Nabeela Ixtabalan is Walmart Canada’s new executive vice president of people and corporate affairs—and when she introduced herself to the company’s 90,000 associates she identified as a “recovering workaholic.” That’s an apt label for someone who was running a multi-million dollar business in her 20s (then as an executive at Starbucks) while at the same time parenting her first child and putting herself through grad school. But the pressure she put on herself provoked debilitating panic attacks. In this episode, she speaks with host Shaun Francis, CEO of Medcan, about her “baseline”—the set of self-care strategies she now uses to maintain her own mental wellness. She also talks about the way Walmart Canada is leading a national movement to more thoughtfully manage employee wellness. It’s a fascinating episode sure to appeal to anyone seeking pointers on how to manage the demands of work, home and self-care. For Nabeela Ixtabalan’s “baseline” and more check out www.eatmovethinkpodcast.com.
Links:
Some recent blog posts by Ixtabalan
- “Know Your Baseline” — a more fulsome description of her baseline and the concept in practice.
- Confessions of a Recovering Workaholic
- How Nabeela Ixtabalan Focuses on Well-Being with Her Team
Guest Bio
Nabeela Ixtabalan is EVP, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer of Walmart Canada. She leads human resources and corporate affairs for 90,000 associates and over 400 stores across the country. She holds almost 20 years of leadership and business development experience with top recognized brands including Walmart, IKEA, and Starbucks Coffee in the US, Canada and Europe. Nabeela previously held the position as Head of Digital Transformation for Ingka, leading IKEA’s digital and retail transformation globally. She is Board Director of the Future Skills Centre and Miracle Foundation.
Nabeela Ixtabalan grew up in Houston Texas, as a first generation American to immigrant parents from Lebanon. In high school she began working as a barista at Starbucks and was promoted there from store manager to district manager to talent acquisition manager—while at the same time earning her bachelor of science degree in supply chain management and marketing from Indiana University. She also has a Master’s of Science in organizational behaviour, design and management from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is a certified life coach and six-sigma green belt.