The School of Business at Trent University welcomes Dr. Katie Taylor, one of Canada’s most powerful women, as its first CEO-in-residence - a new program that gives students at both the Peterborough and Durham campuses unparalleled access, inspiration and opportunities to learn from business leaders.

“We are pleased to welcome Katie Taylor as our first-ever CEO-in-residence,” commented Dr. Byron Lew, director of the School of Business at Trent University. “This new initiative gives business students access to global leaders of distinction, which is vital in today’s changing career landscape. Katie’s breadth and depth of experience that will Trent inspire students no matter where their future leads."

Dr. Taylor begins her term as CEO-in-residence on September 29. “Leading Through Crisis and Change,” her first talk, will introduce her to the Trent community. During her time with Trent, she will engage with students both remotely and in-person through lectures, events, Ted Talks, panel
discussions, and residency periods split between both campuses. Both first-year and upper-year students will have the opportunity to gain insight from this driven leader who strongly believes in mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders.

“With the pandemic affecting learning so deeply, students need our help more than ever," explained Dr. Taylor. “As business leaders, it is our job to ensure that students have every tool available to succeed, and although this generation of students might only represent a small percentage of the population, they represent 100% of our future."

Dr. Taylor’s involvement with Trent began when she was the recipient of Trent’s highest honour of an honorary doctorate degree at the Trent Durham GTA campus's inaugural convocation in 2016. She is currently the honorary chair of the Campaign for Trent Durham GTA, bringing her business acumen as a forerunner of Canadian business, and deep passion for higher education to encourage and mentor Trent students. Her role as CEO-in-residence will also support business students by connecting them with experts, resources, and tools to pursue their future dreams.

"In addition to our interactive and personalised learning environment, Trent provides our students the greatest chance for a successful transition into the workforce through a variety of initiatives in collaboration with our communities and national leaders. We are very fortunate to be able to connect students to leaders like Katie Taylor, who provide real-world knowledge and a commitment to mentorship and advancement of students," explained Julie Davis, vice-president of External Relations and Advancement.

Dr. Taylor is the chair of the board of the Royal Bank of Canada, the former president and chief executive officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the former chair of the Sick Kids Foundation, and trustee of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the vice-chair of the Adecco Group in Zurich, and a director of CPPIB and Air Canada.