Ontario Pharmacist Nneka Ezurike Named One of Canada's Most Powerful Women

Nneka Ezurike, an associate-owner of four Shoppers Drug Mart locations in the Greater Toronto Area, has been named one of Canada's Most Powerful Women for 2026 by the Women's Executive Network (WXN). She was recognized in the CN Executive Leaders category of WXN's annual Top 100 awards, which honour women for leadership and impact across Canadian industries; the 2026 honourees will be celebrated at WXN's gala on November 26 in Toronto. The recognition is most relevant to pharmacy owners and pharmacists interested in leadership and equity initiatives within the profession, rather than a clinical or regulatory development.

"For me, power isn't about how many people you lead. It's about how many people are empowered because you led," Ezurike said of the honour. She told Shoppers Drug Mart that the news prompted her to reflect on "the opportunities I had taken, the challenges and setbacks I had navigated, the people who had believed in me, and the many moments when I simply kept moving forward without knowing exactly where the path would lead."

Ezurike's work extends beyond her four pharmacies. In 2023, she co-founded Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (BPPC), a volunteer-led non-profit focused on promoting equity for Black pharmacy professionals and patients. She also serves on the board of directors of the Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health, and in 2022 launched EMPOWER, an annual event through Shoppers Drug Mart's Women in Leadership for Associates program that brings together women in pharmacy for continuing education and networking while raising money for community organizations. Pharmacy Practice + Business previously profiled Ezurike in 2023, when she discussed becoming a pharmacy owner shortly after being licensed; at the time she said she continued to spend at least one day a week working in the dispensary at each of her four locations.

Practice guidance for pharmacists

• Pharmacists interested in mentorship or leadership development within pharmacy, particularly Black pharmacy professionals, can look to Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (BPPC) as an existing volunteer-led network rather than starting from scratch.
• Pharmacy owners and managers considering how to support women's advancement in their own organizations have a concrete model in the EMPOWER program's combination of continuing education, networking and community fundraising.
• Recognitions like this are a useful prompt to look at who holds ownership and leadership roles in your own pharmacy network, and whether equivalent mentorship or advancement pathways exist locally.

WXN's 2026 Top 100 recognized 104 women across Canadian industries; Ezurike is among a small number of pharmacy professionals to receive the award this year.