Shopify announced today that Colleen Johnston will join the company’s board of directors.
Johnston currently serves on the board of directors for WestJet, McCain Foods, Unity Health Toronto, and the Shaw Festival Theatre. More recently, Johnston operated as special advisor to the CEO at TD Bank before retiring in 2018 after 14 years with the financial institution.
“Colleen brings deep expertise in financial services, strategic growth, and organizational development.”
–Tobi Lütke
She has also served as the head of direct channels, technology, marketing, and corporate affairs at TD Bank. Prior to joining TD, Johnston held senior leadership roles at Scotiabank.
“We are thrilled to welcome Colleen to the Shopify board of directors,” said Tobi Lütke, founder and CEO of Shopify. “Colleen brings deep expertise in financial services, strategic growth, and organizational development acquired over the course of an impressive career. I have great confidence that Shopify will benefit greatly from Colleen’s decades of experience.”
Related: TD bank’s Colleen Johnston says fintechs are creating more opportunities for banks
“Helping entrepreneurs strive for independence and success is a mission I’m proud to be a part of,” said Johnston. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the next phase of Shopify’s growth.”
Johnston holds a bachelor of business administration from York University’s Schulich School of Business. She received her chartered accountant designation in 1984 and was elected a Fellow Chartered Accountant in 2006. She has received numerous industry honours, including Canada’s CFO of the year in 2012 and was recognized by Women’s Executive Network as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women three years in a row. In 2007, Johnston was inducted into Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Hall of Fame.
Other recent developments for Shopify include the opening of an R&D centre in the Toronto to accommodate its growing employee base and in September, it committed $500 million in investment to expand its presence in the city. By 2022, Shopify said it will occupy 254,000 square feet at the Well office by Front Street and Spadina Avenue, with the opportunity to expand.