Executive advisory
A thoughtful sounding board for C-suite leaders and boards weighing priorities, navigating complexity and deciding how to move forward.
EXECUTIVE ADVISORY & CONSULTING
Experience.
Perspective.
Sound judgment.
Thoughtful advice for leaders and boards navigating consequential decisions.
Meet your adviser
Executive advisoryBusiness consultingLeadership coachingStrategic guidance
RENATO DISCENZA
Advice grounded
in experience.
Leadership brings decisions that rarely have a simple answer. Experience helps put them in perspective.
Renato Discenza brings CEO experience in both the public and private sectors to his advisory work with executives and boards. His background spans technology, healthcare, procurement, infrastructure, international investment attraction and aviation governance.
Azcendis brings that breadth of perspective to the circumstances of each leader and organization, with advice shaped around their values, goals and practical challenges.
Start a conversationWHERE AZCENDIS CAN HELP
Perspective for the
decisions ahead.
Business & strategy
Guidance that connects strategic direction with the realities of your organization, its people and its operating environment.
Leadership coaching
Space to reflect on leadership challenges, explore different perspectives and develop a considered approach to your next steps.
CAREER & EXPERIENCE
Leadership experience.
From the operating floor
to the boardroom.
Renato brings experience as a CEO, senior executive, board chair and adviser across the public and private sectors. His career combines responsibility for large operations with strategy, growth, innovation and governance.
CURRENT WORK
President & Owner, Azcendis · Since 2008
Advising on strategy, growth, new markets, operational due diligence and leadership development.
National Development Executive, Mohawk Medbuy Corporation · Since October 2024
01 / HEALTHCARELeading organizations
Leading organizations
through complexity
President & CEO, HealthPRO · 2021–2023
Led a national healthcare procurement organization supporting members’ access to medicines, clinical supplies and equipment.
East Region Lead, Ontario Health · 2019–2021
Combined regional leadership with CEO responsibility for the Champlain, Central East and South East LHINs during Ontario’s healthcare transformation.
CEO, South West LHIN · 2018–2019
Led a regional organization with responsibilities spanning health-service funding, accountability and coordination.
EVP, Strategy & Innovation, Hamilton Health Sciences · 2014–2017
Oversaw research, information technology, strategy, enterprise innovation, public affairs and external partnerships.
02 / BUSINESS & INFRASTRUCTUREBuilding opportunity
Building opportunity
across sectors
President & CEO, Invest Toronto · 2010–2014
Led Toronto’s international investment attraction organization, connecting business opportunities with trade missions, government and economic development.
SVP, IT & Technology Projects, Infrastructure Ontario · 2009–2010
Held responsibility for the design, procurement and delivery of large technology projects for Ontario ministries and agencies.
03 / TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONSUnderstanding the scale
Understanding the scale
of executive responsibility
Senior executive roles, Bell Canada / BCE · 2000–2008
Led portfolios spanning enterprise sales, carrier services, Ontario customer operations, capital management, procurement and supply chain.
Responsibilities included a $1.5 billion carrier-services P&L and Ontario customer operations involving 12,000 employees.
SVP, National Network Operations, AT&T Canada · 1995–2000
Led national voice and data network operations, following earlier senior leadership roles at Unitel Communications.
04 / GOVERNANCEBringing a director’s
Bringing a director’s
perspective to decisions
Chair, Your Quick Gateway (Windsor) Inc.
Airport board member since 2016; Chair since 2024.
Board member, Catholic Health Sponsors of Ontario
Serving since 2023.
Earlier board service includes Waterfront Toronto, Mohawk Medbuy, Credit Valley Hospital, Michael Garron Hospital, Amtelecom Income Fund, The Change Foundation, the Council of the Great Lakes Region and the Catholic Healthcare Association of Ontario.
EDUCATION & DIRECTOR DESIGNATIONS
A foundation in business,
engineering and governance.
- MBA, International Business — Schulich School of Business, York University · 1992
- BASc, Electrical Engineering — University of Toronto · 1987
- ICD.D — ICD–Rotman Directors Education Program · 2022
- C. Dir. — The Directors College · 2016
THE APPROACH
Your circumstances.
Your priorities.
A considered response.
Useful advice begins with understanding what matters to you.
Understand the context
Explore your goals, values and the challenges behind the immediate question.
Bring a wider perspective
Consider the options through the lens of experience across sectors and leadership settings.
Focus on the way forward
Translate the conversation into practical priorities and next steps.
A NAME WITH PURPOSE
Helping others ascend.
Azcendis is a recombination of Discenza. It carries both a personal connection and a purpose: helping others rise. The A–Z idea reflects a breadth of perspective brought to the work.
Azcendis. Advice to Elevate.LET’S CONNECT
A conversation is
a good place to start.
If you’ve been referred to Renato or would like to discuss an advisory engagement, get in touch.
renato@azcendis.com
Oakville, Ontario · Canada
Email opens your preferred mail application.