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Global Advantage Consulting Group

Global Advantage Consulting Group is a strategy and data analytics firm based in Ottawa. Our services combine top-notch consultants experienced in policy analysis in disruptive technologies, defence and other innovative sectors, with a high-caliber team of research analysts and graphic design talent.

Our consultants bring a wealth of insight to the table and design strategies, programs, and projects for private and public sector organizations based on facts and focused on outcomes. We also offer facilitated workshops and retainers. Since 2002, Global Advantage has helped secure a total of more than $2.2 billion for organizations seeking recapitalization and has completed over 550 projects.

How We Help You

  • R&D/Innovation
  • Cleantech and Environment
  • Energy, Oil, Gas and Mining
  • Defence and Security
  • Quantum
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Agriculture and Agri-Food
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • ICT
  • Cybersecurity

Meet The Team

The Global Advantage team have helped hundreds of private and public sector organizations reach their targets and objectives.

Ömer Kaya

CEO

Ömer Kaya is the Chief Executive Officer at Global Advantage Consulting Group. As CEO, Ömer is responsible for every aspect of the business to support public and private sector organizations including overall business strategy and planning, team leadership, management of processes, programs, and projects, as well as client relationships and partnerships. He has over 4 years of experience in the management consulting industry. Ömer had previously worked in academia holding teaching and research positions, and the private sector in sales, marketing, and financial services. He holds a Master of Arts degree from the Faculty of Public Affairs at Carleton University.

Shannon Wilson

COO

Shannon Wilson is the Chief Operating Officer for Global Advantage and has been with us since 2017. As COO, Shannon manages the financial processes of the business, writes reports and proposals, operates the HR aspects of the business, and heads Global Advantage’s IT infrastructure. She holds a Mobile Application Design and Development Diploma from Algonquin College.

Dave Watters

Strategic Advisor

David is a Strategic Advisor to Global Advantage. Prior to the creation of Global Advantage, David pursued a 30-year career in the Government of Canada including Assistant Deputy Minister positions in Industry Canada, Treasury Board, and Finance Canada. As the Assistant Deputy Minister at Finance Canada for Economic Development and Corporate Finance, he helped shape Canada’s economic and innovation investments. David then established the Global Advantage Consulting Group Inc. in Ottawa in 2002. Since then, the firm has completed over 500 assignments in Canada and abroad, providing advice to corporate, association, university, and government clients, primarily in the areas of R&D, new technology development, innovation, commercialization, economic development, and trade.

David holds a bachelor’s in economics from Queen’s University as well as a law degree in corporate, commercial, and tax law from Queen’s Law School. As an adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa for seven years, he taught International Negotiation to MBA students.

Dawnita Spac

Strategic Advisor

Dawnita directs stakeholder and client relations and company operations. Prior to the creation of the firm, Dawnita worked for over 32 years in the federal government with over 20 years as a senior executive in Health Canada, Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Public Works and Government Services and the Treasury Board Secretariat. Dawnita has an Honours Bachelors degree from McGill University and the University of Vienna, an EMBA from Queens University and an Advanced Certification in Facilitation and Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Harvard/Windsor Law School project.

Dr. Camille Boulet

Senior Partner

Dr. Camille Boulet has extensive experience in defence and security S&T, strategy, industry collaboration, and public policy in Canada, the United States, and NATO. His 30 year career at DRDC began as a defence scientist specializing in CBRN research and ended as Chief of Staff (ADM S&T), with many successes including the conception and implementation of the IDEaS program. Cam was awarded the United States of America Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service (2018). He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Victoria, British Columbia, and a B.Sc. in Pharmacy from the University of Alberta. Cam completed his National Securities Studies (nss) course at Canadian Forces College, Toronto, Ontario.

Dr. Robert J.H. Crawhall

Strategic Advisor

Robert Crawhall is a strategic innovation advisor to the public, private and academic sectors in AI, cybersecurity, net-zero energy and advanced materials. His private sector career spanned telecommunications, energy and manufacturing sectors with multinational corporations. Over the past 15 years he has run several collaborative innovation organizations focused on nanotechnology, IoT, eCommerce, wireless and photonic technologies. Robert sits on the boards of private and not-for-profit organizations dealing with aerospace manufacturing, advanced materials and national security. He holds the ICD.D Director certification. Robert is a professional engineer in the Province of Ontario, holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Marc LePage

Strategic Advisor

Marc LePage served as President and CEO of Genome Canada from 2016 to 2021. He led an ambitious national research program which invested approximately $200M/year to support close to 1800 scientists working on applications of genomics in human health, agriculture, forestry, natural resources, fisheries, and the environment/climate change etc. He developed a number of important partnerships including a national effort to implement a country-wide clinical genomics initiative for rare disease patients. He was President and CEO of Genome Quebec from 2012 to 2016 where he worked closely with the provincial government to align research with public policy priorities. He spent many years abroad as a member of Canada’s foreign service. In 2005 he was appointed Consul-General San Francisco/Silicon Valley and launched new commercialization programs including the “Technology Accelerator Program” for emerging Canadian firms as well as the “C-100” venture capital network to facilitate access to Silicon Valley investment funds. Both of these programs were highly successful and have been replicated in other locations in the USA.
Peter MacKinnon

Senior Associate

Peter MacKinnon has a rich background working in the public and private sectors as well as in academic and international institutions. For example, for the private sector he worked for Cognos as Director of Corporate Development and later as Director, Computer-Aided Software Engineering. For the federal government he has worked for the Ministry of State for Science and Technology, as a Special Advisor on Advanced Information and Communication Technologies. Academically he has worked as an adjunct professor of engineering at Carleton University and at the School of Information Technology and Engineering at the University of Ottawa as Executive Director of WiSense (Heterogeneous wireless sensor networks). He is currently a Senior Research Associate in a Smart Cities Lab in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa and a Senior Partner with Global Advantage.

