Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 21, 2013
• Invested on: May 08, 2015

For his leadership in the information technology sector, and for advancing research partnerships between industry and academia.

John Thompson has made leading contributions in the information technology and business sectors. A former senior executive at IBM headquarters, he played a key role in the company’s radical reorientation from a focus on mainframe computers to business services and software. He was also a catalyst in the creation of advanced centres to foster collaboration between leading academics and industry partners. More recently, he served as the board chair of Toronto-Dominion Bank, overseeing a period of significant growth for the institution. He is also a notable leader at Western University and with the board of trustees of the Hospital for Sick Children.