Inspirational Leadership: Stories of Strategy and Success

In my role at Odgers, I have the opportunity to speak with leaders who are shaping Canada’s business landscape and, in many cases, the communities around them. Sueling Ching, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade, is one of those leaders. Her work sits at the intersection of business, government, and community, and her leadership reflects a deep commitment to building alignment, driving collaboration, and shaping the long-term prosperity of the city she serves.

A Career Defined by Building

Sueling’s career path was not linear, but rather guided by a consistent theme. “When I reflected on it, I realized my career has been defined by a pattern of building,” she explained. Throughout her career, she has been drawn to opportunities to strengthen organizations and communities, from leading transformations at the Brockville Chamber of Commerce and YMCA to her current role with the Ottawa Board of Trade.

“Building the conditions for growth and prosperity for whole communities has always inspired me,” she said.

That focus on building became particularly significant in Ottawa. Following municipal amalgamation, the city’s business community remained represented by multiple chambers of commerce for nearly two decades. “There were fragmented voices of business in Ottawa,” she noted. The creation of a unified Ottawa Board of Trade was not simply an organizational change, but an effort to create a stronger, more cohesive voice for Ottawa’s business community.

“It wasn’t just about changing the organization. It was about bringing organizations together and designing something new to define what the voice of business leadership should look like in the city. .”

Leading at the Centre of an Ecosystem

What drew Sueling to the role, and what continues to motivate her, is its scope and impact. “There’s not very many roles where you can influence not just a sector or organization, but the direction of an entire city,” she said, reflecting on the unique scope of the role.

Her leadership is grounded in the belief that business plays a central role in city building. “I really believe that business success is at the heart of city building,” she explained. “The work that we do to drive investment creates opportunities and jobs. It shapes how the city evolves.”

That belief has translated into a strong emphasis on collaboration across sectors. Sueling describes this approach as “radical collaboration,” a mindset that prioritizes shared outcomes over individual recognition. 

Her philosophy has shaped initiatives such as Ottawa Unlimited, a partnership between the Ottawa Board of Trade, Invest Ottawa, and Ottawa Tourism aimed at strengthening Ottawa’s economic position on a global stage. Through that collaboration, initiatives such as Ottawa Innovation Week and international trade missions have helped advance the city’s profile and economic ambitions internationally.

Creating Space for Others to Lead

Despite the breadth of the role, Sueling is clear that effective leadership is not about being at the centre of everything. “My main role, really, is to create space for leadership,” she explained.

Within a member-driven organization, leadership is inherently shared across staff, board members, volunteers, and the broader business community. Sueling sees her role as setting direction and enabling others to contribute meaningfully. “I focus on making sure that we have a clear direction and that we’re setting priorities and shaping strategy.” She describes herself not as the focal point, but as a catalyst within the organization. “I’m not at the centre of all of these things, but more the catalyst, creating the conditions for others.”

This approach is evident in the Board of Trade’s policy councils, which bring together subject matter experts to shape priorities and solutions. “Their role is to ask how we shape the agenda and move forward on solutions. Our job is to create a platform for them to do it effectively.”

Leading Through Complexity and Change

Operating at the intersection of diverse stakeholders requires the ability to navigate complexity and uncertainty. For Sueling, this means that trust is critical. “We are living in a world where trust is the commodity,” she said.

Her approach to building trust begins with clarity of intent and direction. “Making sure everybody understands what our priorities are, being decisive about that, but also being really adaptable, because things change very quickly.”

Balancing clarity and flexibility is essential in an environment where ambiguity is constant. For Sueling, effective leadership means maintaining a clear direction while remaining adaptable enough to respond to evolving circumstances.

As Ottawa continues to evolve economically and socially, Sueling believes the Board of Trade has a responsibility to help shape that future by bringing together business, government, and community leaders around shared priorities and long-term growth. “I see our role as not just responding to that change, but actually helping to shape it,” she said.

A Platform for Action

Sueling’s perspective on leadership has been reinforced by her experience during the pandemic, which began just as she stepped into her role. “I feel like I’ve had three or four careers,” she reflected.

That period highlighted the need for organizations like the Board of Trade to move beyond advocacy alone, and focus more on convening leaders, driving alignment, and creating tangible momentum around shared priorities. “We’ve become platforms for action, not just making connections between people and policies, but mobilizing change.”

That shift is reflected in how the organization approaches its convening power. Events are no longer simply opportunities to connect, but platforms designed to drive meaningful dialogue, alignment, and action.

A Call to Lead for the Long Term

Looking ahead, Sueling sees the role of chambers of commerce continuing to evolve alongside broader expectations of business leadership.

She believes the traditional divides between business, government, and community are no longer viable. “It’s not business versus community, and it’s not business versus government. We have a responsibility to get it right for the next few generations.”

In her view, that responsibility requires both ambition and urgency. “This is go-time, leaders need to stop playing on the defensive, and start playing to win” she said. 

At the same time, she emphasizes that progress must balance speed with stewardship. 

Ultimately, Sueling’s leadership is grounded in a deep sense of responsibility, not just to current stakeholders, but to future generations. 

Her perspective reflects a broader shift in leadership today, one that prioritizes collaboration over competition, long-term impact over short-term wins, and collective success over individual achievement.