Robert Gordon Greenhill, (born 1962) is a Canadian businessman, civil servant and expert on international development.

Career

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Greenhill began his career at McKinsey & Company in 1987. He then joined Bombardier Inc. in 1995, and as vice president Strategic Initiatives, was recognised as Canada's Top 40 under 40 in 1998.[1] In 2001, he became president of Bombardier's International Group and held that role until 2004.[2]

In 2002, he co-founded the Banff Forum, one of Canada’s preeminent public policy forums that brings together every year 200 leaders from across Canada and leading thinkers from around the world to share their knowledge, enhance their leadership skills, build national networks, and discuss and debate the most pressing issues facing Canada today.

In 2004, Greenhill joined the International Development Research Centre as Senior Visiting Executive, producing a critical account of Canada's global engagement "Making A Difference?".[3] Greenhill's study was seen as evidence that Canada was playing only "a marginal role in international affairs."[4]

In 2005, Greenhill was appointed president of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and Deputy Minister for International Cooperation during the 27th Canadian Ministry. Greenhill oversaw changes to CIDA's programming.[5] Food aid was 100% untied by April 2008.[6] Greenhill was also engaged in Haiti, unveiling a 5-year $520 million commitment in 2006.[7]

In 2006, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan named Greenhill to the High-level Panel on United Nations Systemwide Coherence.[8] The panel's final report Delivering as One outlined strategies for greater management coherence and effectiveness in UN efforts in the areas of the environment, development and humanitarian assistance. Greenhill also helped draft recommendations that led to the creation of UN Women.[9] His contribution was commended by Canadian women's groups.[10]

In 2008, Greenhill joined the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) as Managing Director and Chief Business Officer.[11][12] Greenhill engaged with key global business leaders on how to improve the role of business in society and was instrumental in the creation of the Forum of Young Global Leaders.[13]

In 2014, Greenhill returned to Montreal to found Global Canada, a multistakeholder initiative committed to improving Canada's global impact.[14] In September 2015 Greenhill co-authored "Assessing Canada's Global Engagement Gap".[15] The report focused attention on Canada's international role during the 2015 Federal election, pointing out that in "defence and development spending, Canada has done poorly compared with its G7 partners".[16][17][18][19]

He is currently Professor of Practice at the Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University, and member of the Board of Directors of the King Baudouin Foundation (KBF)-Canada and of the Advisory Board of the Banff Forum.

Education

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Greenhill has a BA in political science from the University of Alberta (1984), where he was twice the university's Student Union president, being the youngest ever at 20 years old and elected to this position during a crisis that threatened to bankrupt the organization.[20] He has an MA in international history from the London School of Economics (1986), and an MBA from INSEAD (1987).[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Canada's Top 40 Under 40 - Honourees 1998". canadastop40under40.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  2. ^ "United Nations Secretariat to the High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence". United Nations. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  3. ^ Robert Greenhill. "Making a Difference? : External Views on Canada's international Impact" (PDF). Idl-bnc.idrc.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  4. ^ Derek Fraser. "International Insights : Just How Effective is Canada's Foreign Policy?" (PDF). Uvic.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  5. ^ Gloria Galloway. "CIDA more focused, outgoing chief says". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Canada Boosts Aid in Response to the U.N. World Food Programme's Global Appeal – Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD)". Acdi-cida.gc.ca. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Canadian International Development Agency : Departmental Performance Report" (PDF). Tbs-sct.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  8. ^ "United Nations Secretariat to the High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence". United Nations. 31 August 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  9. ^ "U.N. Women Primed for Stronger, Central Agency | Women's eNews". Womensenews.org. 24 November 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Women's Groups Applaud Call for New United Nations Agency on Women" (DOC). Twca.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Archived – Prime Minister Announces Changes in the Senior Ranks of the Public Service – Canada News Centre". News.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  12. ^ "CANADA: PRESIDENT OF CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO JOIN WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM. - Info-Prod Research (Middle East) | HighBeam Research". www.highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  13. ^ "How can we build a moral economy? | World Economic Forum". Weforum.org. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  14. ^ Canada Global. "About". Global Canada. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Assessing Canada's Global Engagement Gap". Opencanada.org. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  16. ^ "Canada's new team for global affairs | Brookings Institution". Brookings.edu. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  17. ^ Campbell Clark. "Canada's shrinking development spending crosses party lines". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Reverse Canada's slide in defence, aid spending: Editorial | Toronto Star". Toronto Star. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  19. ^ "Strong, proud and free-riding". The Economist. 12 September 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  20. ^ "University of Alberta: Students' Union". Ualbertacentennial.ca. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  21. ^ "Does Aid Work, Can it Work Better? Crucial questions on the road to Accra and Doha" (PDF). Nsi-ins.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
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