Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is made up of 13 individuals—6 of whom are appointed by the Government of Canada—from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique perspective and an understanding of the research world. The Directors are appointed for a three-year renewable term and bring with them expertise in the private, institutional, academic, research, and government sectors. One Director on the Board is a representative from one of the federal granting agencies.

The Board of Directors makes final decisions on projects to be funded and sets strategic objectives in the context of the funding agreement. It approves annual plans and objectives, and reviews the outcomes of these objectives each year. It regularly reviews issues from a risk-assessment perspective—determining what risks are acceptable and ensuring that appropriate mitigation steps are in place. As well, the Board sets the CFI’s overall compensation policy, and specifically sets compensation for management.

CFI Board of Directors

Kevin P. D. Smith, Chair
President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton

Louise Proulx, Vice-Chair
Vice President, Product Development, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Incorporated

Margaret Bloodworth
Former Federal Deputy Minister and National Security Advisor

Sheila A. Brown
Owner, HartsHill Educational Consulting Ltd.

Carolyn Cross
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Ondine Biomedical Inc.

William R. Driedzic
Canada Research Chair in Marine Bioscience, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Albert Friesen
President and CEO, Medicure Inc.

Chad Gaffield
President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Michel Kelly-Gagnon
President and Chief Executive Officer, Montreal Economic Institute

Rod McInnes
Director, Lady Davis Research Institute, Jewish General Hospital

Gordon F. Stovel
Senior Financial Planning Advisor, Assante Financial Management Ltd.

John Weissenberger
Manager, Geological Services, Husky Energy