Plan and Projects, team members now have a tool and methodology that provides clarity on annual functional deliverables, project deliverables, strategic initiatives and personal development.;

4: Human Capital Tools: new job profiles for each position, new compensation philosophy, and data on culture, engagement, and business dimensions.

4. Excel Management LLP & Apex Management (2018 - September 2021)

Snapshot:

Integrated Development Group of Companies with business operations in British Columbia and Alberta.

Revenues: $200M - $300M

An established business with 30+ years experience, 100-200+ employees, and an ecosystem of 50-100+ partners

Scope: Working with every function in the business and partnering with every level (Board, Executive, Management, and Front-line) across the business.

Opportunity: Build Organizational Infrastructure and get business back on track (i.e. turn-around).

Challenge: Business Uncertainty, Three restructures, Executive Team Transition, Lowest engagement and business driver scores we have ever seen.

Solution / Results: Working with the Chairman and new President, we transitioned an entire Executive Team, created programs, initiatives and a new structure aligning the business, objectives and performance. We helped achieve one of the biggest and fastest one-year turnarounds in the history of Aon Hewitt / Kincentric Best Employer Survey.

Impact: Business results included return to profitability ($8M turnaround), business stability, operational and customer improvements, and competitive business positioning.

 

5. Jayman BUILT Group of Companies (2011 - 2016)

Snapshot:

One of the largest fully-integrated Development Group of Companies with business operations across the Prairies Region: British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Revenues: $400M - $500M

An established business with 35+ years of history, with 200-400+ employees, and an ecosystem of 100+ partners

Scope: Working with every function in the business and partnering with every level (Board, Executive, Management, and Front-line) across the business.

Opportunity: Well capitalized, financially successful company requires an entire Executive Team to transition to retirement and create a new Executive Team to lead organization

Challenge: The Great Recession caused the company to cut deep, creating an environment of fatigue, mistrust, and disengagement.

Solution / Results: Over a 5 year period, where we reported, at different times, to the Chairman, Previous President and Executive Team, to supporting the New President and Executive Team, and were required to make presentations to both Advisory and Formal Boards. Over our tenure, we created numerous programs throughout the organization to help develop a high performance culture. Generating many external rewards, one of our highlights was facilitating, at that time, one of highest Engagement and Business Drivers Scores in Aon Hewitt's Canada and Global Database.

Impact: Measurable improvement and sustainability of key baseline metrics (operational and financial), productivity, customer service, leadership development and depth, and quantifiable impact from training & development initiatives.

6. Gordon Food Services - Prairies Region / Bridge Brand Food Services, A GFS Canada Company (2008 - 2010)

Snapshot:

One of North America's largest foodservice distributors - our focus was supporting operations across the Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) and NW Ontario.

Revenues: $800M - $1B

Regional business established since the 1930's, with 750-1000+ employees, and an ecosystem of 1000+ partners

Scope: Working with every function in the business and partnering with every level (Canadian Operations, Executive, Management, and Front-line) across the business.

Opportunity: Regional Consolidation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Turn-around, Re-build an almost $1B revenue generating regional operation

Challenge: Alberta Boom to Great Recession, Employment Standards and Human Rights Challenges, Region is spiraling

Solution / Results: Numerous Programs created to mirror Strategic Business Plans (short-term and long-term) to turn the business around, integrate acquisition, build National and North American Alignment, and build a culture of trust, purpose, and excellence

 

 

Impact: Measurable improvement across all key operational, financial, customer, and employee metrics.

7. Purolator Courier (2005 - 2007)

Snapshot:

Canada's largest integrated freight, package, and logistics company.

Revenues: $1B+

Established business since the 1960's with 12,000 - 15,000 employees and an ecosystem of thousands+ partners

Scope: Working alongside every function in Southern Alberta operations and expanding to supporting regional operations across Canada (call centres, transportation and logistics, packaging services).

Opportunity: Alberta and the Prairies Region is booming

Challenge: 300% turnover rate in operations, industry unemployment rate below 1%, need to get organized in a fast-pace, fast-moving, operational and customer centric business

Solution / Results: Lean Six Sigma Project, GE Workout, Monthly reports to President and Executive Team, Travelled across Canada to support various regions.

Impact: Measurable improvement in all financial, operational, customer, and employee metrics.

