Jahanzaib Ansari

@paulg In complete Awe seeing this!! Thank you for sharing the piece, we've put our heart and souls in the mission and your essays have truly helped @KnockriCo's journey! Thanks again @paulg @MaazRanaKnockri @5cel

Wrapping up the IBM Think highlights with one of my favourite people What I appreciate most about our partnership with @IBM is that the conversations are always evolving. Trading notes with Chris Foltz last week on how the talent landscape is shifting was a reminder of why this collaboration works: you don’t have to spend time on the basics. You just dive straight into the deep end of where the industry is going next. As the scale of what we’re tackling grows, it’s a clear reminder that impactful solutions aren't built in a vacuum. They are the result of momentum, shared vision, and a mutual push to keep raising the bar for HR tech. Always grateful for the perspective and the opportunity to work alongside such an outstanding global team. @IBMwatsonx

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on the power of access. It makes me think of the violin player in the subway. The talent may be extraordinary, but if she never gets in front of the right audience, or if no one stops long enough to listen and appreciate, that gift may never reach the concert hall. The same is true for young founders, students, policymakers, and first-generation professionals. The potential is already there. Sometimes the only missing ingredient is proximity to the right room, the right conversation, or the right person willing to say, “Come with me.” That kind of access can change someone’s trajectory. It can expand what they believe is possible, shaping confidence, ambition, and even socioeconomic future. I’ve seen this firsthand through Zabeen Hirji. She consistently uses her platform not just to lead, but to bring others along, opening doors to networks that many young leaders may not otherwise find. And the truth is, this is one of the most powerful ways senior executives and people in positions of influence can give back. It doesn’t always require funding or a big announcement. Sometimes it’s simply making the introduction, extending the invitation, or lending your credibility so someone else has the opportunity to build their own. That intentional generosity was evident at the Public Policy Forum’s Canada Growth Summit last week, pictured here. Grateful for leaders who understand that access, when shared intentionally, can become a bridge for the next generation. Has someone opened a door in your career? Tag them or share your story in the comments. #Leadership

May is shaping up to be a month of deep dives. AI is moving at a dizzying speed, and the executive conversation has fundamentally shifted. We’ve moved past the "education" phase...leaders know the potential. Now, the focus is on how to adopt it safely. The shift I’m seeing is clear: leaders aren't looking for more hype; they are looking for proven solutions to help them create efficiencies and objectivity, while managing the risks. If you’ll be at any of these, let’s grab a coffee. I’d love to hear how you’re actually putting these tools to work. -> May 1 | Mississauga | FAST 92ix Summit – Looking forward to sharing the stage with Aazar Zafar and Aneela Zaib -> May 4 | Boston | IBM Think -> May 7 | Toronto | Public Policy Forum Canada Growth Summit -> May 27 | Toronto | Change Leadership Conference - A candid fireside conversation with Nadim Kara CHRO of GreenShield on reimagining change. It’s going to be a busy few weeks, but there is nothing quite like the energy of a room full of people trying to solve the same complex problems. See you out there! #AI #Leadership

In June 2024, I packed up my life in a city I had called home for over two decades and moved somewhere completely new. Toronto was where I went to school, met some incredible teammates, and built the foundations of Knockri. The city opened a lot of doors for me, which is exactly how I knew it was time to step out of my comfort zone. Opening a second office in Ottawa felt like a bit of a leap at the time. New city, new network, further away from family, starting from scratch in many ways. But it also meant being closer to where a lot of important conversations were happening. And that decision has paid off in more ways than I could have anticipated. Less than two years in, it's gratifying to see how quickly things came together. The people, the partnerships, the momentum, the inclusive community is what makes this city! Fast forward to June 2026, and I’m getting ready to attend the Ottawa Board of Trade Forty Under 40 Gala as one of this year’s recipients. Being recognized by the @ottawabot as a top young business leader is meaningful, but more than anything, it feels like a reflection of the work our team at Knockri has been doing. This isn’t an individual milestone. It’s what happens when a nimble team stays consistent, keeps building ethical technology and pushes forward customer centric solutions. Grateful to my team that continues to show up every day and make this real: Shaun, Dave, Farheen. Special thanks to Faisal for holding down the fort in Toronto, and to the partners, clients, and mentors who’ve backed us along the way and the rest of the team! We’re continuing to build and expand with plenty more to come. Who knows where the next destination might be. x-x Congratulations to the other recipients as well, looking forward to celebrating soon! #Ottawa #Knockri #OTT40

