In 1990, The Caldwell Partners founded Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year™ award program. Its purpose is to identify and provide recognition for outstanding leadership and achievement by a Canadian Chief Executive Officer.

Gordon M. Nixon,
Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year^TM – 2007

Gordon M. Nixon
Gordon Nixon is president and chief executive officer of RBC Financial Group, the brand name for Royal Bank of Canada and its subsidiaries. He is also a director of Royal Bank of Canada and chairman of RBC's Group Executive.

Mr. Nixon began his career in 1979 at Dominion Securities in Toronto where he worked in both the Global Markets and Investment Banking divisions. In 1986, he transferred to Tokyo to assume responsibility for the firm's operations in Japan. Dominion Securities was acquired by Royal Bank of Canada in 1987 and Mr. Nixon returned to Toronto in 1989 as a Managing Director of Investment Banking and was responsible for advising a number of the firm's major clients on financing and mergers and acquisitions. In 1995, he was appointed head of Global Investment Banking and oversaw the successful integration of RBC's Corporate and Investment Banking Divisions. In 1999, Mr. Nixon became Chief Executive officer of RBC Capital Markets and a member of Royal Bank's Executive Committee. He was appointed President of Royal Bank of Canada on April 1, 2001 and Chief Executive Officer on August 1, 2001.

Mr. Nixon has been active in a wide range of community and public policy organizations and is a past Chairman of the United Way of Greater Toronto's Campaign. He is Chairman of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Co-Chairman of the Toronto Region Research Alliance and is on the Board of Directors of The Hospital for Sick Children, The International Monetary Conference and Catalyst Canada. Mr. Nixon is also on the Advisory Board of DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc.

Mr. Nixon was awarded Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year Award for 2007. He has an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen's University, and is a recipient of the CIJA/UJA Words and Deeds Leadership Award, the Rotary Foundation's Paul Harris Fellowship, a Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, and an American Banker Innovator of the Year Award. Born in Montreal in 1957, Mr. Nixon attended Queen's University where he received an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree. He and his wife live in Toronto and have three children.

Previous Recipients

2006	Mike Lazaridis President and Co-Chief Executive Officer RIM Jim Balsillie Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer RIM
2005	Gwyn Morgan President and Chief Executive Officer EnCana Corporation
2004	Jacques Lamarre President and Chief Executive Officer SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.
2003	Philip S. Orsino President and Chief Executive Officer Masonite International Corporation
2002	Dominic D'Alessandro President and Chief Executive Officer Manulife Financial Corporation
2001	Richard J. Currie President George Weston Limited
2000	John A. Roth President and Chief Executive Officer Nortel Networks Corporation
1999	Richard L. George President and Chief Executive Officer Suncor Energy Inc.
1998	Paul Tellier President and Chief Executive Officer Canadian National Railway
1997	Jean C. Monty President and Chief Executive Officer BCE Inc.
1996	Ronald D. Southern Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ATCO Ltd.
1995	Matthew W. Barrett Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bank of Montreal
1994	Guy Saint-Pierre President and Chief Executive Officer SNC*Lavalin Group Inc.
1993	J. Edward (Ted) Newall Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman NOVA Corporation
1992	Isadore Sharp Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Four Seasons-Regent Hotels and Resorts
1991	Laurent Beaudoin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bombardier Inc.
1990	H. Harrison McCain Chairman McCain Foods Limited