Jan De Silva

Jan De Silva is President and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, one of the largest and most influential business organizations in North America. Jan leads efforts to make Toronto one of the most competitive, desirable, and sought-after business regions in the world. With more than 14 years of international CEO experience building ambitious, high-growth organizations, Jan is passionate about using economic development to lift communities.

Prior to joining the Board, she served as CEO of Sun Life Financial’s Hong Kong and Mainland China businesses.  She co-founded, was CEO and later sold Retail China Limited.  Jan also served as Dean of Ivey Asia for Ivey Business School of Western University.

Highly respected for her business advocacy and government engagement, Jan has been Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Chair of the Canada China Business Council in Beijing, and served on the Board of the Asian Corporate Governance Association. In 2019, she was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to represent Canada on the APEC Business Advisory Council and chairs the Council’s Digital & Innovation Working Group. Jan also sits on the board of Intact Financial Corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In 2022, Jan and Yung Wu, CEO of MaRS Discovery District co-founded and continue to co-chair the Climate Economy Strategic Council, a public-private initiative creating at-scale climate transition playbooks by connecting cleantech solutions to major transition initiatives.