Spending 48 hours in London earlier this month really put something into perspective for me. What struck me most wasn’t just how much you can fit into two days, but how much more impactful everything becomes when you’re in the room with the right people. The iconic sites, great chocolates, and awesome fish and chips aside, it was a reminder of how quickly things move when you shift from virtual to in-person. After what felt like thousands of hours on Teams, it was great to finally spend time together with the IBM UK team. It also made clear why Jon Lester, Emily Herbert, and Kate Ashworth are such strong leaders in their areas, constantly moving the needle. I learned a lot from our conversations, especially around what a truly exceptional TA experience looks like at scale. What stood out most was how intentional everything is. Supporting a 250,000 employee organization forces you to focus on what actually works and gets adopted, not what just sounds good in a pitch. Under Jon’s leadership, there’s a clear focus on user experience and productivity to drive adoption. Great user experience drives usage, and usage drives value, something ASK HR is already proving in practice. Grateful for the time, the insights, and the warm welcome. #AgenticAI #FutureOfWork #ResponsibleAI

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with His Excellency Abdulrahman Al Neyadi, Ambassador of the UAE to Canada, following my recent visit to the region. We reflected on what a fantastic trip it was as we continue exploring growing business opportunities there. The Ambassador is a welcoming, humble, and thoughtful individual representing an equally remarkable country. The UAE shares deep trading ties with Canada and is home to a vibrant Canadian community living and working across the Emirates. Like many nations across the GCC, the UAE began with humble origins rooted in pearl diving, regional trade, and pilgrimage routes into Arabia before later becoming energy rich and evolving into one of the world’s most dynamic hubs for innovation, commerce, and global connection. The people there are among the most welcoming and forward looking you will meet! My thoughts are with the region as it moves through this moment with the resilience and strength that have long defined it. In Canada, we often take our security for granted. Yet with adversaries increasingly testing our sovereignty in the Arctic and elsewhere, it is worth remembering that Nazi U boats reached Canada’s shores during the Second World War. A powerful reminder that stability and security should never be assumed. Moments like these remind us that the strength of a country is not defined only by geography or resources, but by the people who step forward to build, protect, and strengthen it. While our country is making progress, the reality is that Canada continually needs a force that can be recruited, trained, and scaled faster to respond to emerging threats, alongside innovators, policymakers, and citizens across every field who are willing to step forward and contribute. Strong societies are built when citizens, institutions, and leaders think not only about what their country can do for them, but what they can do for their country. Because if not us, then who? #Leadership #Defence

An outstanding day at the @BHERCanada Executive Summit in Toronto this week! I had the opportunity to share the stage with three deeply respected leaders: Vice Admiral Angus Topshee , Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy; Lieutenant Colonel Jason Virtue, who leads training innovation within the Royal Canadian Air Force; and Humber President and former Honorary RCAF Colonel Ann Marie Vaughan, who moderated a candid and substantive discussion on sovereign AI, training efficiencies, maritime blindness, and building a mission ready Defence talent pipeline. We explored what it truly takes to modernize recruitment and retention systems, accelerate time to readiness, better align post-secondary institutions to strengthen talent pipelines, and ensure veterans transition into the civilian workforce employment ready. Readiness today is not just about funding. It is about talent velocity, interoperability, and intelligent systems. Thank you to the BHER team, Valerie Walker, Matthew McKean, Andrew Bieler, Trevor Neiman, and Goldy Hyder from the Business Council of Canada, for continuing to convene leaders committed to strengthening Canada. For more than a decade, @KnockriCo has supported highly regulated environments, earning trust through responsible AI, thoughtful governance, and consistent real-world results. We are proud to continue supporting the Canadian Armed Forces with AI that advances talent identification, training innovation, and mission readiness. #ResponsibleAI #Canada #Defence

On February 25, I’ll be joining the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, and Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Virtue, who leads the training innovation team within the Royal Canadian Air Force, at the @BHERCanada Executive Summit to discuss how Canada can build a mission-ready defence talent pipeline. In a rapidly evolving geopolitical and technological environment, Canada’s security depends on how effectively these departments recruit, develop, and retain skilled people, ensuring readiness in moments where performance, judgment, and adaptability matter most. The discussion will focus on strengthening recruitment and retention pathways, using technology and responsible AI to accelerate training and readiness outcomes, and deepening collaboration with post secondary institutions to support skills development, credentialing, and talent mobility. For long term prosperity, defence talent strategies must be practical, shaped by those who understand the forces, and built to sustain long term readiness. Looking forward to contributing to an important conversation. 📍 The Globe and Mail Centre, Toronto 📅 February 25 #PublicSector #ResponsibleAI #DefenceReadiness