 

8. Mount Royal University - Sessional Instructor (2005 - Present)

Courses Taught: Diversity Management / Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Succession Planning; Employee Engagement

Average Instructor Rating for the past 7 years (2016-2022):

Diversity Management / DEI: 3.9 / 4.0

Succession Planning: 3.8 / 4.0

 

9. Select Projects (1996 - Present)

Canexus: Plant expansion resource planning, coaching middle management across Canada

Marsh Canada: Strategic Business Analysis

Nexen: Leadership Development Plan

Federal Government: Department of National Defense: Train the Trainer

Boardwalk Equities: Property / Area Assessment

City of Calgary: Rainbow Calgary

Sunny is a very inspirational leader.  He brings out the best in people and their careers.

• Jay Westman, Board Chairman and CEO Jayman BUILT

 

Human capital is our most important and scarce asset. Sunny has been an integral part of the team developing this resource not only at a strategic level but also at a tactical level. Sage independent advice and solutions is what you can expect from Sunny and Laksh Labs.

• Mark Shuparski, Board Chairman - Pacific Capital Real Estate (PCRE Group) and Apex Management LP

 

It is essential for Executive’s to listen to what the board is asking for and to effectively communicate and build trust with the board. In matters related to Strategic Human Resources and providing practical solutions, Sunny demonstrated this very successfully as we built across Western Canada. To make it simple, “he gets it”.

• Marc Staniloff, President and CEO Superior Lodging Corp.

 

In the midst of Purolator's biggest transformation project, Puro-2010, and a booming Prairies economy, Sunny brought new ideas and practical solutions to help our business in Alberta. Whether it was recommending operational efficiencies, engaging employees, lobbying the government and other stakeholders, or creating local strategies, he rolled up his sleeves and dived into our operation.

Sunny would tell us things as they were. Eventually, he was asked to help other business units across the country. Simply put, I liked how he thought and saw things. There are always naysayers when change is executed - Sunny embraces the challenge.

• Bill Henderson, Former CEO/COO/VP Purolator Inc.

 

We have full employment, turnover over 200%, and no HR Leader locally as the incumbent was on maternity leave. We meet this guy who shows us a card trick in an interview! Through this trick, he tells us that he will help us get organized, help stabilize our operation, and he isn't afraid of working alongside our diverse workforce.

So I took a chance and hired him!

Sunny worked with Corporate and the PIC Group to implement a GE Workout Program that streamlined recruiting; he and I convinced Corporate to run a parallel Lean Six Sigma Project with Aon to help streamline our operational sort (where he worked the night shift to implement), and he listened to what our employees identified as pain points to help create a more engaging work environment.

We made lots of strides and developed a life-long friendship. And all of this, from the one time a guy who showed me a card trick...to this date, I still tell this story!

• Al Gibson, Former General Manager & Managing Director - Purolator Prairies Region

 

Sunny came to our Company at the height of the labour shortage in Alberta. His insights and leadership were valuable as we charted a course through some very turbulent waters with respect to staffing and performance.

His winning attitude and action helped us in the evolution of the culture to that of a performance organization that cared about results and as importantly "how" we got those results. He lead across the organization in several key projects and was terrific member of our leadership and support team.

• Tim Sinclair, Former President & CEO - Bridge Brand Food Services

 

At the time that Sunny joined GFS in Calgary, we had been through an acquisition and we were in the midst of transitioning from a small regional foodservice distributor to one with a national presence.  Our HR team was ready to change and grow with these new challenges, but we didn’t have the HR leadership or skills to do that.  Our very small HR  team at the time was one that did mostly hiring, onboarding and terminations.

With a clear vision built around the values of our company, plus the tools and his broad background, Sunny led us to the next level and beyond.  His collaborative and thoughtful communication style and deep understanding of how Human Resources can and should be at the decision making table was key to our successful evolution in a very challenging time.

Sunny believes in the inherent strengths that everyone possesses and works to build the bench strength of the entire organization.   Sunny's strategy was clear and with the buy-in of senior leadership he was able to deliver exceptional results in a short period of time.  His steady hand and always on point advice were key to implementing the following tools, among many others:

• Implementing a full HRIS and payroll system
• Team development of approx. 50 leaders across the extended leadership team
• The annual engagement survey
• Temporary Foreign Worker program
• Succession planning for all areas of the business

When Sunny left the company, we had a solid foundation that we could build on for years to come.

• Steve Ewens, Former Director, Multi Unit Sales and HR Manager - Bridge Brand Food Services

 

I had the privilege of partnering and being mentored by Sunny Ghali when we both worked in the food distribution industry.  Sunny led a team of HR professionals through one of the most challenging labour shortages in Alberta, but also during a time where the organization was undergoing tremendous change.  New technology and systems were being implemented throughout the organization, labour was scarce, talent was secured internationally, the demands on leadership were tremendous, the threat of unionization was real, and the company had recently been purchased.

