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Thought Leadership, Research & CPA Spotlights

From Night Classes to National Leadership: Why John McKenzie, FCPA, FCMA, Became a CPA

John McKenzie, FCPA, FCMA was working in finance at Proctor and Gamble when his passion for lifelong learning inspired him to develop a deeper skill set. He was looking for the opportunity to grow not only as a technical expert, but as a leader as well.

It was that passion for learning that drew John to the CPA designation.

“In the CPA program, you cover such a breadth of learning around how to be a good business leader,” John said. “Not just the technical learning, but also the management side, the leadership side, the strategic thinking side. My “aha” moment was when I realized that there was so much I can use every day.”

John studied for his CPA designation part-time at night as he moved from Procter and Gamble to the Toronto Stock Exchange, where he found himself surrounded by CPAs who gave him an example to emulate. From CFOs, to corporate accountants, to auditors, he saw the critical role that CPAs play in supporting public companies every day.

Inspired by the leadership of the CPAs around him, John completed his designation, which took him to the forefront of Canadian business as the CEO of TMX Group.

Learning the Language of Business

John credits his CPA designation for providing him with the insights, the curiosity and the judgement to become a capital market leader in Canada and around the world.

“It’s not just the technical expertise you develop as a CPA that’s so valuable. It’s the ability to translate that technical expertise into a language that can be understood by other business leaders who don’t have the same grounding,” said John. “In my role today, those CPA skills get used in so many different ways.”

When meeting with global investors, John’s CPA designation gives him the insight he needs to talk about how a business works. It’s about more than the data and the analysis, it’s about helping business leaders and investors make the right decision.

Building a Stronger, More Inclusive Canadian Economy

Today, John is using his CPA to drive business forward by building a stronger, more inclusive Canadian economy.

Under John’s leadership, TMX Group has brought Indigenous communities and Indigenous businesses to the stock exchange – creating an exchange for companies with strong indigenous relations, with analytics demonstrating that these companies perform better than the broader market.

And in a moment when the country is rallying around improving Canada’s economic performance, John is using his expertise as a CPA and his platform as a Canadian business leader to push for important policy changes. From tax reform to research and development to streamlining regulation, John is an important voice in some of the most important conversations on the national stage.

“With a CPA background, I draw on skills and experiences that help me formulate policies that I believe will make companies more successful,” said John. “Not short-term gimmicks, but policies that build the economy for the long-term.”

John’s Message for Prospective CPAs

“For those starting out in their career today, you're coming into a period of immense change. And in a period of immense change, our country and our economy need those critical thinking skills that come through the CPA. We need folks that can be analytical, can change, can adapt, and can do more.”

Ready to Lead Like John?  

Discover how the CPA can prepare you to become a leader in Canadian business and the Canadian economy.