IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais: A Story of Success and Succession!

2026-27 President's Message
Two decades in, the chapter is earning recognition on the international stage, and President Ziad Sakr shares the news behind it. There’s also a packed November calendar ahead. Read on to find out what the chapter’s success has come down to—and what’s coming next.

Consistency is one of the most critical factors of success, but how do we prove and achieve it? Look no further than the Ottawa-Outaouais Chapter as a real life example!

Founded in September 2006, our chapter has thrived for two decades thanks to an outstanding group of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to ensure our high standards, values, vision and mission are always met.

The year 2026 is a major milestone for us. We're not only celebrating our 20th anniversary, but we are also—once again—putting our chapter on the international map. I am thrilled to share some incredible news:

  1. Volunteer of the Year Finalist: Myla Hum, our amazing VP of Communications & President-Elect, is a finalist for the Volunteer of the Year award for the Americas Northeastern region. Dedicated and accountable volunteers like Myla are the true driving force behind our chapter’s success. Congratulations, Myla! We are all routing for you to take home this well-deserved award.
  2. Global Chapter Award Finalist: Our chapter is a finalist for two major global awards this year: "Leadership Excellence & Sustainability" AND "2026 Chapter of the Year." It is incredibly rewarding to know that, regardless of the final results, we are recognized as one of the top three chapters in the WORLD!

Congratulations to the entire IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais community—our members, volunteers, leadership team, past presidents, and former leaders. Your ongoing dedication and accountability made this success possible.

I am honored to celebrate this great milestone with you, and I invite you to join us for the virtual awards ceremony on November 6th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET. You can attend for free at go.iiba.org/Global-Business-Analysis-Day-2026 to share in this moment. A big thank you to IIBA Global for their continuous support and recognition.

Now, let’s get back to business! While we are incredibly excited about the upcoming awards, we still have a packed calendar for this "sweet November." In addition to our usual chapter meeting and study group, mark your calendar for the following events:

  1. November 10th, 2026: IIBA Chapter Collaboration Event – Lunch  & Learn:  From Requirements to User Stories: Making the Shift Without Losing Meaning:
    https://ottawa-outaouais.iiba.org/events/from-requirements-to-user-stories-making-the-/
     
  2. November 21st, 2026: our first in person workshop in this season: Creating a Practical BA Work Plan: From Project Confusion to Clear BA Direction: 
    https://ottawa-outaouais.iiba.org/events/creating-a-practical-ba-work-plan-from-project-confusion-to-clear-ba-direction/
     
  3. November 27th, 2026, as a part of our strategy to partner with other professional organization, IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais will be part of PMI Ottawa Valley Outaouais Chapter: PMImpact event, were we will be hosting a panel discussion about being in the shoe of BA&PM. For more information, please visit the event page:
    https://www.pmiovoc.org/pmimpact-2026
     
  4. Furthermore, as part of our strategy to partner and engage with educational institutions, and to show appreciation to our partner Lambton College, on November 28th, 2026 we are going to host a workshop to help prepare students for their professional life, this workshop “Building an AI Resume to Get the Job You Want” will be led by Pamela Paterson, and we look forward to deliver the value to the students, limited spots will be available. For more info, please visit the event page:
    https://ottawa-outaouais.iiba.org/events/building-an-ai-resume-to-get-the-job-you-want/
     
  5. Finally, a special 20th anniversary event will be held to celebrate this occasion, it will be great opportunity to meet and network with the chapter leaders in person. For more info, please visit the event page: 
    https://ottawa-outaouais.iiba.org/events/iiba-ottawa-outaouais-chapter-20th-anniversary-celebration/

Finally, let me go back to the title of this message: IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais, a story of success and succession, well, I would say that it should be pretty obvious now, that the key success of this chapter was the proper succession, which made sure to pass the torch to accountable successors, who can continue the legacy of IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais.

My colleagues, thank you very much for all the support, and always remember, in the year 2025-2026 we were one of the best 3 chapters in the world.

Thank you,

Ziad Sakr, MBA, CBAP ®, AAC, PMP ®

President, IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais Chapter