Sunny not only was a key leader that guided and led the organization through these challenging times, but he was instrumental in developing and delivering various leadership training programs, challenged our HR team to focus on outcomes, used metrics to help the organization know where to focus, and collaborated with leaders to help them understand and relay to their respective teams’, their ROI and how it aligned with the corporate strategic plan.  He led the efforts that reduced turnover to a manageable and stable level within a twelve-month period, oversaw the change management initiatives for the various organization wide projects and because of the acquisition, guided the branch through the difficult task of reducing headcount in a very well organized, thoughtful and respectful process for all involved.

Sunny is a caring and professional leader, who inspires, collaborates, and works well with cross-functional teams.  He listens and communicates effectively, can quickly assess a situation, offer suggestions or a different point of view and is unafraid to challenge group thought when required.  He is well versed in organizational development, human resources, operations, leadership, training, career development, strategic planning and brings a calm and confident demeanor to any situation.

If I had the opportunity to partner with Sunny Ghali again, I would not hesitate.  Once you have the opportunity to work and know Sunny, you will understand the value he will offer to your organization.

• Rita Wilcox, Former HR Manager - Bridge Brand Food Services

 

As one of Alberta’s largest residential builders and developers, Jayman’s work force is a very diverse and customer facing group. Sunny developed a human resource plan that fostered a work place based on team respect and caring. A highlight was the creation of a training and succession plan that provided for continued strong management and developed opportunity for existing staff.

The results included award winning customer service results, top employer recognition nationally with industry leading operational performance.

• Graham Boyce, Former President/COO Jayman BUILT

 

Having worked with the Jayman BUILT Group of Companies for almost 20 years, I had the privilege of working under Sunny’s leadership when he was Vice President, Human Resources.

One of Jayman’s challenges, at the time, was Employee Engagement. Employees were eager to know if opportunities were available at Jayman to get them to their ultimate career destination, and if so, what the path looked like to getting there. Sunny balanced the interests of both the company and the employees to create a mutually beneficial solution. He was the major contributor (instrumental) in creating the Game Planning Playbook, a step-by-step guide used to help individuals navigate their journey to meeting their career goals. A guide was given to every employee, it even included a game board! The book was well received by employees as it provided insight in what it would take to develop their own career path. The management team was also appreciative it as was another resource to help accomplish another one of the company’s goals, succession planning.

Sunny is an extremely effective communicator whose ability to listen to new ideas and provide valuable feedback, in a non-criticizing way, was greatly appreciated. He had an open-door policy and there was almost always a lineup with employees, managers, or executives waiting outside his office looking for his guidance or wanting to use him as a sounding board.

Sunny was a great mentor and if an opportunity was presented, I would love to work alongside of him again one day.

• Kristen Schneidmiller, Former HR/Payroll/Benefits Lead - Jayman BUILT

 

Sunny and I have had a long-standing relationship over the years. I first met him when he joined the Jayman organization as Director, then Vice-President of HR. He did a really great job of getting to know each member of our team and understanding each of our collective work styles. He was able to leverage each person's strengths and push each of us to achieve our goals and objectives. In my career, I've had only two "bosses" that I'd ever consider working for again, and Sunny is one of them. Always willing to listen, provide advice, tell a story, or have a laugh, Sunny was easy to approach, and has a talent in delivering even difficult messages in a thoughtful, empathetic manner. He taught many of us at Jayman about the intricacy and complexity of HR strategy and implementation and could tailor the delivery of his messages to a range of individuals, from Presidents and VP's all the way across the spectrum to front-line staff.

Several years later, I had the pleasure of working with him again when I hired Sunny/Laksh Labs to put on a series of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) workshops for STRIDE Management Corp. His preparation took into account the broad variety of staff in the company and their varying levels of understanding of DEI issues. His work also included a longer-term strategy that the STRIDE Management leadership team could follow after the initial workshops were complete. His presentation style is always engaging and energetic and the feedback from staff on the sessions was glowing.

More than just former colleagues, we remain friends after all these years, and I have no reservations about singing his praises as a strategic leader and supportive team member. Sunny brings value to any organization with which he works.

• Steven Havill; Former HR Manager Jayman BUILT; Former HR Manager STRIDE Management

 

Stay tuned for more testimonials!

Based out of Calgary, Alberta; Canada
Open for Business: Globally
Countries We Have Had Professional Experiences and Personal Exposure To:
Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom, China, India, Brazil, France, Germany, South Africa, Mauritius, Singapore, Middle East, & Mexico