Page 45 - 01-Jan-Feb-2024

Humanis (Rajan Bhatti)
humanisadvisory.com
Raj Bhatti sees good days ahead for Edmonton and those seeking oppor-
tunity here.
“Edmonton has a lot of positive
things going for it right now, “ says Bhatti, a partner with executive search firm Humanis Advisory.
“Immigration numbers are at an all-time high. Folks from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds are coming to our city. It’s one of the more affordable places in Canada, which is creating a lot of opportuni- ties to grow our economy.
“The other trend I’m seeing is folks retiring and transferring their business to a new generation of owners, which is creating new opportunities for the next wave of business leaders.”
Bhatti’s team focuses on build- ing and maintaining relationships no matter the economic climate. Creating an environment where everyone looks out for each other goes a long way toward helping people succeed and build a prosperous city, he says.
“I’m a big believer in everyone just killing it in their own lanes, and together we will celebrate. We’re well on our way.”•
The Winspear winspearcentre.com
(Annemarie Leenhouts-Petrov)
Come 2025, an expanded Winspear Centre will draw an additional 250,000
visitors downtown each year. “We’re building a completion
project – the completion of a dream, a vision and our arts district,” says Winspear Centre President and CEO Annemarie Leenhouts-Petrov.
The Winspear is sandwiched between the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Citadel Theatre. “This un- believable arts district Edmonton has, it almost doesn’t exist any- where else in North America, especially because this one was completely organic,” she says.
“Our focus is making music accessible to everyone.”
Leenhouts-Petrov has lived in Edmonton for 20 years, and
calls the city a “beautiful, exciting and dynamic” place to live. She believes a return to the downtown core will happen organically,
in the same way the arts district evolved.
“You have this beautiful founda- tion that’s been here for over 100 years. It’s a wellspring from which businesses can emerge,” she says. “It’s never just one player. We need business to have a reason and a way to come back, and then the rest will follow.”•
Paid partnership with Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
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