Janet Longmore – Founder and CEO of Digital Opportunity Trust
Janet Longmore is the founder and CEO of Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT). An honours graduate of Queen’s University School of Business, she is a champion for technology-driven, community-owned, and youth-led solutions in rapidly developing regions of the world. A passionate believer in the power and potential of youth and technology, Janet works tirelessly to promote respect for youth as an untapped source of creativity, energy, and talent. Under her leadership, DOT has developed a global network of thousands of young people who are invested in their communities as leaders of change and digital social innovators. In communities across Africa, the middle east and indigenous Canada, these young people are creating solutions to local challenges, starting businesses, and creating jobs.
As a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Emerging Multinationals, she shares insights on how skills and talent development is occurring among young people in emerging economies and ensures that youth voices contribute to global dialogues. Janet has been recognized by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and as a Senior Ashoka Fellow; she is a recipient of the CATA Alliance Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (2011); and she was recognized as a Trailblazer and Trendsetter by the Women’s Executive Network Top 100 Women in Canada (2012). While guiding DOT’s steady growth, Janet has built long-term partnerships across private and public sectors, including with Cisco Systems, IBM, The MasterCard Foundation, and agencies such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and USAID.
In 2016, Janet was decorated with a Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor General of Canada, which recognizes her as a strong example of social leadership and innovation bringing considerable honour to Canada.