Google Names New Head of Canadian Operations

Sabrina Geremia is officially leading Google’s Canadian operations as the new country director.

The Google veteran was appointed the new head of Canada Tuesday after filling in as interim leader for three months, according to the Financial Post. Geremia took up the role following an exit by former director Sam Sebastian to join Pelmorex Media as president and CEO.

“I’ve been in Canada now for 10 years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an exciting time in terms of everyone working together and having a shared vision of the future, and the ability for Google to really play a part in that,” she told the Post.

Geremia has worked for the tech giant for 11 years, including a role as Canada’s managing director of integrated solutions. She has an international resume too, joining Google after two decades of global marketing, public relations and sales experience at Procter & Gamble in Rome, Italy and Ask Jeeves in London, U.K.

Now at the helm of Google Canada, Geremia will hone in on three areas of development moving forward. She told the Post the Canadian arm will help businesses grow in the country, better support the Canadian tech sector, and grow digital skills in youth and young women.

“We are at this moment with machine learning and artificial intelligence really taking off and there are a lot of conditions for success here with the government really leaning into it and lots of interesting startups,” Geremia said to the Post, noting that a lot of Google’s products are shaped by Canadian research and thinking.

Geremia was recognized in 2015 by the Women’s Executive Council as one of Canada’s top 100 most powerful women, and a year prior was awarded the Women in Communication Technology Diversity award. In addition to heading Google Canada, Geremia serves on the board for Ryerson University’s DMZ.