Robert Brown

Robert Brown, C.M., O.Q.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CAE Inc. (Montréal, QC)

April 29, 2009

Robert E. Brown is President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE Inc. He is also currently a Director of CAE Inc., ACE Aviation Holdings, inc. and Chairman of the Board of Aeroplan Holding GP Inc.

After a brief career with the Canadian Armed Forces, Mr. Brown entered the Canadian Public Service in 1971 and held various senior positions in federal ministries with economic vocations, including the post of Associate Deputy Minister in the Department of Regional Industrial Expansion, his last position before leaving the public service. He joined Bombardier Inc. as Vice-President, Corporate Development in February 1987 and ultimately held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Bombardier Inc. from 1999 to 2002. Under his leadership, Bombardier grew to become the third largest civilian aircraft manufacturer in the world, and the largest supplier of jet aircraft for regional air transportation and the global leader in the business aircraft segment, positioned itself as the world leader of the rail transportation equipment industry and returned the Recreational Products business to profitability.

In addition, during the period he was President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier was twice voted Canada’s Most Respected Company in a Globe and Mail poll of Canadian chief executive officers.

In March 2003, Mr. Brown joined the Board of Air Canada and was Chairman of the Board from May 2003 to September 2004. During his tenure, the Company was restructured and successfully exited from CCAA (Companies Creditors Arrangement Act) protection. This restructuring process could be considered the largest, most complex, and most publicly scrutinized restructuring process in Canadian history.

Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario. He also attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard University Business School in 1983. Mr. Brown has received honorary doctorates from University of Montreal, Concordia University in Montreal, University of Ottawa, Ryerson University in Toronto, and Royal Roads University in British Colombia. He is also an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec.


Role: Panel Chair
Report: Innovation and Business Strategy: Why Canada Falls Short (April 2009)