The Mediterranean sun casts a warm glow around Karen Meredith (Blott) as she joins our video interview from Monte Carlo. For most executives, it would be a vacation. For her, however, it’s another day at the office.
Founded in Canada, Monaco was Drake International’s global headquarters from 1971 until recently and it is the home of its Founder Bill Pollock. Meredith, now Global CEO of the leading workforce solutions firm, makes the trip from her Toronto base around six times a year.
“I’m so fortunate. I’m in Monte Carlo, Monaco – if you’ve never been, it’s a must-do on the bucket list,” she tells The CEO Magazine, with genuine enthusiasm. “Make sure you check it off early because you’ll want to come back again and again.”
Her relationship with the city runs deep.
“I was 21 when I first started working for this company,” she reveals. “As a wide-eyed young woman stepping into Monte Carlo for the first time, I felt a fire in my belly and a world of possibility unfolding before me.”
That spark hasn’t dimmed. Today, as the leader of a company spanning 18 countries and a partner network of 140 countries, she’s still guided by that same sense of curiosity.
“In hindsight, I look at where I am today and realize the joy has come one step at a time,” Meredith reflects. “It’s about looking forward but also taking whatever adversity and roadblocks that might cause you to stumble as opportunities.”
A purpose-led transformation
Meredith took the reins of Drake International after the age of 50. For her, it was the start of something entirely new.
“I stepped into the most complex and meaningful leadership role of my career when I became Group CEO, not just to manage or modernize, but to truly transform,” she says.
Founded in 1951, the organization had once revolutionized the workplace by introducing temporary staffing – an industry that barely existed at the time. Now, under Meredith’s leadership, it’s being reimagined once again, with its capabilities spanning across recruitment (temporary and permanent), online credentialing, business process outsourcing and wellbeing.
“We call ourselves a 75-year-old startup,” she points out.
The inspiration behind the reinvention came from a piece of Japanese wisdom, learned during a year she spent in the country during her university studies.
“The art of Kintsugi teaches us to repair broken pottery by filling the cracks with gold,” she explains. “Its strength comes not from avoiding the cracks, but from the way we’ve repaired and reimagined them.”
Meredith saw the gaps – outdated systems and missed tech investments – and is turning them into opportunities.
“We have AI and will continue to leverage it, but at Drake International, we fundamentally believe the future needs people, and it’s people that drive performance,” she says.
“We are and will always be in the business of people. The gold in the cracks is the people enabled by AI.”
Tech with a human lens
For Meredith, AI isn’t a threat to the human workforce. Instead, it’s a tool that, when used thoughtfully, can enhance human capability.
“AI is incredible. It brings efficiency and collective wisdom in the snap of a finger,” she enthuses. “But we look at AI through a human lens, so it really drives impact and outcomes.”
At Drake International, AI is used to streamline repetitive tasks, uncover workforce insights and make smarter matches between candidates and roles.
“It amplifies what people are really good at in their jobs,” she says.
“So in the recruitment business, we’re able to scan the global talent market and help pinpoint potential individuals for jobs. We’re able to work with organizations to do analysis on their workforce and better understand where they may have challenges.
“We can also meet the unmet needs they may not even know exist. We use AI to make people better at their work, and work better for people.”
Leading with the whole person
If there’s one belief that defines Meredith’s leadership, it’s that people are more than just their job titles. A mother of five – including two sons with disabilities – she understands the complexity of balancing work and life in a way that’s practical.
“I’m still a grade three parent, and I also have children in university,” she says with a laugh. “It’s a beautiful life.”
That lived experience has shaped Drake International’s ‘whole person’ approach to work. When Meredith had her first child, she brought her into the office on day five.
“She was raised in the business,” she reveals. “Now she’s 20, and when she visits, people have known her for her entire life.”
The company’s culture mirrors that value.
“I always start meetings by asking, ‘How are you?’ Not as a formality, but because I care,” she insists. “People spend so much of their lives at work. We want them to show up fully seen and heard.”
Legacy as impact
Beyond her role at Drake International, Meredith’s life is a blueprint for impact. She co-founded Circle 21, a Canadian nonprofit for individuals with Down Syndrome, and has built community tech platforms, chaired school boards and mentored women leaders across industries.
“I don’t separate leadership and mentorship – to me, they are one and the same,” she reflects. “I lead through listening, coaching and creating space for others to think, take risks and grow.”
Being named one of The CEO Magazine’s Top 50 Women Over 50 is something she describes as “humbling”. But classic Meredith, she sees it as an invitation and not a conclusion.
“To be recognized is always an honor,” she says. “But I look at it as an opportunity to amplify the opportunity for others – and to say that anything is possible.”
Leaving ripples
Whether she’s talking about legacy or leadership, Meredith keeps returning to one idea: leaving things better.
“We’re in the business of people,” she explains. “By driving a mindset of positive, intentional leadership – leaving ripples – you can be commercially minded and purpose-led. You can have both.”
Meredith’s advice to the next generation of leaders?
“Don’t wait to feel ready. Readiness isn’t a prerequisite – willingness is,” she says. “Stay curious. Stay human. And never underestimate how much your presence can shift a room.”
