The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) today announced the appointment of Ian Bacque to the role of president and CEO effective September 4.

For the past three years, Bacque has worked for Telus as Director, Ontario Government Relations, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive government relations plan, and supporting the company’s community investment program as a member of, and secretary to, the Telus Toronto Community Board.

Prior to this position, he was the Director of Government Relations at the Canadian Institute of Public & Private Real Estate Companies (now REALPac), a senior national real estate association representing the country’s largest publicly listed and private real estate companies.

Bacque has significant experience in the policy and regulatory arenas having worked as a senior policy advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Finance on regulatory functions including the Ontario Securities Commission, as well as pension, insurance, and financial institution policy reforms. Bacque also brings an understanding of the capital markets through his experience with public companies, including Telus the Toronto Dominion Bank where he was a solicitor, and from his work at the Ministry of Finance.

“We are extremely pleased to attract an individual of Ian’s calibre to the senior leadership role at CIRI,” said Sharon Mathers, chairwoman of the board of CIRI. “Ian has considerable expertise in corporate advocacy, regulatory development, government relations and public relations as well as the strong leadership skills needed to take CIRI to the next level of our strategic development.”

“I am very excited about joining the CIRI team”, said Bacque, in a release. “Investor relations professionals play a vital role in Canada’s capital markets, and it will be an honour to represent them as the president and CEO of CIRI.”

Bacque is the chairman of the Toronto Board of Trade Municipal Affairs Committee, a member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Business Advisory Council, and past v.p. and director of the Public Affairs Association of Canada. He is a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada, Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Property Tax Association, Toronto Board of Trade, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

He is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick’s Faculty of Law, holds a B.A. (Honours) from Queen’s University, and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1992. He earned his Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) Certification for Not-for-Profits from the Rotman School of Business in 2006.