Richard Powers

After receiving his MBA and LLB from Queen’s University, Richard worked as a corporate lawyer for a national Canadian law firm.  He later served as Corporate Counsel for Honda Canada Inc.

At the University of Toronto, Richard served as the Associate Dean of the Rotman School of Management where he was responsible for all full-time and part-time MBA programs as well as the Master of Finance Program.  It was during this time that he began focusing his interests on governance-related matters.

An internationally recognized expert in both corporate and not-for-profit governance, Richard is the National Academic Director of The Directors Education Program (DEP) and the Not-For-Profit Governance Essentials Program (GEP) (in partnership with the Institute of Corporate Directors – ICD).  Richard also serves as the Academic Director of the CUES Governance Programs in Canada.  He also teaches in Rotman’s Executive MBA, MBA, and Executive Education Programs. Areas of expertise include business law, business ethics and strategy, subjects he teaches on a regular basis in the DEP.

Richard has worked with numerous boards, associations, and organizations in identifying, creating, and developing best governance practices as well as assessing and achieving strategic and organizational goals. His work has taken him to over 20 countries. 

He has been a director and committee member of over 30 organizations including Rugby Canada, Childhood Cancer Canada, St. Clement’s School, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Commonwealth Games Federation and currently serves as Past-President of Commonwealth Sport Canada. Richard served as a Director of Pivotree Inc., a publicly-listed corporation and is currently a Director of Spearhead Brewing Company.  He also sits on the Board of the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario.  He frequently comments on legal and governance matters in various media across Canada and the USA.