Heather Munroe-Blum O.C., O.Q., PhD., F.R.S.C.
Chairperson, Investment Committee and Governance Committee
Montreal, Quebec
CPPIB is internationally recognized as a leading example of sound pension plan management. We are independent of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), operate at arm’s length from federal and provincial governments and are guided by an independent highly qualified, professional Board of Directors.
Chairperson, Investment Committee and Governance Committee
Montreal, Quebec
Director since December 2010
Dr. Munroe-Blum serves as Director, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Chair of RBC's Corporate Governance Committee; as Director of CGI Group, the CD Howe Institute and the Gairdner Foundation, where she serves as Vice-Chair of the Board. She is a Member of the President’s Council of the New York Academy of Sciences, the Board of Stanford University’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS), and, the Trilateral Commission. Dr. Munroe-Blum is an Officer of the Order of Canada, Officer of the Order of Quebec and a Specially Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She has extensive experience in governance, risk management, finance, human resources and talent development, international business, and innovation and technology development.
Dr. Munroe-Blum is a distinguished academic leader and administrator. She is an outstanding scholar in the fields of psychiatric epidemiology and public policy. She served for over a decade as Principal and Vice-Chancellor (President) of McGill University, and before that, as Vice-President (Research and International Relations), the University of Toronto. She is a graduate of McMaster University, Wilfrid Laurier University, and, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received a Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology (with distinction). She is the recipient of numerous national and international awards for her leadership in mental health, research, science and innovation, higher education and governance.
Dr. Munroe-Blum is married to screenwriter, Len Blum. They have one daughter, Sydney.
Corporate Director, Investment Committee, Audit Committee and Governance Committee
Toronto, Ontario
Director since January 2009
Former Vice-Chair and Group Treasurer of the Bank of Nova Scotia, the culmination of a 40-year career with the bank serving in a succession of senior investment banking, finance and treasury roles. Director of Integrated Asset Management Corp. Director of Hamilton Capital Partners Inc. Former Director of numerous Scotiabank subsidiaries including Scotia Discount Brokerage, Inc., Scotia Life Insurance Company, ScotiaMcLeod, Inc. and Scotia Cassels Investment Counsel Ltd.
Qualifications include more than 40 years of financial industry experience as a bank executive dealing with finance, risk management, pension fund asset mix, investment strategies, treasury functions and international operations.
Economist, Ph.D., Investment Committee, Governance Committee and Audit Committee
Vancouver, British Columbia
Director since February 2008
Former Chief Academic Officer, Universitas 21 Global, an online graduate school initiated by Universitas 21, an international network of 20 research-intensive universities. Scholar in Residence at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; Senior Fellow, Institute of Asian Research, UBC; and Professor and Dean Emeritus and former Dean of the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, with 37 years on the UBC faculty. Former member of the Deposit Insurance Advisory Committee to the federal Minister of Finance. Member of the B.C. Workers’ Compensation Board Investment Committee. Chair of the Board, Surrey City Development Corporation. Former Director of Geovic Mining Corporation and Chair of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. Director, Resource Works, a non-profit British Columbia Society to promote understanding of natural resources in the BC economy. Director, Vankic China Investment. Advisor to the CBD Global Equity Fund. Former Director of China Enterprises Limited, Redekop Properties Ltd., Vancouver Land Corporation, Catamaran Ferries International Inc., Imperial Parking Limited and Lend Lease Global Properties Fund, a Luxembourg-based fund investing in properties in Europe and Asia.
Ph.D. (Economics) from the University of California at Berkeley.
Qualifications include expertise in global real estate investments and urban infrastructure and experience on boards as a director serving on audit and compensation committees.
Lawyer, Investment Committee, Audit Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Director since September 2008
Partner with the law firm McDougall Gauley LLP, specializing in business law and corporate governance. Director of Cameco Corporation, chairing the nominating, governance and risk committee. Director of GrowthWorks Commercialization Fund, chairing the audit committee. Former Chair of the Saskatoon Airport Authority, the Board of Governors of the University of Saskatchewan, SGI Canada, a Saskatchewan Crown corporation, and of the Saskatchewan Police Commission. Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1992.
Qualifications include more than 30 years of legal experience with expertise in taxation, governance and information technology, experience in government interface and as a Director in multiple stakeholder organizations.
Corporate Executive, Investment Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Director since October 2012
Previously President and CEO of Bell Aliant; Chief Operating Officer, Bell Aliant; President of Small and Medium Business, Bell Canada; Chief Marketing Officer, Bell Canada; Senior Vice-President of Product Management and Development, Bell Canada. Prior to joining Bell, held a variety of assignments with Ameritech and United Airlines. Director of Q9. Past Director of Bell Aliant Inc., Bell Aliant Regional Communications Inc., Bell Aliant Preferred Equity Inc., and Teknion Corporation. Current Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. Past member of the New Brunswick Business Council. Named one of Canada’s top 25 Women of Influence for 2013 (Women of Influence Inc.). In 2012 named Woman of the Year by Canadian Women in Communications. Named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs (Atlantic Business Magazine). Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women three times and named to the Women’s Executive Network Top 100 Women Hall of Fame.
Qualifications include extensive senior management experience and expertise in strategic-priority setting of major corporations, including oversight of Bell Aliant’s conversion back to a corporation from one of the largest income trusts in Canada and leading Bell Aliant to become the first company in Canada to cover an entire city with a fibre-to-the-home network.
