International Business Leader of the Year Award

Our International Business Leader of the Year award recognizes a business executive from a Canadian company whose visionary leadership and proactive pursuit of international business opportunities have enabled their company to establish a strong, competitive Canadian presence in global markets. 

This year, we are proud to recognize Ian Edwards, President and CEO of AtkinsRéalis as our 2024 International Business Leader of the Year.

The evening will also feature a keynote presentation by David Frum, one of the most influential political analysts of our time, who will offer his reflections on the U.S. election results and their implications for global business and politics.

Monday, November 25, 2024 | The Ritz-Carlton | Toronto, ON
Reception and Dinner 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Honouring

Ian Edwards, President and CEO, AtkinsRéalis

Ian L. Edwards is the President and CEO of AtkinsRéalis, a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world. In his role, he is responsible for the strategic direction of the company, developing a growth plan for sustainable success and pursuing SNC-Lavalin’s purpose to “Engineer a better future for the planet and its people”. 

For over 30 years, Mr. Ian L. Edwards has been delivering complex infrastructure projects and leading businesses in the engineering and major projects industry in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. As a global executive with multidisciplinary expertise, he has redirected vision with a focus on creating value by simplifying and de-risking business, delivering high-quality global services locally and executing a roadmap that ensures financial resiliency, accelerates organic and inorganic growth, and creates value for shareholders. 

In 2019, Mr. Edwards was appointed President and CEO of AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin), a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world. At the helm of AtkinsRéalis, he is responsible for the strategic direction of the company, steering its growth plan for sustainable success and pursuing its purpose to engineer a better future for the planet and its people.  

In 2023, Mr. Edwards spearheaded the unification of several brands under the name AtkinsRéalis, an inflection point for the company after many years of successful transformation to become a leading Engineering Services and Project Management company. 

Mr. Edwards is committed to pushing the sustainability envelope from discussion to action, bringing to the forefront the engineering solutions required to address the most pressing global challenges of our time such as climate adaptation and the transition to clean energy including nuclear power. Through Mr. Edwards’ leadership, AtkinsRéalis continues to demonstrate its ability to enable sustainable, efficient, and better outcomes for clients and the communities they serve.  

Mr. Edwards is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. He supports various philanthropic causes such as the annual United Way/Centraide campaign and the McGill University Health Centre Foundation. Mr. Edwards invests in his continuous personal development while also nurturing a culture where values of safety, integrity, collaboration and innovation are lived every day, driving how one works, delivers and shows up in the world.  a, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and the Alberta Children’s Hospital. She is a past Chair of the Board of the United Way of Calgary and Area and Alberta’s Promise, and previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Queen’s University and Mount Royal University.

Contact Details

For more information or to attend the award ceremony, please contact Alexandra Miceli, Director, Member Relations at 416.868.6415 (3232) or amiceli@chamber.ca. For inquires in French, please contact Anick DeSousa, Senior Director, Member Relations and Export Services at 613.238.4000 (2239) or adesousa@chamber.ca.