As the year comes to a close, it feels like the right moment to pause and reflect on the progress behind us and what lies ahead. This year took us across Australia, India, New York, Winnipeg, Vegas, and many places in between. Along the way, I had the opportunity to spend time with customers, partners, and leaders navigating complex questions around technology, trust, and decision making at scale. One stop that stayed with me was Calgary, and a day spent in Banff. Not a typical pause in the middle of a packed travel schedule, but a reminder of the perspective and calm that often exists right in our own backyard. Stepping away from conferences and back-to-back meetings created space to think more deliberately about the agentic systems we’re building and the responsibility that comes with them. It reinforced a simple but important truth. Progress isn’t just about moving faster or scaling bigger. It’s about intent, judgment, empathy, and building technology that reflects those values. The most meaningful change rarely comes from tools alone. It comes from teams willing to slow down just enough to ask harder questions about trust, accountability, and long-term impact. As we head into the new year, I’m grateful for the people who place their trust in us, the conversations that challenged our thinking, and the quiet moments that shaped the journey. There’s a lot more to build, and I’m excited for what 2026 has in store. Happy holidays, everyone! #Technology #Leadership #ResponsibleAI

What an incredible evening celebrating with some of Knockri’s closest friends, partners and HR members in the Toronto Community. It has been a year full of growth and learning and I cannot think of a better way to wrap things up than with a fun filled dinner surrounded by great people. First, a big thank you to our friends at IBM for making this evening possible, specially Steffi Diamond, Cryus Hira, John Lewis, Cindy Leung. Special thanks to Brandon-Jo Mouna, Head of HR at @IBMCanada, for highlighting what trusted and tested Canadian innovation looks like through our almost decade-long IBM × Knockri partnership. We deeply appreciate the longstanding relationship, especially with watsonx and Orchestrate now in the mix, and we are excited for the road ahead. And of course, a special shoutout to Zabeen Hirji for moderating the group so thoughtfully, and for always guiding us with her wisdom and insights. Your leadership continues to reinforce responsible, ethical, and inclusive practices throughout our solution. A huge thank you to all our esteemed guests, your presence truly meant a lot. And of course, our team at @KnockriCo and the wonderful folks at the Ritz Carlton for their hospitality and service Excited for 2026 and everything that we have planned! #Knockri #Toronto #2026

If you had told 10-year-old me that I’d someday sit in a real cockpit, I would’ve sprinted to get here. Growing up, becoming a pilot was THE dream. But life had other plans. 9/11 happened, things got complicated, especially for someone with my name and ethnicity, and I never made it to the cockpit professionally. But things have a way of coming full circle in ways you least expect. Today, my work lets me support the people and institutions protecting and serving Canadians everyday, including those who pilot these very aircrafts, safeguarding our skies. Being able to contribute, even from a desk, to the missions and teams that shape Canada’s future is something I don’t take lightly. Funny enough, 10-year-old me would still be proud. Not because I made it into the sky, but because I found a way to stand behind the people who do.🍁 #PublicService #RCAF #Canada

New York never disappoints, especially when the conversations are this good! Had a wonderful time at IBM’s Partner reception. Nick Holda kicked things off with a powerful opening on where the future of work is heading, Biz ran the show and moderated the panel with real curiosity, and Veronica Moyer shared an inspiring look into IBM’s own AskHR journey, a perfect example of AI done right. Our discussion on watsonX/Agentic AI in HR carried that momentum forward. We discussed where agentic systems fit into HR, how they can support fairer decisions, and the guardrails that make trust possible. Big thanks to Stephanie, Beth, and Anthony for the engaging conversation, and shoutout to the IBM team who continue to work behind the scenes and curating thoughtful events – Steffi, Avian, Kelsey, Steve, Cyrus, Kika, Cindy P.s. If AI could take one task off your plate tomorrow, what would you choose? Mine would definitely be picking matching outfits & ironing them for the week! #Knockri #IBMpartner #AgenticAI

