Dominic Barton (born 1962), known as Bao Damin (Chinese: 鲍达民) in China, is a Ugandan-born Canadian business executive, author, and diplomat. He is the current chairman of the private investment firm LeapFrog Investments as well as the chancellor of the University of Waterloo. He served as the Canadian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 2019 to 2021.[1] Prior to this, Barton was the Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, the global consulting firm, from 2009 to 2018 and has previously served as Chairman of Teck Resources and as Non-Executive Director at the Singtel Group in Singapore and Investor AB in Sweden.[2][1]
Dominic Barton | |
---|---|
![]() Barton in 2009 | |
11th Chancellor of the University of Waterloo | |
Assumed office January 1, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Tom Jenkins |
President/Vice Chancellor | Feridun Hamdullahpur (2018-2021) Vivek Goel (2021-present) |
21st Canadian Ambassador to China | |
In office September 5, 2019 – December 31, 2021 | |
Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau |
Preceded by | John McCallum |
Succeeded by | Jennifer May |
Personal details | |
Born | Kampala, Uganda | 14 September 1962
Nationality | Canadian |
Residence(s) | London, UK |
Education | University of British Columbia (BA) Brasenose College, Oxford (MPhil) |
Occupation | Chairman, university chancellor |
In April 2022 Barton was appointed as Chairman of the Management Board of LeapFrog Investments, a private investment firm that invests in high-growth, emerging markets, with a focus on social and environmental impact.[3]
Barton became the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rio Tinto, the world's second largest metals and mining corporation, on May 5, 2022.[4] In October 2022 the Eurasia Group announced the appointment of Barton as a Strategic Counselor.[5]
Barton earned his Master of Philosophy in Economics at Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar and has advised Canadian governments, both Liberal and Conservative, on public sector transformation and economic growth.[6][7]
Early life and education
editDominic Barton was born in Mukono, Uganda in 1962.[8][9] Barton's father was an Anglican missionary who helped develop a theology college in Uganda;[10] his mother was a nurse.[11][12] In his childhood, his family's house was occupied by general and future dictator Idi Amin, who was rising to power in Uganda at the time.[11] At age seven his family moved from Uganda to Canada, eventually settling in the community of Sardis, British Columbia.[12]
Barton attended the University of British Columbia,[13] where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics.[14] He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and attended Brasenose College at Oxford University, where he received an MPhil degree in Economics.[15]
Career
editAfter graduating, Barton worked briefly as a currency analyst for N M Rothschild & Sons in London.
McKinsey
editIn 1986 he was hired by McKinsey & Company to work in the company's Toronto office[13][16] and worked from that office as a management consultant for eleven years.[8]
Barton was elected to the position of Global Managing Director, a role that he served in from 2009 to 2018. After this role, Barton became Global Managing Director Emeritus for a year while accepting a broader range of philanthropic and advisory positions. From 2018 to 2019 he was chairman of natural resources giant Teck, one of the largest exporters of steel-making coal in the world. One employee resigned from McKinsey because of the increased work McKinsey did with Teck in that year, including projects titled "Coal Processing Optimization" and "Drill and Blast.[17] On September 5, 2019, he was appointed as the Canadian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China.[7]
Work in Asia
editIn 1997 Barton moved to the McKinsey office in Seoul, where he eventually led McKinsey's national practice.[13][15][18] During Barton's tenure in South Korea, McKinsey worked with the South Korean government to restructure the country's financial system aiming to foster a 'creative economy'.[19]
He was Chairman for McKinsey in Asia from 2004 to 2009, operating out of Shanghai.[20][15][21] He co-authored a book that provided insights into ordinary Chinese citizens and their way of life, China Vignettes – An Inside Look At China.[9][22]
He has been an adjunct professor at Beijing's Tsinghua University and served on the School of Economics and Management's advisory board.[23] Barton also chaired the Seoul International Business Advisory Council for six years and was a member of the Singapore Economic Development Board's International Advisory Council for ten years.[24]
Managing Director
editIn July 2009 he was elected to the position of Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, based on a vote of 400 senior partners.[25][16] He was re-elected to a second three-year term in 2012[13] and a third term in 2015, serving the maximum three terms at the head of the global firm. He was replaced by Kevin Sneader in 2018.[26]
McKinsey was ranked as the number one consulting firm in the world for nine consecutive years during Barton's leadership.[27] In 2013 and 2016 Glassdoor ranked Barton as one of the top CEOs globally, based on employee choice.[28][29]
