Brigitte Mittlehammer, president, TAM-TAMTBWA, Montreal

On the other side of the country, Brigitte Mittelhammer’s reign has been equally impressive. It’s been said that her clients sum her up ‘in two words: no bullshit.’ Her passion is big ideas and it’s her mission to inspire them.

Says Philip George, managing director of TBWAToronto: ‘From the beginning, Brigitte and her team have embraced the potential of challenging the status quo and developing category-leading ideas.’ It’s a philosophy that in recent years she’s applied to some of the agency’s key clients, which include Nissan, Petro-Canada and Danone and resulted in some key wins like Boston Pizza, W Hotel’s first Canadian property and Petro-Canada. Her dedication to passion and inspiration have also allowed the agency to achieve what she says is one of the lowest employee turnover rates in the industry.

Beyond the boardroom:

* She is an active member of the Association of Quebec Advertising Agencies, and serves on the Board of the Marie-Vincent Foundation, a non-profit organization fighting abuse and violence against children.