About Alex
Alex Bednar is a leadership and career strategist who helps ambitious professionals navigate career complexity, power dynamics, and AI-driven change with clarity and confidence. Inspired by the Greek concept of “arete” (realizing one’s full potential through excellence), Alex focuses on the human skills AI cannot replace: critical thinking, emotional intelligence, leadership, and influence.
With a career spanning over two decades, Alex has held roles in municipal/federal government and spent over a decade at a major Canadian Bank, specializing in transformational work including Organizational redesigns and M&A. These experiences provided a front-row seat to how real decisions get made, how power and influence actually work, and what it takes for leaders to succeed amid constant change.
Areti Academy guides ambitious professionals to master the human skills AI can’t replace—leadership, influence, and strategic career growth—so they can break through barriers and realize their full potential in complex organizations.
Alex’s work background combines rigorous policy training with deep practical experience. Alex holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Policy and Governance, as well as a Brief Coaching Certificate from OISE, and has spent years working at the intersection of governance, executive decision-making, and organizational change. This blend of analytical and coaching skill allows Alex to translate messy organizational realities into clear choices, strategies, and conversations that move careers forward.
Since 2019, Alex has coached emerging and established leaders through promotions, restructurings, executive transitions, and major organizational shifts. Using a solution-focused approach, Alex helps clients cut through noise and self-doubt to make better decisions, build strategic relationships, and act with grounded confidence.
Through Areti Academy, Alex delivers curated workshops, tailored coaching, and high-impact talks that translate complex dynamics into clear, practical strategies. The goal is always the same: to help clients lead through ambiguity, navigate complex systems with integrity, and advance their careers with purpose in a workplace increasingly transformed by AI.