OTTAWA, Ontario — Mitel, a global leader in business communications, today announced the retirement of Chief Financial Officer Steve Spooner, whose 16 years of leadership at Mitel mark one of the longest and most stellar financial careers in the global technology industry. Vanessa Kanu, Senior Vice President of Finance, will take over as Spooner’s successor, continuing her 15-year career with Mitel.
Newly-appointed CFO Vanessa Kanu’s career at Mitel reflects a quick succession of diverse and increasingly senior roles. She is recognized as a proven finance partner to Mitel business divisions and leaders around the world, as well as a trusted advisor to Spooner and McBee. Her acumen and strategic mindset have also been instrumental in driving profitability and steering the company’s direction through an IPO, multiple strategic acquisitions and most recently, in transitioning Mitel to a private company. Kanu is a recipient of the 2017 Ottawa Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 award.
Ms Kanu joined Mitel Networks Corporation in 2004, where she served as a member of the senior finance leadership team. She has held various progressive roles while at Mitel, including Director of Corporate Finance, and most recently as Controller for Mitel Communications Solutions the primary business unit of Mitel Networks generating $500M of annual revenues. In her capacity as Finance Director and Controller, she was responsible for all aspects of financial planning and analysis, budgeting and forecasting, strategic decision support and corporate performance reporting for MCS.
Vanessa is both a Chartered Accountant in Canada (CICA) and a Certified Public Accountant in the United States (Illinois). She holds a BSc. International and Financial Economics (with First Class Honours) from Hull University in the United Kingdom. Graduating third in her class, she was also awarded the University’s much coveted departmental prize in Economics, 1998.
Vanessa is a Founder of the National Black Business and Professional Women (NB2PW) and served as the Vice President of Member Services from inception to 2015. She is still an active member and supporter of the organisation… and her 2 daughters are proud NB2 Junior Members. Vanessa also volunteers her time with various charities and has served on the board of various charitable organizations, including having served as Treasurer for National Capital FreeNet, an Ottawa based organization dedicated to providing low cost internet services for Ottawa residents.