Cybele Negris - Co-Founder & CEO Webnames.ca, ICD.D

Speaker | Serial Entrepreneur | Experienced Director | Mentor | Columnist

The road to leadership and entrepreneurial success is winding, with plenty of peaks and valleys. With 20-years of experience helming a successful tech company, among other businesses, Cybele Negris has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience navigating business challenges and male-dominated industries, while simultaneously building an inclusive workplace culture and motivated, self-directed team. Along this journey, Cybele has overcome feelings of impostor syndrome and a nearly debilitating fear of public speaking to become a sought-after speaker, accomplished board member, prolific mentor, diversity advocate, recognized business consultant, government advisor, and columnist.

An immigrant, visible minority, and pioneering woman leader in Vancouver's technology scene, Cybele has blazed her own path as a business person. As a speaker, she has addressed c-suite executives and teams from Fortune 500 companies, stadium capacity youth conferences, crowds at TEDx and everything in between.

Her passions include nurturing STEM/STEAM exploration and career goals among adolescent girls, having successfully advocated the BC government for an official proclamation of a Women and Girls in STEAM week, as well as raising both awareness and funds for early stage cancer research.

Speaker Topics

Cybele is an experienced keynote, panel speaker and moderator who speaks about a diverse range of themes at the intersection of business, leadership, workplace culture, women in technology, and motivation.

Select Speaking

Scotia Bank International Women's Day 2020 Keynote
Level Up 2019 Executive Leadership Conference
Vancouver 2019 Evanta CIO CISO Executive Summit Keynote
HR Tech Talent 2019 Keynote
WXN In Conversation with Canada's Most Powerful Female CEOs
We for She Conference 2019
G-Day Vancouver

Impostor Syndrome

All genders struggle with impostor syndrome, but there is an undeniable “confidence gap” among women and it’s having a profound effect on who chooses what professions – and who ultimately climbs to the top. Cybele Negris speaks about tackling impostor syndrome to accomplish career and personal goals, and how doing so will put more women at the decision-making table.

Women in Leadership

We know women make great leaders. In fact, women outrank men on 17 of 19 capabilities used to differentiate excellent leaders from average ones by Harvard Business Review. Still, there remains too few women in leadership roles. While this is changing, there's still significant progress to be made. Cybele speaks about her own journey as a leader, her leadership style and advice for career advancement, as well as what we can do to propel more women into leadership roles.

Women & Girls in STEM

The gender split in STEM is not because of differing aptitudes. While inspiring young girls and keeping them interested throughout their academic careers is important, Cybele addresses how changing corporate culture and hiring practices is critical to lessening workplace friction for women pursuing careers in STEM.

Corporate Board Service for Beginners

Cybele demystifies the process of how to get on a corporate board, discussing both the preparation required, recruitment process, and performance expectations. With women woefully underrepresented on corporate boards, she pays particular attention to how women can achieve their goals of board service.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

When she launched Webnames 20-years ago, tech companies were known for having a "bro" culture. Cybele talks about how she consciously shifted the corporate culture of Webnames to be more inclusive and create a space where her diverse employees felt as though they "fit in" and could be their authentic selves from day one.

Entrepreneurial Journey

Not everyone is cut out for entrepreneurship. It's a journey filled with uncertainty and improvisation, requiring both perseverance and a strong belief in self. Cybele shares her own experience as an entrepreneur who has experienced both success and failure, and how to embrace the journey, learn from mistakes, adapt and relentlessly press forward.

Current Board Positions and Appointments

Board Positions

Royal Canadian Mint (audit and HR committees)
AGF Management (TSX: AGF B)
BCAA (audit committee, Chair of risk committee)
Science World (Vice-Chair of board, executive committee, fundraising committee)
Vice-Chair of BC Small Business Roundtable

Cybele's other appointments include Chair of Departmental Audit Committee for Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, the Board of Directors for BlueShore Financial, the Technical Advisory Board for the Riverview Lands Redevelopment, Co-Chair of the Rosie the Riveter Inspired Initiative of the Prosperity Project, and the Regional Ambassador Council for Women Get on Board.

Awards and Recognition

Women's Executive Network, Canadian Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award in the Corporate Board Directors category 2023
BMO Celebrating Women on Boards 2023 Honoree
Women's Executive Network Hall of Fame Inductee, Four time winner, Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women
Nine time winner of PROFIT W100
BIV500 - BC's Top Business Leader - Technology Innovator 2021 & 2022
BC Business, Influential Women in Business 2018, 2017, 2015
Business In Vancouver Influential Women in Business, 2010
Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, 2005
Business in Vancouver Top 40 Under 40, 2003

Select Writing

Defending Your Brand Online: Domain Name Risks Companies Can't Ignore - Forbes

Personal Branding For CEOs And Founders - Forbes

Five Reasons Your Early-Stage Business Should Have An Advisory Board - Forbes

Small Companies Can Help Close Tech's Gender Gap - Here's How To Start - Forbes

How the global pandemic will reshape B.C.’s business environment - Business In Vancouver

Workplace culture change needed to recruit more women in tech - Business In Vancouver

Impostor syndrome is a genuine threat to women’s workplace advancement - Business In Vancouver

Getting women into science and tech is critical for businesses - Business In Vancouver

Networking without fear: tips for both introverts and extroverts - Business In Vancouver

What Is DNSSEC and Why Is It Important? - CTO Vision

Select Media

Women in Leadership: Delivering Innovation in STEM - Vancouver Sun

Meet the 8 speakers headlining the Level Up: Executive Leadership Conference - Daily hive

Federal-Provincial-Territorial Task Group Gathers to Advance Women’s Economic Participation and Leadership - Government of Canada, Women and Gender Equality Canada

Women hold less than 20% of positions on corporate boards, StatsCan finds - CBC

Cybele Negris, member of Science World's Chair Council, is helping ignite a passion for science in young girls - Science World

What is Imposter Syndrome, how it affects your health, and how to overcome it: an interview with Cybele Negris - South China Morning Post Young Post

B.C.'s Most Influential Women 2018: Stem Stars - BC Business Magazine

Cybele Negris on Board Opportunities, Alignment and Impact - Women Get on Board

Cybele Negris on how entrepreneurs overcome a lot of things by not giving up - The Globe and Mail

Women For the Win: How An Influx of Talented Female Professionals Is Transforming the Domain Industry For Good - Domain Name Journal

About Webnames.ca

Webnames.ca is Canada's original domain name registrar. 100% Canadian owned and operated since its founding 2000, Webnames was started by Cybele Negris and John Demco, the internet visionary behind the .CA domain for Canada. Today the company has two lines of business, Webnames Corporate which specializes in corporate domain and SSL management for leading Canadian brands, lawfirms, government and non-profits, and Webnames.ca, where Canadians can find more than 500 domain extensions, hosting, professional email and the website security tools they need to make a name for themselves online.

Webnames.ca is certified by both Women Business Enterprise Canada (WBE) and the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC), and is a ClimateSmart accredited business.

Get in Touch

Cybele Negris regularly delivers talks and participates in panel discussions at corporate events, conferences, and non-profit events. Connect below to enquire about having her engage with your group or organization.