Peter N. Thomson | All photos courtesy of Leslie Raenden
In the late 1950s, Peter N. Thomson inherited the original Power Corporation of Canada.
The Montreal-based diversified international management and holding company was started by his father; the son became president and chairman of the company in 1962.
Thomson remained at the helm Power Corporation of Canada until it was sold in 1968. He continued to stay involved in Montreal’s business community as an investor and director in various companies. Throughout his lifetime, he sat on more than 80 corporate boards, including at RBC and Caribbean Utilities.
Thomson moved to the Bahamas in 1977 with his wife Linda Grace Thomson, and spent most of his remaining life there, though he often returned to Montreal.
His love of the arts and desire to support artists came through first-hand experiences. Having siblings who were involved in the arts, he empathized with their struggles to maintain a living.
Thomson (pictured with his wife Linda) requested that a substantial portion of his wealth to be donated to charity.