During Barton's time as Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Co between 2009 and 2018, the firm was embroiled in several scandals, e.g. - South Africa, Valeant, Insider trading by its investment affiliate, and association with several authoritarian regimes around the world.[30] Since leaving McKinsey & Co, the firm has faced scrutiny over work McKinsey did for Purdue Pharma to improve its opioid sales, which contributed to the opioid epidemic.[31]
Advisory Council on Public Service
editBarton served on the Canadian Advisory Committee on the Public Service under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Barton was one of several Canadian business leaders that advised the Prime Minister on the renewal and development of the country's public service.[32]
Advisory Council on Economic Growth
editBarton served as chair of the Advisory Council on Economic Growth, the Canadian federal government's blue-chip panel, starting in 2017.[33] The council outlined 13 recommendations, including the creation of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the launch of a re-skilling program for the Canadian workforce, the formulation of growth strategies for sectors with untapped potential, including agriculture, and the development of the Invest in Canada hub.[34]
The Council set a goal of lifting "the median household's income to $105,000 in 2030". It was about $80,000 in 2017.[33] The Council also called for a gradual increase in permanent immigration to Canada to 450,000 people a year.[35]
Academia
editOn 19 June 2018, Barton was named the 11th chancellor of the University of Waterloo. Barton was reappointed as chancellor on 25 February 2021.[36]
Previously he has served as a co-chair on the Max Bell School of Public Policy Advisory Board at McGill University and on the cabinet of the University of Toronto Psychiatry Campaign.[37][38]
Ambassador of Canada to China
editOn 4 September 2019, Barton was appointed to be ambassador to China by the Government of Canada.[39][40] The appointment was met with a mixed reaction, including scrutiny around Barton's past ties with China while proponents of the appointment argued that Barton's Asian and Chinese experience made him a uniquely qualified selection.[2][41][42][43][44]
After taking on the role, Barton led Canada's efforts to win the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two Canadians who were imprisoned in China in December, 2018, in a move widely seen as retaliation for the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.[45] Throughout their detention, Barton conducted regular consular visits with Kovrig and Spavor respectively,[46][47] often delivering coded messages to avoid interception from eavesdropping prison guards.[48]
The Toronto Star also reported that Barton's work on this file pre-dated his appointment as Ambassador, as his network and understanding of the relevant stakeholders helped pave the way for open communication channels between Chinese, Canadian, and U.S. officials.[46] All three countries had "red lines" and Barton played a leading role finding a "pathway" that would ultimately lead to their release.[49]
In April 2021, this included meetings in Washington where Barton received a commitment from senior U.S. officials to put intensity into their pressure on Beijing.[50] The Wall Street Journal also reported that Barton maintained a line of communications with Xie Feng, China's Vice Foreign Minister, to coordinate the logistics of an eventual resolution that would bring the prisoner standoff to an end.[48]
On September 24, 2021, Kovrig and Spavor were released from detention in China and boarded a plane with Barton to Anchorage, Calgary, and Toronto.[51] It was reported by Canadian media that this flight followed weeks of consecutive meetings held with Barton and Chinese officials as part of a "highly choreographed" effort.[51]
Barton was personally thanked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his role in securing the release of the two men.[52]
On December 6, 2021, it was announced that Barton would step down from the role after completing the "core mission" that he had been appointed to achieve: securing the release of Kovrig and Spavor.[53][54][55]
Writing
editBarton is the author of China Vignettes: An Inside Look At China. Barton led a research team that conducted interviews with ordinary Chinese citizens and captures his findings with a series of short stories about daily life.[citation needed] Barton is the co-author of Dangerous Markets: Managing in Financial Crises. This book lays out a plan for global business leaders to manage their organizations through hazardous economic environments, providing advice to executives on how to navigate increasingly volatile financial markets.[citation needed] He also co-authored Re-Imagining Capitalism, which looks at capitalism through a contemporary lens and ponders how the economic system might be adapted to modern times. The book argues that the focus of capitalism should be expanded and adapted to focus more on long-termism. Re-Imagining Capitalism builds on Barton's previous writing, which reflects on the 2008 economic crisis, rejecting the "false choice" between serving stakeholders and shareholders while advocating for long-term planning from business leaders.
