Catalyst to Honour Thomas O’Neill at 10th Anniversary Catalyst Canada Honours Dinner (Media Release)

Toronto, ON (Sept. 30, 2019) – Catalyst today announced that it has named Canadian business leader Thomas O’Neill a 2019 Catalyst Canada Honours Champion, Special Recognition, for his transformational contributions to advancing women in Canadian workplaces. He will receive his award at the 2019 Catalyst Canada Honours Dinner, on Monday, November 4, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. This year’s celebration marks 10 years of the prestigious award and event.

Mr. O’Neill is former Chief Operating Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Global, and former CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Canada.  His career also includes extensive corporate board involvement, including Scotiabank, Loblaw Companies Ltd., and BCE Inc.  Long known as a champion, mentor and sponsor of women, Mr. O’Neill has accelerated the careers of countless women leaders, including many who have risen to the highest ranks of Canadian business.

“When it comes to advancing women in business, Tom is a true trailblazer,” says Tanya van Biesen, Executive Director, Canada, Catalyst. “His unwavering commitment to looking beyond gender to identify and support talent, and encouraging other leaders to do the same, has helped to ensure a robust pipeline of talented women executives in this country. His actions are inspiring, and a testament to the idea that one individual can have a lasting effect on the lives of many.”

While at PwC, Mr. O’Neill was responsible for a number of corporate policy changes benefiting women, many of which were seen at the time as remarkably progressive, and implemented long before even being considered at other organizations. These included flexible work arrangements, additional reimbursement options for childcare, a ban on reimbursements for clubs that did not allow women, and greater flexibility for parents to participate in career development opportunities that may have fallen outside of a typical workday.

Earlier this year, more than 30 of the women who have benefitted from Mr. O’Neill’s sponsorship came together to celebrate and thank him, recognizing the lasting impact he has had on their careers.  On November 4, more than 700 Canadian business leaders will gather at the 2019 Catalyst Canada Honours Dinner to do the same.

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About Catalyst
Catalyst is a global nonprofit working with some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to help build workplaces that work for women. Founded in 1962, Catalyst drives change with pioneering research, practical tools, and proven solutions to accelerate and advance women into leadership—because progress for women is progress for everyone.

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