Trust and the supercluster

In this episode of High Agency, we sit down with Sue Paish, CEO of DIGITAL, to explore why Canada struggles to turn world-class research into globally competitive companies, and what it takes to change that. Sue reflects on an unconventional career spanning law, healthcare, diagnostics, and national innovation, sharing how repeated leaps into unfamiliar territory shaped her approach to leadership, risk, and collaboration. We unpack how DIGITAL built one of Canada’s most ambitious innovation ecosystems by prioritizing outcomes over process, and why trust-based networks, fast decision-making, and coordinated action became critical during COVID-19. The conversation also explores Canadian business culture, the tension between caution and ambition, and why Sue believes the country’s future depends on becoming bolder, more accountable, and more willing to back winners. Featuring Sue Paish CEODIGITALhttps://digitalsupercluster.ca/ Sue Paish is the CEO of DIGITAL, Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster, where she leads collaborative innovation among over 1,700 Canadian organizations. Under her leadership, DIGITAL has driven remarkable outcomes, including 750+ IP assets, 190+ commercial products, $1.4 billion in follow-on investment, and $4.5 billion in projected five-year revenue for member companies. She champions partnerships across industry, public sector, and community organizations to develop transformative digital solutions in natural resources, life sciences, and talent development. Hosted by Mo Dhaliwal CEO Skyrocket Digital Software engineer turned marketer, Mo is an entrepreneur, cultural curator and technologist. In his role as founder and CEO of Skyrocket Digital, he helps clients with business, brand and technology to launch new ideas and grow their businesses. — High Agency: Conversations that Drive Growth and Transformation Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/highagencypod/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/high-agency-pod X: ⁠https://x.com/highagencypod TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@highagencypod —Presented by Skyrocket Digital⁠⁠Skyrocket is the digital agency for ambitious leaders. Our capabilities empower business and marketing leaders with the confidence to launch new initiatives, grow their brands, and undergo the transformation necessary to achieve breakthrough results.