Jingwen Luo

A Goodman School of Business Co-op student will get a glimpse into the inner workings of one of the country’s biggest courier companies when she plays CEO for the day.

Jingwen Luo, in her fourth year of business administration, is one of seven Ontario students selected to shadow a top Canadian business executive in the Odgers Berndston CEO x 1 Day program.

She was matched with Patrick Nangle, president and CEO of Purolator.

Luo will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn the complexities of leading a top Canadian company when she spends the day with Nangle on Feb. 24. In turn, Nangle will gain insight into what drives the next generation of business leaders.

Luo went through a rigourous three-phase selection process to get the gig, starting last October when she was up against hundreds of other applicants.

Students entering the competition are initially screened based on their academic record, resume and a short essay about leadership. In the second phase, they complete an online leadership assessment form.

The final phase is a telephone interview, followed by a half-day spent with Odgers Berndston partners and consultants, participating in group exercises and one-on-one interviews.

Throughout the process, Goodman Career and the Co-op Office provided support and mentorship to Luo.

This is the seventh year for the competition. Odgers Berndston is a global headhunting firm that specializes in recruiting and assessing executives and board members in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.