Talk Auto

Yolanda joined Canadian Black Book in November 2019, two months after 12 team members won the lottery. Yolanda had the pleasure of briefly working with people who laid the foundation for CBB and instilled the 60 year legacy of the company. She is excited to be part of the team that is charting the course for the next generation of CBB by redesigning, reintroducing, and solidifying our place in the Canadian automotive industry.

Biswah is passionate about mentorship, industry diversity and inclusion, and service leadership. Biswah was named one of ten “Notable Champions of Diversity” by Auto News Canada in 2022. She volunteers with Accelerate Auto, a non-profit in the automotive industry working to increase representation & diversity, and Gilda’s House. Biswah also serves as a volunteer for Hearst’s Level Up Ventures, which provides cash investment and services to early-stage, tech-enabled startups led by Black and Latinx founders.

With 16 years of industry experience in the areas of automotive finance, sales operations, distribution, and aftersales, Daniel has a vast knowledge within many important facets of the automotive retail and wholesale markets. Working for multiple OEMs over the course of his career, Daniel resides as a key member of the Canadian Black Book Leadership team, of which he’s spent the last 7 years in various roles. Starting with the forecasting of Residual Values back in 2017, he’s stayed on the bleeding edge of the quickly evolving car market, and now holds the title of Senior Manager, Industry Insights & Residual Value Strategy. As part of CBB, Daniel works closely with OEMs, Banks, Captives, other Lenders, as well as Dealer Groups to help educate, inform, and understand his business partners by way of Canada-specific data analytics and industry trends.

Cyril Dimitris is President and CEO at Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI), following a successful time as Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Prior to his V.P. role, Cyril was Director of Lexus and Scion Divisions, responsible for all aspects of those operations including sales, after sales and marketing. Prior to his responsibilities relating to vehicle sales, he was Director of Finance & Administration, including responsibility for Finance and Accounting, Corporate Strategy, Information Services, Legal, Human Resources and Administration. Over the course of his long career at TCI beginning in 1988, he has led several other areas including Dealer Technology and Business Innovation.

Cyril has served as a volunteer Board Member on several NPOs during his tenure at TCI, including that of The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thompson Hall (of which he continues to serve as Honorary Governor), Scientists In Schools and The Gestalt Institute of Toronto (of which he is a current Board Member). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Economics degree from the University of Toronto and is a designated CPA, CMA.

Agnes Di Leonardi’s career in the automotive industry spans several decades. A collaborative, authentic leader with a reputation for adding value and taking initiative, she has been recognized as a leading General Counsel. An advocate for diversity and inclusivity, she was named one of Automotive News Canada’s All Stars.

Her foray into the automotive industry was serendipitous and as a continuous learner she has loved every moment of it. She has served as General Counsel at Mazda Canada, VP Legal at Ford Credit Canada and VP Law at Ford of Canada’s Premier Automotive Group (Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover Canada and Volvo Canada). Most recently, she was General Counsel at Sym-Tech Dealer Services leading the company’s in-house regulatory and compliance team.

Agnes was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2018 in recognition of her leadership as a senior executive in the automotive industry and for her commitment to mentoring and advancing Canadian women leaders through her work with the International Women’s Forum of Canada.

Agnes believes in “leader as teacher”. She is President and a Founding Director of The Duke of Edinburgh Commonwealth Study Conferences, a Canadian registered charity, focused on developing leadership capacity. She proudly serves as Advisor to Empowering Auto and is a volunteer director coach for 50/50 Women on Boards, a global organization with a mission to increase the number of women on boards.

Agnes has a business degree from Schulich, a law degree from Windsor Law and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Windsor. She is an avid golfer and gardener and enjoys these hobbies at her family cottage.

Jamie Johnston is Managing Partner of Orangeville Honda, part of The Humberview Group, one of Canada’s largest dealer groups with 20 stores and 17 brands. With more than 25 years in retail automotive, he is known for driving growth, developing high-performing teams, and delivering outstanding customer experiences.

Jamie has played a key role in strengthening the Orangeville community and building a strong, people-first culture at the dealership.

Sarah Budd has worked in the auto industry for nearly 20 years. She started her automotive journey with BMW Group, spending three years with the manufacturer in admin and training roles.

In 2010, Sarah went to work full time for her family’s third-generation dealer group based in Oakville, Ontario.

Since then, she has held roles across many dealership departments. She is currently VP of Operations for the group, which consists of eight new vehicle franchise dealerships and five collision centres.

Sarah currently serves on two manufacturer-dealer advisory boards, for Mazda and Subaru. Most Sunday mornings, Sarah is up early to cheer on her favorite Ferrari Formula One team.

Miranda Pyette is the Founder and CEO of Purpose Automotive, where her all-female team of 22 delivers high- performing organic and paid social media strategies for dealerships, vendors, banks, and OEMs across North America.

With over 25 years of experience in automotive marketing, Miranda is recognized for driving measurable growth, building trusted partnerships, and shaping the future of how the industry connects with consumers.

Kay Layne is an automotive journalist and mobility expert recognized for her ability to translate complex industry shifts into accessible insights. With a decade of experience reporting for major Canadian outlets, Kay brings a sharp eye to the future of mobility, covering everything from electrification and autonomous technology to the evolving customer experience.

As the founder of Kayambi Training, Kay empowers executives and organizations to drive transformation through inclusive leadership and innovation. Her work blends storytelling, strategy, and an equity-focused approach to help companies navigate change while staying connected to the communities they serve.

Kay enjoys using her expertise to spark conversations that inspire progress across the automotive landscape.

Claire Fan is a Senior Economist at RBC, where she analyzes key economic indicators, interest rate decisions, immigration trends, and trade flows to develop comprehensive macroeconomic forecasts. She co-hosts RBC's 10-Minute Take podcast, delivering sharp, accessible insights on critical economic developments and their market implications.

Nickolas Steele is a former Grenadian politician and Cabinet Minister.

Steele attended Westmoreland School, where he excelled academically—twice earning the distinction of Island Scholar. He went on to Northeastern University in the United States, where he majored in International Business and Political Science.

Upon his return to Grenada, he became very engaged in developing and managing various business enterprises, including Steele’s Auto.

In 2011, Nickolas Steele entered politics under the banner of the New National Party. He ran for and won the constituency of the Town of St. George in the 2013 General Elections, and was appointed to serve in the Cabinet as Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Business. In November 2014, he was appointed as Minister for Health, Social Security and International Business.

In the 2018 General Elections, he contested and won the constituency of South St. George, and was again appointed as the Minister for Health, Social Security & International Business. He has held the Health portfolio throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively managing the Ministry for Health and helping to safeguard Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

In 2019, Minister Steele was elected to the Executive Council of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the 74th Annual World Health Assembly. He has also served two stints on the Board of the Global Fund. This provided Grenada with a greater influence in the global health arena.

In 2022 he did not offer himself for re-election into government and has since re-entered private sector spearheading several business ventures in the Import, Export and Tourism sectors as well as a consultancy firm, Alegria Inc that spearheads G2G initiatives as well as B2B investments in the region.

In November 2024 Alegria Inc participated in the joint acquisition Juice Box, EnelxWay North America holdings.