The Business/Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) welcomes Dave McKay, President and Chief Executive Officer of RBC, as their new industry co-chair. Effective April 23, Mr. McKay will be joining Elizabeth Cannon, President of the University of Calgary, and Anne Sado, President of George Brown College, in leading BHER. He succeeds Tom Jenkins, Chair of the Board of OpenText Corporation, in this role.

“I’m thrilled to have Dave McKay’s leadership and wealth of experience as we build BHER’s future,” said Anne Sado.

Mr. McKay has led RBC since 2014 – a time in which he has been an unwavering champion for Canada’s innovation ecosystem. A passionate advocate for youth, he has led BHER’s work-integrated learning taskforce since its inception in 2015, and has supported the development of RBC Future Launch, a 10-year, $500 million commitment to help young people build the skills and capabilities required to succeed in a changing world.

“The pace of economic, social and technological change continues to impact the way we work,” Mr. McKay said. “Partnerships are vital in ensuring Canada’s economy navigates these disruptive shifts. I look forward to working alongside my business and post-secondary education colleagues to help unleash the skills of Canada’s youth and build a smart, resilient society.”

Beyond this role, Mr. McKay serves on the Board of Trustees for the Hospital for Sick Children and is a member of the U.S. Financial Services Roundtable Board, the Business Council of Canada, and the Catalyst Canada Advisory Board. In 2016, he chaired the United Way Toronto and York Region’s record-breaking fundraising campaign.

About the Business/Higher Education Roundtable

Composed of leaders from the private sector, universities, colleges and polytechnics, BHER works to support young Canadians as they transition from education to the workplace, strengthen research collaboration between industry and institutions, and help Canadian employers as they adapt to the economy of the future. Learn more at bher.ca