Most recently, Barton co-authored Talent Wins: The New Playbook for Putting People First, which argues that the primary driver of long-term success in companies is talent. The book maintains that business executives and leaders need to develop and manage their human capital even more intensely than they do their financial capital.[citation needed]
Board and advisory positions
editBarton has been a member of multiple boards like the Singapore Economic Development Board's International Advisory Council and worked as an advisor to the Asian Development Bank.[56][57] Barton also sits on the steering committee of the China–United States Exchange Foundation.[58]
In April 2022, Barton joined the board of Rio Tinto, and in May, he became chairman.[59]
In April 2022 Barton was also appointed as Chairman of the Management Board of Leapfrog Investments, a private investment firm that invests in high-growth, emerging markets, with a focus on social and environmental impact.[60]
In October 2022 the Eurasia Group, a global political risk consultancy, announced that Barton was joining the firm as a Strategic Counselor. Eurasia Group cited Barton's extensive business and diplomatic acumen as reasons for the appointment.[61]
Century Initiative
editBarton co-founded Century Initiative, described as "a diverse, non-partisan network of Canadians” dedicated to advocating for policies and programs aimed at increasing Canada's population to 100 million by 2100. In addition to immigration, this work focuses on urban development and infrastructure, early childhood supports, employment and entrepreneurship, and education. Barton is no longer involved with the project.[62]
Rio Tinto
editIn May 2022, Barton was appointed as the chairman of Rio Tinto, having joined the board in April 2022. As chairman, Barton has advocated for the role of mining and materials industries in the fight against climate change, pledging that Rio Tinto will be a partner to governments and customers to in the energy transition.[63]
Honours, awards, and civic and philanthropic activities
editBarton has served on the board of the Malala Fund, a global organization dedicated to helping young girls in the developing world gain access to education founded by Pakistani human rights activist Malala Yousafzai.[64]
Barton was also involved in the United Nations HeForShe initiative, a campaign focused on advancing global gender equality.[65]
In 2010, Barton was made an honorary fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. He also sat on the board of the University of Oxford Saïd Business School.[66]
Barton is a member of the Rhodes Trust Founder's Circle and was a trustee of the Brookings Institution.[67][68]
He was director at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and chair of Canadian mining company Teck Resources.[2]
He was a Commissioner for the Global Commission on Internet Governance.[69] He was a member of the International Advisory Board at the University of Oxford Blavatnik School of Government and of the Board of Trustees of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.[70][71]
He was the recipient of the 2014 Academy of International Business (AIB) International Executive of the Year Award.[72]
He has received the INSEAD Business Leader for the World Award in 2011, the Korean Order of Civil Merit in 2013, the Singaporean Public Service Star in 2014, the Foreign Policy Association Corporate Social Responsibility Award in 2017 and Canada's Public Policy Forum Testimonial Award in 2017.[73][74][75][76]
Personal life
editBarton, whose principal residence is in Beijing, was married to Canadian-born glass artist and scion of the Canadian beer family and former securities lawyer, Sheila Labatt. He has two children from this marriage.[9] He divorced in 2014, later marrying Geraldine Buckingham, an Australian who was formerly Blackrock's Asia Pacific Chairman.[41] Barton and Buckingham have two children together.
Bibliography
edit- Barton, Dominic; Newell, Roberto; Wilson, Gregory (October 2, 2002). Dangerous Markets: Managing in Financial Crises. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-42973-9.
