Manijeh (Rachel) Colabella

Manijeh is a senior governance consultant and lawyer at WATSON where she helps boards of directors and their committees through governance reviews, board and director evaluations, and policy manual development, and advises boards with respect to governance structures, frameworks and capacity assessments. She is also a facilitator in WATSON’s Governance Academy delivering governance education programs to both individual directors and boards. Manijeh has nearly 25 years of experience in governance and law working with private and public companies, regulatory bodies, not-for-profit organizations, member-based organizations, and Crown and public sector organizations. With extensive experience as a director, corporate secretary and general counsel and a deep knowledge of emerging governance issues, Manijeh provides thoughtful insight and expertise to boards and management teams that are practical, effective and enhance their organization’s success. She is also is a seasoned tax and corporate law specialist, with extensive experience advising public, private and family enterprises of varying size and complexity with respect to governance, business succession and continuity.

Prior to joining WATSON, Manijeh served as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Calgary-based Alaris Royalty Corp., a TSX-listed equity capital provider to private companies across North America. At Alaris, Manijeh was an instrumental member of the senior executive team, a director on its subsidiary operating boards, and a key advisor to the board with respect to corporate governance and strategic objectives. She also practiced for a number of years as a tax and corporate lawyer at both a large, full-service law firm and a boutique tax and estate planning firm in Calgary where she advised businesses and their owners.

Manijeh holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Concentration) from the University of Calgary. She also has her ICD.D certification through the Institute of Corporate Directors as well as her TEP (Trusts and Estates Practitioner) designation through the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners. She is a member of the law societies of British Columbia and Alberta and an active volunteer and past co-chair of the Vancouver steering committee of Women in Capital Markets.