Ottawa's role as the nerve centre of Canada's defence industry just got a fresh face at the top. Dasha Cohen, who was born in Kyiv, has been named the new head of the Alliance of Canadian Defence Companies (ACDC), the national trade association that represents defence manufacturers, tech firms, and suppliers across the country.
Why This Matters for Ottawa
Ottawa isn't just the seat of federal government, it's also home to a dense cluster of defence and dual-use tech companies, many clustered around Kanata North and working closely with the Department of National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and NATO-adjacent research programs. The ACDC represents a huge chunk of that ecosystem, lobbying Ottawa's policymakers on procurement rules, export controls, and funding for defence innovation. Whoever leads the alliance has an outsized influence on how federal dollars flow to companies based right here in the capital.
Cohen's appointment lands at a moment when defence spending is back in the spotlight. Ottawa has faced pressure from NATO allies to boost military expenditure, and the federal government has signalled it wants to fast-track procurement and grow the domestic defence sector rather than leaning solely on foreign suppliers. That makes the ACDC's advocacy work, and its new leader, directly relevant to how much of that spending actually reaches Ottawa-based firms.
A Personal Connection to the Stakes
Cohen's background as a Kyiv native adds a layer of personal weight to the role. Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine has been one of the single biggest drivers of renewed Western interest in defence manufacturing capacity, supply chain resilience, and rapid-response procurement, all core issues the ACDC lobbies on. Having a leader with firsthand experience of the conflict that reshaped NATO's defence posture is a notable detail for an organization whose members build the systems meant to deter exactly that kind of aggression.
What the Alliance Does
The ACDC acts as the collective voice for Canada's defence industrial base, pushing government to streamline procurement processes that companies have long complained are too slow and bureaucratic. For Ottawa's tech firms working on everything from cybersecurity to sensor systems to secure communications, faster and more predictable government contracts can mean the difference between scaling up locally or losing talent and contracts to competitors in the US or Europe.
Looking Ahead
With Cohen now at the helm, expect the ACDC to keep pressing Ottawa's decision-makers on procurement reform and increased defence investment, conversations that directly affect the dozens of Kanata North and downtown Ottawa firms that make up much of the country's defence tech workforce. As global tensions keep defence spending elevated, the alliance's next moves under new leadership will be worth watching for anyone tracking Ottawa's tech and innovation sector.
Source: Ottawa Business Journal