Looking forward to speaking at IBM New York’s flagship 1 Madison Office on Agentic AI in HR. It’s always great to see how partnerships grow over time. @KnockriCo and IBM have been on that journey together with @IBMwatsonx. With agentic AI gaining increasing momentum, it’s only natural that HR leaders and talent teams have questions about what it really means for them. I’ll be diving into this conversation on our partner panel alongside our esteemed panelists including Stephanie, Beth and Anthony. See you on Thursday! #watsonX #agenticAI #HRleadership

Great to be invited to IBM Canada’s SKO4 in Toronto yesterday alongside their President Deb Pimentel, CTO Manav Gupta and ofcourse our lovely, day to day integration and support partners Cindy Leung and Cyrus Hira, and the rest of the team! Always great conversations, fresh ideas, and a sense of momentum that comes from working together towards a shared goal.🎯 Our collaboration with IBM keeps finding new ways to grow, specially with the recent IBM watsonx integrations. Next up, I’ll be joining our Build Partners in New York for a panel on Agentic AI and where this next wave of innovation is heading. See you next week! P.s. Big thanks to the team who continues to work behind the scenes to bring us all together - Avian, Steffi, Kelsey 🌟 And a special shoutout to @goldyhyder and the @BizCouncilofCan for connecting us business leaders who are now going to market together - definitely a full circle moment! #IBM #hrleadership

Lately, I’ve been part of countless conversations that start with the same question: “All resumes look the same, are they even relevant anymore?” Today, words can be generated in seconds, but the real question isn’t about the resume anymore. It’s about how well we can see the human behind it. When you’re speaking on stage to thousands, every seat looks the same...until the lights shift. Then faces come into focus. Each one with a unique story, perspective, and skills that a piece of paper can’t capture. Hiring isn’t much different. In the age of AI, résumés may all start to look the same, but when you move beyond surface-level words and begin to assess genuine skills and competencies, the real picture emerges. At @KnockriCo, that’s where we come in. We assess thousands of candidates every day, helping global employers identify top talent while giving candidates a fairer chance to be seen for their true potential.✨ Getting both candidates and employers comfortable with AI is an ongoing journey, but it’s one we’re proud to be leading! I recently spoke with @globeandmail about how AI is reshaping the hiring process and how the goal isn’t to replace resumes. It’s to see beyond them. Read the full article here ⮕ lnkd.in/dmBruK6R #AIinhiring #EthicalAI #FutureOfWork

Faisal and I have been building towards this moment for a while, and I’m excited to finally share our partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) to address Canada’s youth soft skills gap — skills that are critically needed in an era of AI As part of a $15 million investment to advance Canadian talent development, our partnership is proudly backed by the Government of Canada’s DIGITAL Innovation Supercluster, supported by ISED. Knockri’s initiative with BHER is one of just 16 projects selected nationwide. The program will benefit more than 3,000 participants, with a strong focus on equity-deserving communities and high-growth sectors. We’re integrating Knockri’s AI-powered assessments into BHER’s work-integrated learning programs (WIL). This means students across the country will get a clear roadmap for strengthening their human skills *before* they step into real workplace experiences. Here’s why this matters: ➝ Recent post-secondary graduates (ages 25–29) in Canada saw their unemployment rate rise to 5.4 % in 2023, up from 4.9 % in 2022, nearly reaching the pre-pandemic level of 5.2 % in 2019. ➝ Youth in general (ages 15–24) are facing even steeper challenges: as of July 2025, the youth unemployment rate hit 14.6 %, the highest July level since 2009–2010 (excluding pandemic years). ➝ Students between semesters are struggling more than ever. Less than half (46.8 %) of this cohort found summer work, marking the highest unemployment among students since 1998. At @KnockriCo, it’s a responsibility we take seriously to be part of a nationwide effort to empower graduates and equip them with the tools they need to thrive. This isn’t just about employability. It’s about productivity. It’s about giving young professionals the tools to succeed in a rapidly changing economy, and building a stronger, more inclusive workforce for Canada. A huge thank you to the incredible team at BHER who’ve made this partnership possible – Faisal, Dave, Valerie Walker, Matthew McKean, Nicolle, Sunny, and a big shout-out to Zabeen as well 🙌 P.s. We’re not done yet. There’s another Digital initiative we’re proud to be contributing to. More details soon! #Knockri #Futureofwork #SoftSkills

