Financial services ombudsman David Agnew will be the fifth president of Ontario’s Seneca College, the college announced Thursday.

Agnew comes to Seneca after serving as the Ombudsman of Banking Services and Investments since 2005. Raised in Toronto, he is active in community affairs and volunteers as a Board Director of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto

Previously, Agnew was the President and CEO of UNICEF Canada, a principal at the strategy consulting firm Digital 4Sight and executive vice president and corporate secretary for the Credit Union Central of Ontario

“He brings a wealth of experience to Seneca with a distinguished career in the private, public and non-governmental sectors and is well qualified to continue Seneca’s leadership in post-secondary education and the training of market-ready graduates,” says Helen Hayward, chair of Seneca’s Board of Governors.

Agnew was also the Secretary of Cabinet in the Government of Ontario from 1992 to 1995, led the Public-Private Partnerships Project and was Chief of Staff to the Premier of Ontario for two years

He was seconded to the University of Toronto from 1995 to 1996, was a Senior Resident at Massey College and is a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Agnew’s experience extends to the field of journalism, having worked as a newspaper reporter in St. John’s, Ottawa, Toronto and Edmonton.

David Agnew will become the President of Seneca College on July 1.

Seneca operates eight campuses across the Greater Toronto Area.

The OBSI said that Doug Melville, deputy ombudsman for banking services, will be the acting ombudsman following Agnew’s departure. A national search for a new ombudsman will be undertaken by the board immediately, it noted.

IE