Cathy Whelan Molloy, VP, brand marketing and merchandising, The TDL Group (operators of Tim Hortons), Oakville

Could coffee get any hotter? The recent IPO of the Tim Hortons brand stirred what seemed like a media and consumer maelstrom, offering Canadians a chance to own a piece of the beloved brand. Part of the company’s undeniable success, which sees it outperforming, yes, McDonald’s, can be credited to Cathy Whelan Molly, who since 2000 has been responsible for the brand’s complete creative and strategic brand vision across all consumer touchpoints. She’s also behind the development of the growing retail merchandising category of the chain. Whelan Molloy has also sat on the other side of the brand, spending several years at agency Enterprise Creative Selling, which still continues to churn out Tim’s folksy and highly successful creative.