Professor David R. Beatty C.M., O.B.E., F.ICD, CFA, is chair of the David & Sharon Johnston Center for Corporate Governance Innovation and professor of strategy at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
One of the world’s most experienced corporate directors and educators, David has served as a Director on 40 boards in Canada, America, Mexico, Australia and England and been chairman of 9 public and 2 private companies. He was the founding Managing Director of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (2003-2007), an organization that today represents 50 institutional investors with ~$3 trillion of assets under management (AUM).
In 2004, he helped create and still helps oversee the Canadian Directors’ Education Program with the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), a rigorous 12-day course that has now graduated over 8,000 senior Canadian entrepreneurs, directors and family office members. Upon graduation and the completion of both an on-line examination and then a simulated Board meeting a post nominal is bestowed – the ICD.D
Overseas he has taught In dozens of other jurisdictions. For example, From 2010 until 2017 he created and led the Directors Education Program for Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest company headquartered in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In 1994 he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for his services to Papua New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea he was the principal economic architect for Independence in 1975. He was subsequently presented with the 30-year independence medal.
In 2012 he was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee medal for his contributions to Canadian mining. In 2013 he was inducted into the Order of Canada (C.M.) the nation’s highest civilian honor. The only recipient ever to be cited for his work on Canadian Corporate governance.
In 2018 he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) a grouping of global asset managers with AUMs ~$50 trillion in 47 nations. He was only the third Canadian to be so recognised.
“David did our most recent VIA Board Evaluation and it was a very positive and value-added activity. David’s wide experience provides insightful ideas and guidance for improving our boards’ effectiveness. I would highly recommend to other board chairs, that they leverage David’s experience as a governance and strategic advisor.”
Francois Bertrand
VIA Rail Canada
“I worked alongside David on the Colliers Board where he chaired the Governance Committee and he “onboarded” me as a new Director: we worked closely together and I greatly valued his wisdom and business judgement.”
Stephen Harper
Colliers
“I asked David to join the Board of Canada Steamship Lines Limited, our family company, in 2005. He was a hugely value-added director for 12 years, some 7 of them as Chair of the Governance Committee. Our company and our family benefited enormously from his contributions, and I am very grateful to him.”
Paul Martin
Canada Steamship Lines Limited
“We were blessed at the Black North Initiative that David came forward to first propose and then create The Black North Academy – a bespoke combination of an Executive MBA and a Directors’ Education Program“
Wes Hall
Black North Initiative
“David’s was my best strategy course ever.”
Calvin McDonald
CEO of Lululemon, Board Director at Walt Disney
Since 1998, David has been a Professor of Corporate Strategy and Governance at Canada’s top-ranking business school. Campuses across the globe have invited him to deliver his lectures on Corporate Governance.
“I was fortunate to be a student of David’s during my Executive MBA at the Rotman School. The learnings from his class continue to guide me in my present role. He was, simply, the best Professor I have ever worked with. Happily, we still work together to this day.”
Craig Smith
COO International of Marriott Hotels
the world’s largest hotel chain
“David has been and continues to be a classroom star. He is an extraordinary communicator and a hugely empathetic and approachable individual.”
Roger Martin
Former Dean, Rotman School of Management,
University of Toronto
Professor of Corporate
Strategy & Governance
1998 – Present
BlackNorth Academy,
Cofounding Professor
2021-Present
A pro bono management education program co-created by David and Kelly Murumets at the Rotman School, in conjunction with Wes Hall’s BlackNorth Initiative.
Reaching across industries, David has played crucial roles on the boards of advisory groups and organizations.
David has founded and continues to lead directors programs, contributing to advanced Corporate Governance education at a global scale.
“David created then taught the Directors’ Education Program for all Aramco’s Joint Ventures globally for seven years. It was an extraordinary course that created significant long-term value for Aramco.”
Khalid D. Al-Faddagh
Former Executive Director of Internal Auditing, Saudi Aramco
In 2013 David was awarded the Order of Canada (the C.M. above) the nation’s highest civilian honor. He was awarded a Queens’ Diamond Jubilee medal as well.
For his work as economic advisor during Papua New Guinea’s transition to independence, David was made an O.B.E. at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth II in 1992.
Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal
Awarded to David in 2018 for his significant contributions to corporate governance around the globe.
International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) is a grouping of global asset managers with $50 trillion AUMs in 47 nations.
Canada’s preeminent corporate governance organization.
(C.M., O.B.E., F.ICD, CFA)
Canada’s most experienced corporate governance expert who has devised value-added solutions for boards and CEOs across the globe.
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