MEET QUEEN’S GRADUATE MAIREAD LAVERY – CEO OF EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA  

23 October 2019

Based on an interview in NI Connections on Thursday 10 October, 2019

In February of this year, Queen’s Business graduate Mairead Lavery made history when she became the first woman to serve as President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC) in its 75-year history. 

Founded in 1944 and wholly owned by the Canadian Government, the EDC is the country’s export credit agency which supports and develops trade between Canada and the rest of the world, while helping foster overall competitiveness in the international marketplace.

Specifically, the EDC provides loans, insurance, advice and other services to Canadian companies seeking international markets for their goods. It reports to Parliament through the trade minister.

Born in County Antrim, Mairead grew up outside Lurgan, in County Armagh. She studied Business and Accounting at Queen’s, graduating in 1989 with a BSc in Management and Accounting, following which she took a diploma in accounting.

Mairead has held senior executive roles in professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP (EY), and with Canadian manufacturing company Bombardier, maker of aircraft and public transport equipment.

Speaking to NI Connections, Mairead, who has been a Canadian Citizen since 2015, said: “My first job was with EY. After 8 years I moved to work with Bombardier in Belfast. In 2000 I was given the opportunity to work at the head office in Montreal; I went for two years on assignment and have stayed in Canada ever since!”

During 16 years with Bombardier, Mairead had a number of executive roles in finance, strategy and business development.  

“In 2014,” Mairead continued, “I moved to EDC as senior vice president for business development, responsible for expanding the work of the agency for Canadian exporters of all sizes in nearly 200 different countries and across all sectors. I was appointed President and CEO in January 2019. 

“As a new CEO my role is very busy. I have been working through a plan and have been putting in place changes, in line with my vision for EDC. The challenge has been getting up to speed, as well as driving change in the organisation,” she added.

A passionate promoter of Canada’s exporters, and appointed to the role by the Canadian Minister of International Trade Diversification, as President and CEO Mairead is responsible for the EDC's business origination and client coverage across all industry sectors, product lines and customer segments within Canada and internationally.

While confessing to missing Northern Ireland – especially her family – Mairead now calls Canada home. She still remains in contact with former Bombardier colleagues who moved across the Atlantic the same time she did.

“I miss Northern Ireland but Canada is home to me,” she told NI Connections. “I love the open society, I support diversity and inclusion which is one of the reasons I made Canada home – the sense of a really open society.

“I try to visit home at least twice a year; my husband is also from Northern Ireland so it’s important to both of us to visit. All my family is in Northern Ireland – my mum, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews – I am the only one who moved away.

“I really miss my family and being able to see my nephews and nieces growing up,” she added.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, on her trips back to this side of the Atlantic over teh years Mairead has noticed many improvements. “I see really significant change when I visit home; there have been big physical changes in the city of Belfast where I studied at University and worked.

“Society has become much more open and people are looking to the future.”

Reflecting on Northern Ireland’s business strengths, Mairead sees everything starting with the education system – the talented workforce it produces and the research that it performs. She also highlighted problem solving as a key strength.

“Commercial success comes from solving customer problems and the advanced manufacturing sector and engineering are investing R&D into tackling difficult problems. This will make their products and services very attractive,” she added.

To submit graduate news items, or for general enquiries about this story, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast or telephone: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.

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