Career diplomat and political strategist Derek Burney has been chosen as the eight chancellor of Lakehead University.
“Dr. Burney is an accomplished individual with a national and international reputation and deep roots in Thunder Bay,” said Brian Stevenson, Lakehead University president and vice-chancellor in a Jan. 24 statement. “Lakehead University is honoured that this former ambassador to the United States from 1989 to 1993 will now represent our great university at home and abroad."
Burney succeeds Arthur Mauro, who served as Lakehead University Chancellor from 2009 to 2012.
“I am personally honoured to accept this appointment and look forward to representing Lakehead University as a beacon of academic excellence in my home town,” said Burney.
Born in Fort William, Burney will take on his official duties at convocation in June.
Burney is a senior strategic advisor to Norton Rose Canada LLP. He is chairman of GardaWorld’s International Advisory Board, a director of TransCanada Pipelines Limited, a governor of the Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors and a member of the Advisory Board of Paradigm Capital Inc.
Burney was President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE Inc. from October 1999 until August 2004. Burney was chairman and CEO of Bell Canada International, served as Canada’s U.S. ambassador over a 30-year foreign service career, briefly served as the prime minister's chief of staff and was directly involved in the negotiation of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.