What You Need to Know
Alia Tayyeb, Deputy Chief at the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), won the 2025 APEX (Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada) Leadership Award, presented by Telfer Executive Programs.
The Executive Security & Intelligence Leadership Certificate supports security & intelligence leaders in achieving the next level of leadership excellence. The next cohort of ESILC starts in January 2026 – register by November 14, 2025.
Leading in the security & intelligence (S&I) community can feel isolating, but for leaders like Alia Tayyeb, building community within this sector of government is an exciting leadership journey worth celebrating.
Alia Tayyeb, Deputy Chief at the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), is the winner of the 2025 APEX (Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada) Leadership Award, presented by Telfer Executive Programs. Ms. Tayyeb was nominated for this award by other Government of Canada executives and won the award in recognition of her outstanding leadership that presents a role model for the public service, resulting in improved programs, services or initiatives.
Having the opportunity to speak with Alia following her win, she is truly an empathetic leader, dedicated to delivering results for Canadians while leading her team with integrity, collaboration, and respect for all.
Alia’s Leadership Journey
Ms. Tayyeb’s journey in the public service has been vast and varied. “I’ve run operations, had a regional assignment and an overseas post in a hostile environment. I’ve worked in review and compliance, as well as border security and security screening (immigration and government clearances). I also had the chance to work at Privy Council Office (PCO) on complex policy issues and saw first-hand the interconnection of national security with economic and social policy and emergency preparedness,” she shared. “This variety of experiences comes with not only an expanded knowledge about how our community works but also exposed me to partners and clients in a way that helped me appreciate how much it matters that we understand and value each others’ roles, responsibilities and objectives, and our collective obligation in seeing each other succeed.”
Collaborative, Values-Based Leadership
Alia believes deeply that teams have the power to accomplish far more together than each individual member of the team can accomplish on their own. “If I think back to why I sought my first position as a supervisor many years ago – it was because I thought I could achieve more by leading a team, rather than simply being an excellent analyst. As a senior leader, that principle still holds, but I am vastly more aware of the value and impact of being able to help others be better leaders,” she reflected. “Mentorship is really the key to developing the next generation of leaders and is both an obligation as a leader but personally, incredibly rewarding.”
Alia believes deeply in developing the next generation of leaders and in generously sharing her experience and expertise. She recently contributed to a panel discussion at Telfer during the conclusion of the Executive Security & Intelligence Leadership Certificate (ESILC) on the topic of The S&I Community of the Future, engaging ESILC participants in a thought-provoking dialogue on a forward-looking vision for the community as a whole.
The unique context of the S&I community drives Alia to lead with her values at the forefront. “We all have a combination of personal and workplace values that guide our behaviour and decision-making: you need to know what’s important to you and important as a leader in the public service and orient everything around those values. This also helps create an environment around you that is safe, predictable and where expectations are clear – and you can always be completely transparent about why you are doing something and what drives your decisions,” she shared. “Being clear about values also promotes an environment of trust, which enables your team to be more agile, creative and empowered, because they know what is ultimately expected of them. It also provides a frame to make mistakes – we can’t control all the variables and mistakes are a necessary part of growth and innovation. But if you always act and make decisions in an ethical manner in keeping with your own and your organization’s values, you can feel comfortable with your actions and decisions - no matter the outcome.”
On the 2025 APEX Leadership Award
Alia is incredibly grateful to be recognized by her peers this year by winning the 2025 APEX Leadership Award. “Receiving this year’s APEX Leadership Award is incredibly meaningful to me on a number of levels. While I am naturally an outcome-driven person, an important part of my journey as an executive in the public service has been the realization that it’s not only about what you accomplish in your work but how you do it, how you create a positive work environment and how you support others in achieving their goals,” she reflected. “I confess I’m a bit shy about the award – there are so many incredible leaders in the public service whom I respect enormously and do mind-blowing things I don’t think I could do. To me, there is no greater accomplishment than this particular recognition from my colleagues.”
Advice to Fellow Leaders
Ms. Tayyeb has many pearls of wisdom with fellow leaders in the public service on how to show up for yourself, your team, and for Canadians:
Be clear about your personal values and your organization’s values – making decisions within this frame is the key to good judgement and enables you to take risks.
Be authentic – there is no one style of leader and it’s too exhausting not to be yourself. Authenticity is essential to creating trust and trust is essential for a healthy workplace.
Be excellent – you probably can’t choose exactly how your career will go, and you can’t always be at the right place at the right time. What you can be is excellent at what you do, always.
Be kind – there’s no other way to be.
Be ready for opportunity – there is no perfect path. If an opportunity presents itself that is even partially meets your career objectives, you should take it! Same for your work, opportunity management is as important as risk management.
Be purposeful in your leadership – know that the greatest impact you can have is on the people around you and it’s your responsibility to create a healthy environment and support the next generation of public service leaders.
Be grounded in mission – we are public servants and are responsible for important services to Canada and Canadians. Make sure you know exactly what you’re trying to achieve for our country. This is central to your ability to lead and will guide you through challenges, complexity and ambiguity.
Congratulations, Alia! Telfer Executive Programs is incredibly proud to recognize your inspiring leadership.
For S&I leaders looking to achieving the next level of leadership excellence, the Executive Security & Intelligence Leadership Certificate (ESILC) has been designed in consultation with the community to support the unique needs of security & intelligence leaders. The next cohort of ESILC starts in January 2026 – register by November 14, 2025.
