Gordon Nixon
Gordon Nixon | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 25, 1957 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Known for | President, CEO, and director of Royal Bank of Canada (2001–2014); chairman of Bell Canada Enterprises; lead director for George Weston Limited; chair of Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee at BlackRock Inc. |
Gordon Melbourne Nixon CM, O.Ont (born 25 January 1957) held the positions of president, CEO, and director at the Royal Bank of Canada between 2001 and 2014. Currently, he serves as chairman of Bell Canada Enterprises, acts as lead director for George Weston Limited, and leads the Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee at BlackRock Inc. Additionally, he provides advisory services to KingSett Capital.
Early life
Nixon was born in Montreal, Quebec and attended Lower Canada College. He graduated with an honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen's University in 1979. He has been awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees by both Queen's University and Dalhousie University.
Career
Starting his professional journey in 1979, Nixon joined Dominion Securities in Toronto where he specialized in global markets and investment banking. In 1986, he moved to Tokyo to oversee the company's operations in Japan. Following the acquisition of Dominion Securities by Royal Bank of Canada in 1987, Nixon returned to Toronto in 1989 to serve as managing director of the Investment Banking Division. By 1995, he was appointed head of Global Investment Banking and advanced to CEO of RBC Capital Markets while joining Royal Bank’s executive committee in 1999.
In 2001, Nixon succeeded John Cleghorn as president in April and CEO in August of Royal Bank of Canada. At age 44, he became the youngest individual to lead a major Canadian bank as CEO. He initiated a major organizational restructuring at RBC in 2004. Nixon relinquished his role as president in February 2014 and retired from the CEO position in August 2014, with David McKay—formerly Group Head of Personal & Commercial Banking—taking over.
Other
Nixon holds the chairmanship at BCE Inc. and serves as lead director for George Weston Limited. He also chairs BlackRock Inc.’s Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee and participates on KingSett Capital’s advisory board.
He formerly chaired MaRS, a non-profit organization connecting science, business, and capital, and has been a director at the Art Gallery of Ontario. His leadership roles have included chairing the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and the premier's Jobs and Prosperity Council. Nixon’s previous board memberships span sectors such as arts, healthcare, and education.
His accolades encompass the Order of Canada, Order of Ontario, induction into both the Canadian Business Hall of Fame and Investment Industry Hall of Fame, alongside honors like Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year and Canadian Business Leader Award. He has been featured on Barron's World's Best CEOs and Bloomberg's Most Influential People lists. Other distinctions include recognition as a Public Policy Forum Honouree, recipient of the CIJA/UJA Words and Deeds Leadership Award, Rotary Foundation's Paul Harris Fellowship, Queen's Jubilee Medals, and Golf Canada's Legacy Award in 2019.
Personal life
Nixon is married to Janet Nixon and they have three children together.