Canadian Chamber of Commerce names Candace Laing as new CEO

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The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has chosen Candace Laing as its new president and chief executive, effective Sept. 1.

Laing spent 10 years at Nutrien Ltd. and its predecessor the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, a Canadian fertilizer company based out of Saskatoon. During her time there, she held roles on the executive team that included senior vice president and chief human resources officer, and vice president of sustainability and stakeholder relations.

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Laing joined the board of directors at the chamber in 2019, before she was elected as chair in 2022. She has resigned her seat on the board to take on the new position.

“I’m honoured to take on this new role at such an important time,” Laing said, in a statement issued on Wednesday. “Both my work with the Canadian Chamber and my experience in business have shown me our country’s enormous potential, but now more than ever, Canada’s businesses of all sizes need a champion like the Canadian Chamber.”

The chamber represents more than 200,000 businesses across several sectors and industries and represents over 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade. The organization is one of the country’s largest business associations and is headquartered in Ottawa.

Laing is replacing Perrin Beatty, who is stepping down from the role as president and CEO after 17 years.

“I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Candace for the last five years, and the search committee has made an outstanding choice,” Beatty said, in a release on Wednesday. “She brings with her an extensive business network, and she understands the needs of businesses of all sizes. There’s nobody who’s better qualified to take the Canadian Chamber to the next level.”

• Email: jgowling@postmedia.com

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