Ian C. W. Russell

Ian Russell has long held a prominent position in the investment industry, both on a domestic and global level. He is President and CEO of the Investment Industry Association of Canada (IIAC), a position he has held since the IIAC’s inauguration, April 2006.

Ian is a prolific writer and columnist, both in industry publications and newspapers with national reach. He is also a frequent commentator in the media, and a sought-after presenter and speaker on industry issues and developments that are critical to the Canadian economy.

He has been engaged in many of the past decade’s most transformative capital markets events including deliberations on the LSE, TSX merger, and the Supreme Court of Canada proceedings on the jurisdiction of the national securities regulator.

His involvement in the investment community is active on a national and international scale:

• Member of the Advisory Committee and active participant for over a decade in the Global Business Forum held in Banff, Alberta
• Frequent appearances before Canada’s Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, and before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance
• Past Chair and current board member of the International Council of Securities Associations (ICSA), and active participant in the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) annual conferences
• Frequent participant in the annual conferences and roundtables of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA)
• Designated leader of the Canadian mission to the Asia Financial Forum (AFF), sponsored by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
• Invited guest and regular participant at Cumberland Lodge Financial Summit, attended by European and international leaders to explore future policy and regulation of European capital markets.
• Active participant in the Northwind Professional Institute seminars, and member of the Steering Committee of the Northwind Retail Forum
• Independent director on the Board of mCloud Technologies Corp.
• Member of the Board of Governors for JA Central Ontario, supporting entrepreneurism in schools

Prior to his appointment at the IIAC, Ian was Senior Vice-President, Industry Relations and Representation, at the Investment Dealers Association of Canada (IDA). In his more than 20-year tenure with the IDA and the IIAC, he has participated actively in many committees and working groups involved in regulatory and tax issues related to the securities industry and capital markets in Canada. Ian spent nearly a decade of his career at the Bank of Canada and worked as a financial analyst at the highly respected international publication The Bank Credit Analyst.

Ian has an Honours degree in Economics and Business from the University of Western Ontario, and a postgraduate degree (MSc Economics) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has completed the Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Qualifying Examination and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute.