Bank of Montreal (TSX:BMO) Tuesday announced that with the upcoming retirement of David Galloway from the board, it intends to appoint Robert Prichard as non-executive chairman of the board at the bank’s annual meeting of shareholders in Halifax on March 20, 2012.

Prichard has been an independent director of BMO since 2000.

“Under Rob’s leadership, I have every confidence that good governance will remain a source of competitive advantage for BMO,” said Galloway in a release.

“It has been a privilege to serve as chairman for the past eight years. As I prepare to step down from the board, I record my gratitude to everyone at the bank for their contributions and support,” Galloway added.

Prichard is non-executive chair of Torys LLP and a director of George Weston Ltd. and Onex Corp.

He is also President Emeritus of the University of Toronto.

He has an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and law degrees from the University of Toronto and Yale University.

Pritchard is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Member of the Order of Ontario and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.