Daniel Muzyka is named the next President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conference Board Of Canada

OTTAWA, March 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Dr. Daniel F. Muzyka has been selected as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conference Board of Canada. With a track record of building the world-class Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia (UBC), combined with extensive experience in academia, finance and business, Dr. Muzyka will assume overall responsibility for leading Canada's largest applied-research organization full-time in August.

Since 1999, Dr. Muzyka has been Dean and RBC Financial Group Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Sauder School of Business at UBC. Under his leadership, the business school experienced a turnaround that included a successful $100-plus million fundraising campaign, new facilities and programs, and a growing global reputation.

Dr. Muzyka has board-level experience with several business, not-for profit and government organizations. He served on the Vancouver Board of Trade since 2004, including a term as Chair in 2005-06. He is a public director of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Dr. Muzyka will become the sixth President of The Conference Board of Canada. He succeeds Dr. Anne Golden, who will retire in June after almost 11 years as President and CEO.

"The Board of Directors is very excited about the appointment of Dr. Dan Muzyka. He comes with stellar credentials and a genuine passion for the public policy and business issues affecting the future of our country," said Alan McGibbon, Managing Partner and Chief Executive of Deloitte, Chair of The Conference Board of Canada's Board of Directors, and head of the CEO search committee. "As a Board of Directors, we are confident that Dan will build on the success of the past decade during the tenure of Dr. Anne Golden and provide inspiring leadership to the staff of the Conference Board and the Niagara Institute."

"I look forward to building on the wonderful success of the organization under Anne and continuing to elevate the level of public dialogue at a time of great change in the economy and society," said Dr. Muzyka.

"I am extremely pleased that we have been able to attract a person of the calibre of Dan Muzyka. It is gratifying to know that with Dan at the helm after my departure in June, the Conference Board will continue to go from strength to strength," said Dr. Golden.

"Dan has made great contributions to the university through his visionary leadership and tireless service.  His commitment to education and the advancement of knowledge will prove invaluable to the Conference Board and its crucial role in accelerating positive solutions to society's challenges," said Professor Stephen Toope, President and Vice-Chancellor, the University of British Columbia.  "We look forward to working with Dr. Muzyka in his new role."

"Dan will do an incredible job for The Conference Board of Canada in that he is visionary and has both academic and business experience," said G. Wynne Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of London Drugs, based in Vancouver, and a member of the Conference Board's Board of Directors.

Prior to his appointment at UBC in 1999, Dr. Muzyka taught and held senior administrative positions at universities and institutions in both the United States and France. He has been awarded the National Order of Merit (Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite) by the Government of France. He also worked at General Electric in finance and strategy, and as a strategy consultant at Braxton Associates.

Dr. Muzyka holds a Doctorate of Business Administration from Harvard University, an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA with Honours in Physics and Astronomy from Williams College.

For further information:

Brent Dowdall, Media Relations, Tel.: [phone] ext.  448
E-mail: [e-mail]
The Conference Board of Canada 
www.conferenceboard.ca