Donald K. Johnson, C.C., LL.D., is one of Canada’s most respected philanthropic advocates. He holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University and has built an exceptional career spanning capital markets, corporate governance, and public policy.

Mr. Johnson is a Member of the Advisory Board of BMO Capital Markets and previously served as Vice Chairman of Nesbitt Burns, where he earned a distinguished reputation as one of Canada’s leading investment bankers.

He is Chairman Emeritus and a Director of goeasy Ltd. (TSX: GSY), a Director of Murchison Minerals Ltd. (TSX: MUR), and serves on the Advisory Board of the Ivey Business School at Western University. He is also a member of the Board of the University Health Network (UHN) Foundation, a member of the 2026 Major Individual Giving Cabinet of United Way Greater Toronto, and Chairman Emeritus and Director of Business/Arts.

Beyond his corporate achievements, Mr. Johnson is widely recognized for transforming charitable giving in Canada. His successful advocacy led to the elimination of the capital gains tax on gifts of publicly listed securities to registered charities in 2006—a landmark policy change that has generated billions of dollars in new philanthropic support for Canadian charities. He is now leading a national campaign to extend this exemption to gifts of private company shares and real estate, with the goal of unlocking even greater charitable investment across the country.

Mr. Johnson’s extraordinary contributions to business, philanthropy, and public policy have been recognized through numerous honours. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2005, promoted to Officer in 2009, and in 2026 was elevated to Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.), the nation’s highest civilian honour. He is also a recipient of Iceland’s Order of the Falcon and has received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees in recognition of his enduring impact on Canadian society.