John Kelleher

Senior Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
John Kelleher

Biography

Main bio

John Kelleher has successfully led multiple turnarounds across industries as a CEO, a private equity partner, and a board director/chair. His core strength is combining his private equity investing skills with his ability to lead people and execute as a CEO. 

Kelleher's functional specialties are investment management, finance, private equity, venture capital, financial modeling, and accounting. He has taught these topics at a number of major business schools. His industry expertise and investment experience spans a variety of sectors, including aerospace and defense, heavy manufacturing, banking, chemicals, retail, and high technology. 

Kelleher is also the co-chair of the Next 36, Canada’s leading program for entrepreneurial development. In this capacity, he works with some of Canada’s top business leaders to build disruptive startup companies that challenge large industries. Kelleher has served extensively as a director on for-profit and non-profit boards. 

Kelleher’s writing on corporate governance, corporate finance, and technology has been published in The Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Star, McKinsey Quarterly, and Director (the magazine of the Institute of Corporate Directors), among other publications. 

Updated July 2023