Bert
Bert van den Berg

Strategic Advisor

Bert van den Berg has deep experience in Canada’s research and innovation system – as a researcher, engineer, and funding executive. At NRC he grew a research group focused on real-time machining of complex surfaces (airfoils). As a software engineer he helped Hymarc develop, market and install 3D laser scanners. More recently he led various industry-focused research funding programs for NSERC. This included the development of NSERC’s Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation, and the launch and growth of NSERC’s College & Community Innovation program. They have received significant government funded, contributing to clean growth across Canada. He holds an MBA from the University of Ottawa (innovation policy), a Master of Engineering from Carleton University (Computer Aided Manufacturing) and a Bachelor of Engineering from Waterloo.

Susan McIntyre

Strategic Advisor

Susan McIntyre has over 20 years of experience as a Knowledge Management (KM) Practitioner and another 20 years as an Information Management (IM) specialist at Defence Research and Development Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; whole-of-government initiatives; and as an independent consultant. Her expertise is in KM strategy and policy, operationalizing KM and IM theory, lessons learned processes, and Communities of Practice, subjects on which she has written and presented nationally and internationally. She has provided research and analysis on decision support and strategic defence and security issues. Ms. McIntyre holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Lethbridge, a Master of Library Science from the University of Alberta and a Masters Certificate in Public Management from Carleton University. She was responsible for conducting lessons learned for whole-of-government initiatives, including the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, for which she received a Deputy Minister Commendation at National Defence.

Michael Rowell

Director - Policy and Research

Michael Rowell is the Director of Policy and Research at Global Advantage Consulting Group. Contributing in various capacities since June 2020, he has a Masters in Global Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, along with a Joint-Honours bachelor’s in Political Science and History from McGill University.

Edmer Buen

Senior Multimedia Developer

Edmer Buen is a Senior Multimedia Developer and has managed graphical content for Global Advantage since 2017. He holds an Interactive Multimedia Design Diploma from Algonquin College.

Kathryn Kavanagh

Research Analyst

Kathryn Kavanagh has rejoined Global Advantage after completing her master’s degree in Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. Prior to coming to Canada, she worked as a mineral exploration geologist in Africa and South America. She also has experience as an adviser to government and of project development and implementation for consulting companies and spent several years editing dictionaries for Oxford University Press. Her current interests lie in international affairs, particularly in international development and in the challenges faced by fragile states. Kathryn also has bachelor’s degrees in Classics from the University of Oxford and in Geology from Rhodes University in South Africa, as well as a master’s in Library and Information Studies. She is a Chartered Geologist through the Geological Society of London and a Qualified Information Scientist.

Diana Danilevskaia

Research Analyst

Diana Danilevskaia is a Research Analyst at Global Advantage Consulting Group since 2021, with a master’s degree from Carleton University’s Faculty of Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in American Studies. Her background encompasses academia, including research and teaching roles, as well as editorial work. She also handles digital marketing for Global Advantage.

Our Clients

Federal

  • Agriculture Canada
  • Business Development Bank of Canada
  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Canadian Space Agency
  • Defence Research Development Canada (BDC)
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • FedDev Ontario
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Global Affairs Canada
  • Health Canada
  • Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
  • Indian and Northern Affairs
  • Industry Canada
  • Infrastructure Canada
  • National Research Council of Canada
  • Natural Resources Canada
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
  • Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Canada Inc
  • Public Works and Government Services Canada
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
  • Treasury Board Secretariat Canada
  • Western Economic Diversification (WED)

Provincial

  • Ontario Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick

Municipal

  • Kitchener-Waterloo
  • Ottawa

Other

  • Auditor General
  • Algonquin College
  • Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)
  • Carleton University
  • Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan)
  • Concordia University
  • U15 Research Intensive Universities
  • Universities Canada (formerly AUCC)
  • University of Ottawa
  • University of Toronto
  • University of Waterloo

Industry and Associations

  • Bell Canada  Entreprises
  • CADSI
  • Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
  • Forest Products Association of Canada
  • Information Technology Association of Canada
  • Iogen Canada
  • National Angel Capital Organization

Non-Profits and Think Tanks

  • Canada 2020
  • Canada Science Policy Centre
  • Canadian Council of Chief Executives
  • Conference Board of Canada
  • Council of Canadian Academies
  • Federation of Canadian Municipalities
  • Health Charities Coalition of Canada
  • Nation Academies (US)
  • National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy
  • Public Policy Forum
  • Sustainable Prosperity Canada
  • The Change Foundation
  • World Wildlife Fund Canada

Economic Development Organizations

  • BioTalent Canada
  • Canada Museum of Science and Technology
  • Canadian Digital Media Network
  • Global Detroit
  • Kitchener-Waterloo Communitech
  • MaRS Discovery District
  • Niagara Region

Research and Innovation Organizations

  • Alberta Ingenuity Fund
  • Alberta Science Foundation
  • Associations of University Research Parks (AURP)
  • Canada Foundation for Innovation
  • Canada’s Clean Research Innovation Network
  • Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Canadian Microsystems Corporation
  • CAPRI
  • Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research
  • DAIR Cluster and Downsview Aerospace Hub
  • Genome Canada
  • Health Technology Exchange
  • Nanocanada
  • Ontario Centre of Excellence
  • Ontario Genomics
  • Precinomics
  • ReMap BL-NCE
  • Science Alberta Foundation (MindFuel)
  • Sustainable Development Technology Canada
  • The Canadian Stem Cell Network