Concordians crack Maclean’s top 50
Being an influential person in a country with a population of just over 35 million isn’t easy — yet going to Concordia might help.
Two Concordians have made Maclean’s annual ranking of the 50 most important people in Canada. In an article published in the magazine’s December 2 issue, Gerry McCaughey, BComm 81 and chief executive of CIBC, and Stephen Bronfman, Attd 89 and executive chairman of Claridge Inc., were recognized for their leadership and contributions to the country.
McCaughey ranked 48th and was dubbed one of Canada’s “most daring bank CEOs” for a speech he gave last winter calling for “a sweeping reform of the Canada Pension Plan.”
No stranger to important lists, McCaughey was also named one of Bloomberg Markets’ “50 Most Influential” people, marking the first time a Canadian was included in the annual ranking.
Ranking 50th, Bronfman was noted for his philanthropy and for being “a key player in Montreal’s downtown revival.”
He plays a major role today in supporting the Concordia’s arts community. In 2009, he and his wife established the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Fellowship in Contemporary Art — a two-year fellowship awarded to graduate students in visual and media arts in Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts and the Université du Québec à Montréal’s Faculty of Arts.
The “Power List” spotlights individuals deemed by Maclean’s editors and writers to be Canada’s most important people. Each was chosen based on institutional clout, capacity for innovation and timeliness.
This year’s notables ranged from politicians and journalists to CEOs and musicians.
The top three most important people, according to the Maclean’s list, are Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Jerry Dias, the first president of Unifor, the country’s largest private sector union.