Canadian Chamber welcomes new COO Gayla Brock-Woodland as Jackie King departs

(OTTAWA) – June 15, 2020 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO, Perrin Beatty, announced today that Gayla Brock-Woodland will become its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective July 1,2020.

The move comes as current COO Jackie King departs to head up a new international business division of an Ireland-based organization. The exceptional professional opportunity for Ms. King also brings her closer to her family in Ireland. Ms. King will remain in her position until June 30 to assist with the transition.

Ms. Brock-Woodland comes to the Canadian Chamber with more than 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. She built award-winning business teams that earned agency of record status with some of Canada’s biggest companies and brands, as well as serving as a trusted strategic counsellor for C-suite executives.

“The Canadian Chamber’s work is pivotal at an extraordinary time for our country,” said Ms. Brock-Woodland. “I’m impressed by the impact of its response and relentless advocacy for every Canadian business. I’m privileged to join such a dedicated team as the Canadian Chamber advances a roadmap for recovery.”

“Gayla has the right skills and experience to build upon the remarkable momentum we generated during Jackie’s time as COO. She comes to us with an outstanding c.v., but what stood out most is that Gayla’s values and leadership attributes align so closely with our culture. We’re thrilled to have her on the team,” said Mr. Beatty.

The majority of Ms. Brock-Woodland’s career was spent as Managing Director and then President of MSLGROUP, Canada, a public relations agency that is part of global leader Publicis Groupe. At MSLGROUP, between 2004 and 2016, she supported national and mission critical client mandates across corporate communications, consumer marketing as well as reputation and issues management for sectors including energy, telecommunications, retail, pharma, healthcare, lifestyle, packaged goods, food, financial and professional services, insurance, cybersecurity, technology and more.

In 2017, she moved from Toronto to Ottawa to become President of Ensight, a federal public affairs firm and, more recently, she led her own consulting business. Previous positions also include roles as SVP and Partner at Advance Planning & Communications and as communications officer for school boards in Hamilton and Peterborough. She began her career as a journalist with Ottawa Magazine and Ottawa Business Magazine. She holds a MA in journalism from the University of Western Ontario.

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Because Business Matters

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce helps build the businesses that support our families, our communities and our country. We do this by influencing government policy, by providing essential business services and by connecting businesses to information they can use, to opportunities for growth and to a network of local chambers, businesses, decision-makers and peers from across the country, in every sector of the economy and at all levels of government, as well as internationally. We are unapologetic in our support for business and the vital role it plays in building and sustaining our great nation.

For more information, please contact:

Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Phil Taylor at ptaylor@chamber.ca