Hon. John Manley

The Honourable John Manley, P.C., O.C., became Chair of Jefferies Securities Inc. on December 1, 2023, having served as Senior Business Adviser at Bennett Jones LLP since September 2019. He is best known as a former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the Canadian Parliament from 1988 to 2004 as M.P. for Ottawa South. From 1993 to 2003 he was a Minister in the governments of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, serving in the portfolios of industry, foreign affairs, and finance, in addition to being Deputy Prime Minister.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Mr. Manley was named Chair of a Cabinet Committee on Public Security and Anti-terrorism, serving as counterpart to Governor Tom Ridge, the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

After a 16-year career in politics, Mr. Manley returned to the private sector in 2004 where he practiced law and served as President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada (from 2010 to 2018). John has been a very active corporate director and currently serves as Chair of the board of directors of TELUS. He is past Chair of CAE and CIBC, including CIBC USA. He has been active in the not-for-profit sector with CARE Canada and is now a director of the Rideau Hall Foundation and an adviser to the Juno Beach Centre.

A companion of the Order of Canada, Mr. Manley graduated from Carleton University in mathematics and political science and from the University of Ottawa in law, where he was the gold medalist and subsequently law clerk to the Chief Justice of Canada, Bora Laskin. He is the recipient of many awards and honors, including honorary doctorates from 6 Canadian Universities. He is also proudly an honorary chief of the Blood Nation of Alberta.

John was born, raised, and lives in Ottawa with his wife of 50 years, Judith, and has seven grandchildren who are perfect in every way.