- Barton, Dominic (2007). China Vignettes. Talisman Publishers. ISBN 978-981-05-8091-9.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada (2009-11-04). "Dominic Barton, Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China". www.canadainternational.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ a b c Chiu, Joanna; Nuttall, Jeremy (September 7, 2019). "Canada's new man in China lauded and scrutinized over past business with Beijing". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
- ^ "LeapFrog Investments appoints Dominic Barton, former McKinsey Global Managing Partner, as Chairman". LeapFrog Investments. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Dominic-Barton-to-succeed-Simon-Thompson-as-Chair". www.riotinto.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Eurasia Group | Dominic Barton". www.eurasiagroup.net. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ Canada, Service (2015-04-17). "PM welcomes ninth report of the Advisory Committee on the Public Service". gcnws. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ a b Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada (2009-11-04). "Dominic Barton, Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China". www.canadainternational.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ a b Perkins, Tara; Erman, Boyd (February 23, 2009). "McKinsey names Canadian to top post". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ a b c Stern, Stefan (August 15, 2010). "A strategy for staying sacred". The Financial Times. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ Contenta, Sandro (17 December 2016). "Dominic Barton, capitalism's go-to guy". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
- ^ a b Pitts, Gordon (August 17, 2009). "Dominic Barton's global challenge". The Globe and Mail. pp. B1.
- ^ a b "Chair of Morneau's council of economic advisers wants low carbon economy". CBC News. May 20, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Gwyther, Matthew (July 10, 2013). "McKinsey head Dominic Barton: 'We don't dominate the brain pool'". Management Today. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ "Dominic Barton". Vancouver School of Economics at University of British Columbia. October 25, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ a b c Shifman, Allan (February 23, 2011). "Dominic Barton 101". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
- ^ a b Thurm, Scott (February 23, 2009). "McKinsey Partners Pick Barton to Lead Firm". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ Forsythe, Michael; Bogdanich, Walt (2021-10-27). "At McKinsey, Widespread Furor Over Work With Planet's Biggest Polluters". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ Raghavan, Anita (January 11, 2014). "In Scandal's Wake, McKinsey Seeks Culture Shift". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
- ^ "Barton approves Korea's 'creative economy'". koreatimes. 2013-10-24. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Dominic Barton Official Bio, McKinsey & Company, archived from the original on August 2, 2019, retrieved August 2, 2016
- ^ "Bear new McKinsey head in Seoul". The Korea Herald. January 17, 2004.
- ^ Pitts, Gordon (March 26, 2017). "Dominic Barton's global management challenge". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- ^ "The Member List of the Advisory Board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management for Academic Year 2017-2018 Announced – New Members In - Program News - Tsinghua MBA". gmba.sem.tsinghua.edu.cn. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Dominic Barton". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Pachner, Joanna (April 7, 2011). "McKinsey & Co.: The man behind the curtain". Canadian Business. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ Marriage, Madison (25 February 2018). "McKinsey names Kevin Sneader new global managing partner". Financial Times. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ^ Company, McKinsey &. "McKinsey Named #1 Consulting Firm in all Regions - Europe, North America & Asia-Pacific - of 2020 Vault Ranking". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2022-04-07.
{{cite press release}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ "GLASSDOOR REVEALS THE 50 HIGHEST RATED CEOS FOR 2013". Glassdoor About Us. 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ "Highest Rated CEOs 2016 | Glassdoor". www.glassdoor.com. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ Freeman, Alan (December 23, 2021). "Dominic Barton and the art of reputation washing". iPolitics. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
- ^ "McKinsey's role in opioid scandal happened under a boss who led the charge for stakeholder capitalism. Now he's our ambassador to China". Toronto Star. 6 February 2021.
- ^ Canada, Service (2015-04-17). "PM welcomes ninth report of the Advisory Committee on the Public Service". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ a b Geddes, John (2017-09-05). "Dominic Barton wants Justin Trudeau to think big about the economy. Will he?". Macleans.ca. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Advisory Council on Economic Growth". www.budget.gc.ca. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Influential Liberal advisers want Canadian population to triple by 2100 - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "University of Waterloo reappoints Dominic Barton as Chancellor". Waterloo News. 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ University, McGill. "Max Bell School of Public Policy - Our People".
- ^ "Campaign Cabinet". psychiatry.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Bains, Jessy (September 4, 2019). "Dominic Barton named Canada's ambassador to China". yahoo.com.
