David Simmonds is Senior Vice-President, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at, Great-West Lifeco and Canada Life. In this role, he oversees communications, external affairs, media relations, reputational risk management, ESG, and corporate social responsibility. He is a member of the Company’s Executive Management Committee.
David joined Great-West Lifeco in April of 2021 as Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, to support the design and execution of an enterprise-wide approach to building the company’s first Environmental, Governance and Social (ESG) Strategy and Framework.
Prior to Great-West Lifeco, David served as SVP Communications and Public Affairs at McKesson Corporation, where he built a multi-disciplinary department that included communications, government relations, public affairs, strategic events, brand, and social impact. Before this, he served as VP Enterprise Strategy and head of the enterprise strategy coordination office that helped launch McKesson’s long range growth initiative to employees, partners, and investors.
David began his career working across various public policy, politics, media, and consulting roles including time at a leading multinational public strategy firm and time as an on-air news contributor
A graduate of University of Western Ontario, David serves on the University’s Board of Governors, Director and President of the Canadian Club of Toronto, a Governor of the Stratford Festival and an Advisory Board Member at Catalyst Canada. David has completed the executive development program at the Wharton School and named one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Canadians by the Diversity Advancement Network.
