David McGown

Biography:

David co-founded Canadian Business for Climate Policy in 2020 to establish a business voice to advocate for stable and effective climate policy with all levels of government. As corporate advisor, he works with Canadian and international clients on strategic planning, economic development, climate finance, and disaster finance engagements. At Insurance Bureau of Canada, he led policy development on flood risk, climate change and catastrophic risk and on regulatory initiatives for Canada’s P&C industry.

As Vice President with CIBC, he worked in corporate development and public affairs. His career started as a (very junior) political assistant, economist, and speechwriter at Queen’s Park. With the Department of Finance in Ottawa, his work in international economics led to an opportunity to become a Special Assistant to the Minister of Finance and then EA to the Finance Deputy Minister.

David was Chair of JAZZ.FM91 and President of the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs. He served on the board of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance and on the Advisory Board of the Canada Institute – Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC. He currently serves on the Program Advisory Council for Ontario’s new International Business University. He received the 2013 Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his volunteer engagement. David holds a BA from Western University.