I’ve always been ambitious - but even just a year ago, I wouldn’t have imagined being at this table. It hit different last week when we were invited to meet with Canada’s Minister of Government Transformation, Public Services and Procurement, to discuss how our company can help build an efficient and productive Canadian public service, one that better serves the citizens who rely on it. Being ahead of the curve, we built our AI solution from the ground up to make hiring and promotions more efficient and inclusive using a transparent, scientifically validated, and responsible process already trusted by leading enterprises worldwide. We were grateful to share that journey with Minister @JoelLightbound, not just in the global private sector, but right here at home, where Knockri is supporting departments across the Federal Government. We spoke about how @KnockriCo can further: ⚙️ Streamline hiring and promotions 💰 Save taxpayer dollars 🛡️Leverage AI to help departments stay lean, agile, and ready to serve Canadians by: → Accelerating student hiring → Promoting the right talent → Ramping up staffing across the Canadian Armed Forces → Ensuring the process is inclusive, objective, and rooted in diversity One thing was clear from these conversations: The government is committed to supporting homegrown innovation, reducing inefficiencies, and modernizing the workforce. Because when the public service performs at its best, citizens feel the impact where it matters most. Thank you to Zabeen Hirji for joining me in this important conversation and I look forward to many more with our government leaders. #Knockri #publicsector #responsibleAI #DigitalTransformation

Did a bit of event hopping this June while leading some energizing conversations on AI and the future of hiring. My team and I spent an exciting couple of days in Muskoka at the IPMI Talent Acquisition & Employee Experience Institute, an exclusive gathering of HR leaders who are actively rethinking what better hiring looks like. We had lots of 1:1 conversations with forward-thinking teams, learning about their priorities, challenges, and where @KnockriCo can help turn ambition into execution. 🚀 Day 2 was even better as I joined Cindy Bush, CHRO at TMX Group, for a fireside chat on "The Future of Hiring: Leveraging AI to Drive Skills-based Recruitment.” It was a packed room of VPs and curious minds, diving into: - Why trust is the foundation of any tech-driven hiring model - How we shift from resumes to skills-based hiring - What it takes to bring structure, speed, and fairness together The discussion deepened my confidence in one thing: The appetite for change is real. Leaders aren’t asking *if* AI belongs in hiring anymore. They’re focused on *how* to do it responsibly and effectively. Kudos to Jacqueline Gray, Christina Laurenza, Josh Farrell, and the entire IPMI team for pulling off a fantastic event! Plenty more conversations to come. If you’re reimagining how your org hires, let's connect. #FutureofWork #responsibleAI #Talentacquisition

There’s been a growing focus on the role of AI in public service, and I recently had the opportunity to lead a discussion with Canada’s top government AI leader, alongside our country’s leading AI research institute. We explored the Do’s and Don’ts of AI in the public sector, and what the future might hold. We dug into what ethical and accountable implementation of AI really looks like: building internal trust, aligning with values, and avoiding the shortcuts that often compromise outcomes. We also discussed the emerging policy landscape: what should be embraced, what needs to be closely watched, and how to move forward with clarity and transparency. The takeaway? AI isn’t the threat, poor implementation is. And in government, the stakes are too high to get it wrong. A big thank you to Mark Schaan (Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet on AI, Privy Council) and Melissa Judd (Vice President, Research Operations & Academic Partnerships, Vector Institute) for bringing sharp policy and research grounded perspectives to the discussion. Special thanks to Emilie Sauriol and the entire IPAC NCR team for having me, and to everyone who showed up with thoughtful questions and real curiosity. These are the conversations that matter. #IPAC2025 #publicservice #ResponsibleAI

Running the federal public service is no small feat. I recently sat down for coffee with Michael Wernick, a former Clerk of the Privy Council and the Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management at the University of Ottawa, to unpack what it really takes to lead a 300,000+ person, multigenerational workforce and deliver results in a complex, ever-evolving environment. We dove into the art of executing policy without letting personal views get in the way, the delicate balance between stability and progress, and what it really takes to drive innovation inside large institutions, while still building trust and keeping the human touch. Michael’s insights, shaped by decades at the highest levels of government, were both practical and profound. With a new Clerk incoming under the Carney government, big shifts are ahead. From AI adoption to cost-cutting and workforce efficiency, it’ll be fascinating to see how the public service evolves and what kind of leadership it takes to get things done. ✅ AI will play a major role, not just in automating workflows or reducing overhead, but in reimagining how government services are delivered. We’re already seeing departments leverage AI to make hiring and upskilling more fair, fast, and focused with promising results. 📈 The opportunity now is to scale responsibly; embedding transparency, ethics, and accountability every step of the way. It’s a pivotal moment for public sector transformation. #publicservice #Canada