Hon. John Manley

Speaker Biography

John Manley’s diverse background and his experience in government make him an ideal speaker on issues of trade, finance and security as well as working with government in Canada and abroad.

The Honourable John Manley is one of the most highly respected business leaders in Canada. For over a decade, he served in the Federal Government as Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Finance Minister and Industry Minister. More recently, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Canada (formerly the Canadian Council of Chief Executives), representing the CEOs of leading Canadian corporations.

Mr. Manley advises clients and helps them succeed through his years of leadership and experience in government and business, and his tremendous understanding of where strategic business opportunities lie.

Mr. Manley is Chair of the Boards of Directors of CIBC and CAE Inc., and is a member of the Board of Directors of TELUS. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and is active in the not-for-profit sector. He is Chair of the Advisory Council of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and past-Chair of the Canadian branch of the Trilateral Commission. He is also a member of the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Institution and the Wilson Center Global Advisory Council.

He holds Honorary Doctorates from the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, University of Toronto, Western University, the University of Windsor and York University.

In his 15 years in Parliament, John Manley held a variety of cabinet positions, including the most prestigious posts as Deputy Prime Minister, and as Minister of Finance, of Foreign Affairs and of Industry. He advocates for developing a “knowledge economy” that will attract and retain the best and brightest minds around the world. 

Since leaving public office, John Manley has remained one of the most respected thought-leaders in Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper tasked him to lead an independent non-partisan panel reviewing Canada’s role in Afghanistan. The hard-hitting ‘Manley Report’ delivered a frank yet sophisticated assessment of the war, and its recommendations were accepted by both the Liberal and Conservative parties. John Manley was also Appointed President and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization composed of the CEOs of Canada’s leading enterprises. 

He launched the Smart Borders program, and for his role as Chair of the Committee on Public Policy and Anti-Terrorism in the wake of 9/11, he was named TIME Canada Magazine’s Newsmaker of the Year.

Few speakers can rival Manley’s knowledge and expertise. Audiences will walk away with new information backed by the first-hand experience from one of Canada’s most productive and important political figures.