Investment Committee, Audit Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
London, Ontario
Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario
Director since April 2007
Executive Chairman of Financial Horizons Group, an MGA in the life insurance industry. Former CEO of Granite Global Solutions, an insurance services company, and former President of Axia NetMedia Corporation. Currently Director of Axia NetMedia Corporation. Former Director of Terravest Income Fund, Critical Outcome Technologies Inc, Western Surety Ltd., Ontario Hydro, London Insurance Group, IPSCO Inc., Crown Life Insurance Co. and Queen’s University School of Business (Advisory Committee), among others. Former Deputy Minister of Finance and Deputy Minister to the Premier for the Government of Saskatchewan.
Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.
Qualifications include expertise as a chartered accountant, senior-level financial experience from five years as President of Avco Financial Services Canada Ltd. and eight years in executive roles with companies in the Trilon Financial Group, experience in public pension plan management and interface with government.
Corporate Director, Investment Committee, Governance Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Calgary, Alberta
Director since April 2007
Retired Executive Vice-President and CFO of TransAlta Corporation, a power generation company, and President of TransAlta Power L.P. Over 35 years of experience in senior finance roles at TransAlta, General Electric and Canada Post Corporation. Former Chair of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. Retired Executive Vice-President and CEO of TransAlta, General Electric and Canada Post Corporation. Former Director of TransAlta Power L.P.
Qualifications include expertise in finance in major corporations and international experience in Paris and London.
Corporate Director, Investment Committee, Governance Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Vancouver, British Columbia
Director since February 2008
CEO and Director of Methanex Corporation from 1994 to 2004, and Chair from 2002 until 2012. As CEO of Methanex, credited with globalizing the company’s asset base. Former President and COO of Novacorp International and former President of Polysar Inc. Former Chair of Gennum Corporation. Former Director of Credit Lyonnais (Canada), Echo Bay Mines (U.S.), Stelco, Inc., TELUS Corporation, and Terasen, Inc.
Qualifications include 25 years of senior management experience, concentrated in the natural gas and chemical industries, international experience in Belgium and Switzerland, and extensive board experience, including chairing human resources and governance committees and serving on the full range of board committees – notably two acquisition committees for large transactions.
Corporate Director, Investment Committee and Governance Committee
Toronto, Ontario
Director since 2015
Held various executive leadership roles with Nestlé for over 26 years, including Senior Vice-President & Head of Global Supply Chain, Global Business Head for Nescafé Ready to Drink, and President of Ice Cream in Canada. Also held positions on several management and joint venture boards as well as with industry associations such as the Food & Consumer Products Manufacturers of Canada and GS1. Past member of the Dean’s advisory council of the Laurier School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University. Non-executive Director on the Boards of Brambles Limited and Recall Holdings Limited and Director on the Board of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.
Certified Management Accountant of Canada and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Qualifications include more than 36 years of international business and board expertise in countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Pakistan, in addition to Canada.
Corporate Director, Investment Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Toronto, Ontario
Director since October 2009
Recently retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of McLean Budden Ltd., an institutional money management firm. Former Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking (Ontario) of Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., and former Senior Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Hudson’s Bay Company. Current Director at Methanex Corporation. Former Director at Stelco Inc. and Woodward’s Ltd. Current Chairman at Drumlane Capital, a personally owned investment firm.
Qualifications include more than 25 years of investment industry, general management, and mergers and acquisitions experience.
Corporate Executive, Lawyer, Corporate Director, Investment Committee, Audit Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Toronto, Ontario
Appointed Director October 2013.
Chair of the Board of Royal Bank of Canada and Board member since 2001. Director of ADECCO SA since April 2015. Former President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts with over 24 years of experience beginning as General Counsel then promoted to EVP Corporate Planning and Development, President, Worldwide Business Operations, and President and COO. Prior to joining Four Seasons practiced corporate securities and competition law at Goodmans, LLP and spent a year secondment at the Ontario Securities Commission. Chair of the Board of the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation in Toronto and a member of the hospital’s Board of Trustees.
Recipient of an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from York University (2014) and the Cornell University Hospitality Innovator Award (2012). First woman to receive the Corporate Hotelier of the World award from Hotels Magazine and was inducted into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends (2010). Recipient of the Inaugural Medal for Career Achievement from Hennick Centre for Business and Law at York University (2010) and the Schulich School of Business Award for Outstanding Executive Leadership (2001.)
Qualifications include over 25 years of global executive experience overseeing major strategic and operations initiatives, negotiating expertise and strong relationship management capabilities that drove the modern evolution of an iconic company with the support of almost 100 ownership and development partners around the world.
Chartered Accountant, Corporate Director, Investment Committee and Audit Committee
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Director since November 2012
President/Owner of Stonebridge Capital Inc., a private investment company that invests in a variety of businesses including Atlantic Canadian start-up and high-growth companies. From 1998 to 2006 served as Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of CHC Helicopter Corporation. Director of Highland Copper, Chair of Newfoundland Power, Director of Major Drilling Group International Inc., Chair of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, Director of Dr. H. Bliss-Murphy Cancer Care Foundation and Director of Propel ICT. Honoured as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 in 2000.
Qualifications include extensive investment industry and corporate director experience including as an active angel investor with the Newfoundland and Labrador Angel Network (NLAN) and as Director of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and member of the founding executive of the ICD’s Newfoundland and Labrador affiliate.