- ^ "Prime Minister announces appointment of Dominic Barton as Ambassador to China". pm.gc.ca (Press release). PMO. September 4, 2019.
- ^ a b Chiu, Joanna; Nuttall, Jeremy (September 18, 2019). "Canada's new ambassador to China was already facing questions for his business ties. His marriage is raising more". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
- ^ "By naming Dominic Barton to be Canada's Chinese envoy, Ottawa has left Uyghurs worried". The Globe and Mail. September 6, 2019.
- ^ VanderKlippe, Nathan; Fife, Robert; Morrow, Adrian (2019-09-04). "Canada taps business consultant Dominic Barton as ambassador to Beijing amid diplomatic rift". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Prime Minister announces appointment of Dominic Barton as Ambassador to China". Prime Minister of Canada. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Kovrig, Spavor remain 'robust' after 2 years in Chinese prison: Canadian ambassador". Global News. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ a b MacCharles, Tonda (2021-10-03). "Shrouded in secrecy, here is the inside story behind the two Michaels' flight to freedom". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
- ^ Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (2021-06-07). "Canada held secret U.S. talks in bid to free Kovrig, Spavor jailed in China". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
- ^ a b Viswanatha, Drew Hinshaw, Joe Parkinson and Aruna (27 October 2022). "Inside the Secret Prisoner Swap That Splintered the U.S. and China". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ MacCharles, Tonda (2021-12-06). "'The mission is done': With the two Michaels released, Canada's ambassador to China is ready to move on". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (2021-06-07). "Canada held secret U.S. talks in bid to free Kovrig, Spavor jailed in China". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ a b MacCharles, Tonda (2021-12-07). "An exhausted diplomat and two ecstatic ex-hostages: Inside the emotional flight that brought the 'two". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Kirkup, Kristy (2021-09-26). "Homecoming of Michael Spavor, Michael Kovrig a welcome relief for Canada, but China rift runs deep after their detention". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "John Ivison: This is an appropriate time for Dominic Barton to exit China". nationalpost. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ MacCharles, Tonda (2021-12-06). "'The mission is done': With the two Michaels released, Canada's ambassador to China is ready to move on". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ "Statement by the Prime Minister on Canada's Ambassador to China". Prime Minister of Canada. 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ Chiu, Joanna; Nuttall, Jeremy (2019-09-18). "Canada's new ambassador to China was already facing questions for his business ties. His marriage is raising". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ https://www.fdc.org.br/sobre-a-fdc-site/diretoria-e-conselhos-site/Documents/conselho_internacional/dominic_barton.pdf.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "US-China 2022 - Steering Committee". China–United States Exchange Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
- ^ Hume, Neil (2021-12-19). "Dominic Barton appointed Rio Tinto chair". Financial Times. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
- ^ "LeapFrog Investments Appoints Dominic Barton, Former McKinsey Global Managing Partner, as Chairman". Financial Post. 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Eurasia Group | Eurasia Group welcomes Dominic Barton as Strategic Counselor". www.eurasiagroup.net. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ "Century Initiative". www.centuryinitiative.ca. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
- ^ "Mining's next chapter has begun and needs a clear story". www.riotinto.com. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
- ^ Canada, Asia Pacific Foundation of. "Dominic Barton, ABLAC Honorary Chair". Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "These 10 Male Executives Are Committing to Reach Gender Parity in 5 Years". Fortune. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Dominic Barton | Saïd Business School". www.sbs.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ^ "Dominic Barton". Prime Minister of Canada. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Trust, Rhodes. "Donor Report 2012-3" (PDF).
- ^ "Global Commission on Internet Governance (2014–2016)". Centre for International Governance Innovation. 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Dean's Forum with Dominic Barton". www.bsg.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Board of Trustees". www.kaust.edu.sa. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "AIB Fellows: Dominic Barton". Academy of International Business (AIB). Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "University of Waterloo reappoints Dominic Barton as Chancellor". Waterloo News. 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "McKinsey's Dominic Barton on Leadership — and His Three Tries to Make Partner". Lauder Institute. 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Migration (2015-05-29). "Four given national honours for contributions to Singapore's economic growth | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Testimonial Award | National". Public Policy Forum. Retrieved 2022-04-07.