Onex’ governance framework embraces an independent board and practices that meet or exceed regulatory requirements.
Board of Directors
Onex’ Board of Directors has adopted a written mandate setting out its responsibilities for the firm’s stewardship. The mandate of the Board is to oversee the management of Onex by its executive officers and managers. Each of our Directors is aligned with the interests of shareholders through mandatory ownership of Onex securities.
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Gerry SchwartzChairmanGerry SchwartzChairman
Mr. Schwartz, 78, of Toronto, Ontario, is the Founder, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Onex. Mr. Schwartz was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 2004 and was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006. He is also an honorary director of The Bank of Nova Scotia and is a director of Indigo Books & Music Inc. Mr. Schwartz is Vice Chairman of Mount Sinai Hospital and is a director, governor or trustee of a number of other non-profit organizations.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba, a Master of Business Administration degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration and Honorary Doctorate degrees from six other universities.
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William EtheringtonLead Director, IndependentWilliam EtheringtonLead Director, Independent
Mr. Etherington, 78, of Toronto, Ontario, retired as Chair of the board and of Celestica Inc. in January 2020, where he had served as a director since 2001. He was the Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce until February 2009 and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of IBM World Trade Corporation until 2001.
Mr. Etherington holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree and Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Science from the University of Western Ontario.
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Mitchell GoldharDirector, IndependentMitchell GoldharDirector, Independent
Mr. Goldhar, 58, of Toronto, Ontario, is Chairman of the Board of SmartREIT. In 1994, Mr. Goldhar founded SmartCentres and developed 265 shopping centres, many of which were anchored by Walmart. Mr. Goldhar is President and CEO of Penguin Investments Inc., a director of Indigo Books & Music Inc., a Director Emeritus with the SickKids Foundation, is on the Advisory Board for the Canadian Sports Concussion Project and is owner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club.
Mr. Goldhar holds a Bachelor of Political Science degree from York University and has been an adjunct professor with the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto for 14 years.
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Serge GouinDirector, IndependentSerge GouinDirector, Independent
Mr. Gouin, 77, of Outremont, Quebec, was formerly Chairman of the Board of Quebecor Media Inc., a communications and media-cable and entertainment company. Mr. Gouin was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2018. He is also the former Advisory Director of Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc. from 1998-2003, former President and Chief Operating Officer of Le Groupe Vidéotron Ltée from1991-1996 and former Chairman of the Board of TVA Group Inc. He is the Chairman of Anges Québec Capital Fund. He previously served on the Advisory Committee of the Ivey Business School for over 20 years.
Mr. Gouin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montreal as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.
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Ewout HeersinkDirectorEwout HeersinkDirector
Mr. Heersink, 69, of Oakville, Ontario, is a Senior Managing Director of the Corporation and has been an executive of Onex since 1983. He served as Onex’ Chief Financial Officer through 2008 and has also served as a director of several of Onex’ operating companies.
Mr. Heersink is a former Member of the Advisory Council of the Queen’s School of Business. He holds a Bachelor of Honours Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Business Administration degree from Queen’s University. Mr. Heersink is also a Chartered Accountant.
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Arianna HuffingtonDirector, IndependentArianna HuffingtonDirector, Independent
Ms. Huffington, 69, of New York, New York, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thrive Global, a corporate and consumer well-being and productivity business and is the founder of The Huffington Post Media Group. In May 2005, Ms. Huffington launched The Huffington Post, which won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting in 2012. She was named to the Forbes Most Powerful Women list in 2013 and was named to the Time 100, Time Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people, in each of 2006 and 2011. Ms. Huffington serves on the boards of EL PAÍS, a major Spanish language newspaper.
Ms. Huffington holds a Master of Arts in Economics from Cambridge University.
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John McCoyDirector, IndependentJohn McCoyDirector, Independent
Mr. McCoy, 76, of Columbus, Ohio, retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Banc One Corporation in December 1999, where he had been Chief Executive Officer since 1984 and Chairman since 1998. Mr. McCoy joined Banc One Corporation in 1970. Mr. McCoy is a director of a number of non-profit institutions.
Mr. McCoy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Williams College and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
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J. Robert PrichardDirector, IndependentJ. Robert PrichardDirector, Independent
Mr. Prichard, 71, of Toronto, Ontario, is non-executive Chairman of Torys LLP and was previously President and Chief Executive Officer of each of Metrolinx and Torstar Corporation. Prior to joining Torstar, he was President of the University of Toronto from 1990-2000. He is the lead director of George Weston Ltd., a director of Alamos Gold Inc. and the Chair of the Hospital for Sick Children. Mr. Prichard was also the Chairman of Bank of Montreal until May 2020.
Mr. Prichard studied economics at Swarthmore College and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Laws degree from Yale University. He is also an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Member of the Order of Ontario and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
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Heather ReismanDirectorHeather ReismanDirector
Ms. Reisman, 71, of Toronto, Ontario, is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Indigo Books & Music Inc. Prior to co-founding Indigo Books & Music, she held the position of President of Cott Corporation from 1990-1992. Ms. Reisman is also a director of Mount Sinai Hospital and a former member of the Bilderberg Meetings Steering Committee. She is a former Governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and of McGill University.
Ms. Reisman was educated at McGill University.
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Arni ThorsteinsonDirector, IndependentArni ThorsteinsonDirector, Independent
Mr. Thorsteinson, 71, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the President of Shelter Canadian Properties Limited, a privately owned diversified real estate development and management company. He is also a trustee of Lanesborough Real Estate Investment Trust, a director of Bird Construction Inc. and a member of the board of advisors of Onex Real Estate Partners. He was the Founding Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and is Vice Chair of the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Mr. Thorsteinson holds Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and Doctor of Laws (Honours) degrees from the University of Manitoba as well as the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
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Beth WilkinsonDirector, IndependentBeth WilkinsonDirector, Independent
Ms. Wilkinson, 57, of Washington, DC is the founder of Wilkinson Walsh & Eskovitz, a specialty trial and litigation law firm. Ms. Wilkinson was previously a partner in two major U.S. law firms and served as General Counsel to Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) from 2006-2008.
Ms. Wilkinson has a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Committee Composition
The Board has established two standing committees of directors, and the responsibilities of each are set forth in a written charter approved by the board. Other committees are appointed from time to time when required. The proceedings of committees are reviewed by, and their recommendations are brought for consideration to, the full Board.
Independent Directors | Audit and Corporate Governance Committee | Compensation and Management Resource Committee | |
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William Etherington | Independent Director | Audit and Corporate Governance Committee | Compensation and Management Resource Committee |
Mitchell Goldhar | Independent Director | ||
Serge Gouin | Independent Director | Audit and Corporate Governance Committee | |
Ewout Heersink | |||
Arianna Huffington | Independent Director | ||
John McCoy | Independent Director | Compensation and Management Resource Committee | |
J. Robert Prichard | Independent Director | Audit and Corporate Governance Committee | |
Heather Reisman | |||
Gerry Schwartz | |||
Arni Thorsteinson | Independent Director | Audit and Corporate Governance Committee | |
Beth Wilkinson | Independent Director |