John Thompson (Canadian banker)
John Munro Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 27, 1942 Montreal, Canada |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1966–2002 (IBM), 1988–2010 (Toronto-Dominion Bank) |
| Known for | Vice Chairman of IBM Corporation, Non-executive chairman of Toronto-Dominion Bank Financial Corporation |
John Munro Thompson (born 27 October 1942) held the position of non-executive chairman on the board of Toronto-Dominion Bank Financial Corporation (TDBFC). He became a board member in 1988 and served as chairman from 2003 until 2010.
Biography
Thompson was born in Montreal to John Munro Thompson Sr., who previously chaired Crush International Limited. He obtained a degree in engineering science from the University of Western Ontario, where he was affiliated with the Kappa Alpha Society. Furthering his education, he completed Executive Management courses at both the Richard Ivey School and Kellogg Graduate School of Business. In 2008, he was named the 20th Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario, a role he fulfilled for four years.
His professional journey commenced at IBM Canada in 1966 as a systems engineer. He rose through the ranks to become president and CEO of IBM Canada by 1986. In 1991, he took on the role of Corporate Vice President of Marketing in the United States, spearheading IBM’s expansion into the services industry, valued at $60 billion. By 1993, Thompson was appointed Senior Vice President of IBM's Server Group, managing mainframe and midrange computer divisions. Between 1995 and 2002, he directed the establishment of IBM's Software Group before advancing to Vice Chairman of IBM’s Board.
Thompson retired from his position as Vice Chairman at IBM Corporation in 2002. His board memberships include service with Royal Philips Electronics N.V. (NYSE:PHG) and The Thomson Corporation (NYSE:TOC). He holds the role of Vice Chairman on the Board of Trustees for Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and has been a director at companies such as Hertz and Robert Mondavi Corporation. Moreover, he has contributed to several Ontario Government Councils focused on education, human resources, and industrial policy.
He currently lives in Toronto with his spouse and is a father to three adult children.