From:    Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President & Provost
Melanie Woodin, Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science
Date:     November 12, 2019
Re:  Appointment of Michael Sabia as Director, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy (PDAD&C #24)

We are pleased to announce that the Agenda Committee of Academic Board has approved the appointment of Michael Sabia as Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy for a five-year term, from February 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024. President Meric Gertler has also written to the Munk community about this exciting appointment and the important role of the Munk School in the University of Toronto. Please click here to read the letter.

Michael Sabia brings to his new role a highly distinguished record of leadership in both the public and private sectors. He is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and has served in this capacity since 2009. As President and CEO of CDPQ, Sabia was given a mandate to rebuild the institution to position it for the future. Under his leadership, la Caisse has become a global financial institution with assets invested across the world. During Sabia’s tenure, assets under management have grown from $120B to more than $325B. He has also overseen the development and implementation of a new investment strategy that has made CDPQ an internationally recognized leader for investors working to address climate change, develop urban infrastructure, and forge industry partnerships on a global scale – examples of the kind of innovative thinking he will bring to the Munk School.

Prior to joining CDPQ, Sabia held a variety of executive-level positions at Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) and Canadian National Railway (CN). He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of BCE from 2002 to 2008, leading a major strategic and financial transformation of the company. While at CN, Sabia held the roles of Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President Corporate Development. There, he worked with the CEO to launch CN successfully as a publicly traded corporation (at the time, the largest IPO in Canadian history). Prior to joining CN, Sabia was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Priorities and Plans, in the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada. In this role, he coordinated policy planning for the Government and was a key source of economic and fiscal policy advice to the Clerk of the Privy Council and the Prime Minister. Before joining the Cabinet Office, he was a senior officer in the Department of Finance where he was one of the architects of a comprehensive reform of Canada’s tax system. 

Sabia received his BA in political economy from the University of Toronto, and an MA and MPhil in the same field from Yale University. He has recently served as a member of Finance Minister Morneau’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth, and currently serves as Co-Chair of the G7 Investor Leadership Network on Climate Change, Diversity and Infrastructure Development, Co-Chair of Long Term Investment, Infrastructure and Development for the World Economic Forum, Trustee of the Foreign Policy Association of New York, and member of the Asia-Pacific Business Leaders Advisory Council. In 2015, Sabia received the Testimonial Award from the Public Policy Forum in recognition of his many contributions to public policy in Canada. In 2017, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for his outstanding contributions to the Canadian business sector.

Sabia’s extensive public service and achievements in the Canadian and international business sectors make him ideally suited to lead the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy into the next chapter of its history. Please join us in welcoming Michael Sabia back to the University of Toronto.

We would also like to thank Professor Randall Hansen for his remarkable service as Interim Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.  His outstanding credentials and accomplished administrative abilities have been a tremendous asset to the School.

As incoming Director, Michael will be announcing further details of his leadership team in the coming weeks, including the appointment of an Associate Academic Director.