Full Name
Kathleen Taylor
Job Title
Former President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Company/ Property
Chair of The Cabot Collection
Speaker Bio
Kathleen (“Katie”) Taylor is an international business leader and corporate director in the public and private sectors. Based in Toronto, Canada, she is well recognized for her leadership and governance skills, and for her multifaceted business expertise across various industries and geographies.
Ms. Taylor is Chair of Altas Partners, a Toronto-based private equity investment firm, with approximately $10 billion of capital invested in companies across North America. She also serves as Chair of Element Fleet Management, the world’s largest pure play full service fleet management company based in Toronto.
Ms. Taylor is a director of Air Canada and chairs its Human Resources, Compensation and Pension Committee. She also serves as Chair of Mattamy Asset Management, a private North America real estate development and investment firm, and is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Cabot Collection, a residential development and golf management firm.
Ms. Taylor is the former Chair of the Royal Bank of Canada, where she was a director from 2001 (serving on all four of the bank’s board committees) and Chair from 2014 to 2023. She is also is a former director of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, serving from 2013 to 2023 and is the former vice chair of The Adecco Group where she served as a director from 2015 to 2026.
In her executive career, Ms. Taylor was the President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where she was instrumental in building Four Seasons’ global portfolio and international brand over her almost 24 year career.
A champion of women and children, Ms. Taylor is Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital for Sick Children. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the SickKids Foundation, a director since 2004 and as Chair from 2014-2020. She is also a Founding Visionary of The Prosperity Project, a Canadian not-for-profit devoted to the advancement of women in leadership and the economy.
Ms. Taylor is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s National Council. She is also the Chancellor of York University and serves on the Dean’s Global Advisory Council of the Schulich School of Business.
Among Ms. Taylor’s many accolades for business achievement are: Member of the Order of Canada; 2025 Ivey Business Leader of the Year; inductee into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends; member of WXN’s Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame; recipient of the Schulich School of Business Award for Outstanding Executive Leadership; recipient of the inaugural Medal for Career Achievement from the Hennick Centre for Business and Law; recipient of the Governance Professionals of Canada Peter Dey Governance Achievement Award; Fellow of the ICD; and member and former Fellow of the NACD.
Ms. Taylor holds an M.B.A. from the Schulich School of Business, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Toronto, McGill University, York University and Trent University; an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Vincent University; and an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Huron University College.
Ms. Taylor is Chair of Altas Partners, a Toronto-based private equity investment firm, with approximately $10 billion of capital invested in companies across North America. She also serves as Chair of Element Fleet Management, the world’s largest pure play full service fleet management company based in Toronto.
Ms. Taylor is a director of Air Canada and chairs its Human Resources, Compensation and Pension Committee. She also serves as Chair of Mattamy Asset Management, a private North America real estate development and investment firm, and is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Cabot Collection, a residential development and golf management firm.
Ms. Taylor is the former Chair of the Royal Bank of Canada, where she was a director from 2001 (serving on all four of the bank’s board committees) and Chair from 2014 to 2023. She is also is a former director of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, serving from 2013 to 2023 and is the former vice chair of The Adecco Group where she served as a director from 2015 to 2026.
In her executive career, Ms. Taylor was the President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where she was instrumental in building Four Seasons’ global portfolio and international brand over her almost 24 year career.
A champion of women and children, Ms. Taylor is Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital for Sick Children. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the SickKids Foundation, a director since 2004 and as Chair from 2014-2020. She is also a Founding Visionary of The Prosperity Project, a Canadian not-for-profit devoted to the advancement of women in leadership and the economy.
Ms. Taylor is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s National Council. She is also the Chancellor of York University and serves on the Dean’s Global Advisory Council of the Schulich School of Business.
Among Ms. Taylor’s many accolades for business achievement are: Member of the Order of Canada; 2025 Ivey Business Leader of the Year; inductee into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends; member of WXN’s Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame; recipient of the Schulich School of Business Award for Outstanding Executive Leadership; recipient of the inaugural Medal for Career Achievement from the Hennick Centre for Business and Law; recipient of the Governance Professionals of Canada Peter Dey Governance Achievement Award; Fellow of the ICD; and member and former Fellow of the NACD.
Ms. Taylor holds an M.B.A. from the Schulich School of Business, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Toronto, McGill University, York University and Trent University; an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Vincent University; and an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Huron University College.
Speaking At
