Hon. John Manley

Speaker Biography

Since leaving public office, John Manley has remained one of the most respected thought-leaders in Canada. In 2007 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. In 2009 John Manley was 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. In 2014, CIBC voted him to become its new chairman. 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. 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. He has openly expressed his interest in returning to politics in the future, with his eyes on the Prime Minister’s Office. 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.