Background

Jim Balsillie is the founder and chair of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). He is Co-CEO of Research In Motion (RIM), a position he has held since 1992. At RIM, Jim is responsible for driving corporate strategy, business development, marketing, sales and finance. A native of Peterborough Ontario, Jim earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Harvard University and is a Chartered Accountant. The success of RIM and its flagship BlackBerry® wireless solution has provided Jim with the opportunity to give back to his community and country. In 2002, he announced a major endowment gift to establish the Centre for International Governance Innovation, an international research institution founded to identify and develop ideas for global change. CIGI works to support research, foster exchange across disciplines, and provide informed advice to decision-makers on multilateral governance issues. In addition to his commitment to CIGI, Jim is the founder of the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA) and founding chair of the Canadian International Council (CIC). Jim is a founding donor of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and a patron of the Grand River Hospital where his leadership gift helped establish a new cancer care center. He is a major donor to RIM Park in the City of Waterloo and principal benefactor for the Balsillie Collection of Roy Studio Images in his native Peterborough. Most recently, Jim helped establish the Waterloo Regional Children's Museum, a unique facility where art and technology meet to stimulate creativity and motivate learning. Jim's commitment to the community and innovation in business leadership is widely recognized. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, Dalhousie University and Trent University, and was also elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (FCA), the highest designation that the Institute confers.