CEO & Founder

Sharifa has more than 30 years of experience in multicultural marketing in Canada and is considered as a pioneer of this industry. Prior to founding Balmoral, she was a Director of Corporate Marketing and shareholder at one of the major marketing firms in Toronto.

At Balmoral Marketing, Sharifa leads a team of seasoned ethnic marketing professionals to guide corporate and government clients to build culturally relevant communications with the multicultural consumers across Canada.

A master in putting on a cultural lens to strategy, build brand, drive considerations and solidify relationships with these ever growing new markets. She has also built close relations with ethnic community and media networks that span across Canada. Her motto is “Building Bridges of Understanding”.

Sharifa was recently inducted in 2021 into the American Marketing Association–Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends, the first person to be recognized for her achievement in the genre of Multicultural Marketing.

Sharifa was awarded a federal recognition from Prime Minister Jean Chrétien for her entrepreneurial success in 1999. She is a recipient of 2013 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award. Top 10 Woman of Influence Award (Trailblazer) in 2018. She is a recipient of both the Gold and Diamond Jubilee Awards in 2002/2012 as a trailblazer of her industry.

As Chair, she brought the 2006 International Club Crew Dragon Boat Championship to Toronto. Raised $23 million from three levels government to build a brand new watercourse at Toronto waterfront which generated $24 million GDP for Ontario from this world-class sporting event.

She has been on the advisory board of Ontario Media Development Corporation, is an Honorary Advisory of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, on Board of Governors of Mount Sinai Hospital and an immediate past Vice-Chair of OCAD University.