The Globe and Mail Report on Business magazine announces Canada’s top five CEOS of 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 18, 2025
The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine today announced Canada’s top leaders of 2025 as part of its annual CEO of the Year award feature. The five CEOs exhibit the best of Canadian corporate leadership, innovation, vision, and responsibility.
The five winning CEOs are:
Corporate Citizen of the Year: Michael Garcia, CEO, Algoma Steel
Awarded to a CEO whose personal leadership exemplifies the idea that businesses can do well by doing good. This leader’s decisions have made his/her company an excellent corporate citizen via its environmental, social, advocacy, community and/or other corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Global Visionary of the Year: Jennifer Wong, CEO, Aritzia
Awarded to a CEO who has successfully expanded the scope of his or her organization beyond Canada’s borders. The winner demonstrates an exceptional understanding of international commerce and shrewd eye for choosing markets, establishing timelines and forging the connections needed to build a global brand.
Innovator of the Year: Neil Cawse, founder and CEO, Geotab
Awarded to a CEO whose vision and guidance has been instrumental in the successful creation and commercialization of a truly disruptive product or service, and/or who has pioneered a groundbreaking way of doing business.
New CEO of the Year: Bill Lomax, president and CEO, First Nations Bank of Canada
Recognizing a CEO with less than three years of tenure in his or her current role, who has had a significant impact on the company and its strategy
Strategist of the Year: Gord Johnston, president and CEO, Stantec
Awarded to a CEO whose bold decisions have materially changed and improved the strategic position of his or her business.
All five winners will be profiled editorially in the December issue of Report on Business magazine, which will be published online on November 26, 2025 and in print on November 29, 2025.
This year, the CEO of the Year gala will take place on November 25, 2025 at The Globe and Mail Centre. This is an exclusive in-person event to honor the 2025 winners and reveal the overall CEO of the Year.
The award-winning Report on Business editorial team drew on their deep industry and market knowledge, shrewd analytical capabilities and unbiased perspectives to nominate, debate and vote on the winners in all categories. The CEO must lead a Canadian company (public or private), or the Canadian arm of an international corporation, or a not-for-profit organization. Because great leadership exists through collaboration, the company led by each winner must also demonstrate proof of sustained organizational success.
Report on Business magazine is the magazine for leaders, providing exclusive, intelligent business and financial journalism in the public interest on Canadian business, the economy and investments, to help readers manage their companies, their careers and their wealth to 2.7 million print and digital readers.
For more information on the CEO of the Year program or the gala, please contact Fiona Collie, Senior Program Manager, Business and Financial Products, The Globe and Mail at fcollie@globeandmail.com.