Canadian Youth Business Foundation Appoints Julia Deans as New CEO

Toronto, ON (January 14, 2013) – The Canadian Youth Business Foundation’s (CYBF) Chairman John Risley and the Board of Directors has named Julia Deans as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer effective today.

“As CYBF’s new CEO, Julia brings with her extensive management experience and a profound understanding of entrepreneurship – through creating and spearheading a business in Singapore, to building a series of successful regional initiatives in Canada. Julia’s leadership will advance CYBF’s standing as the premier gateway for young and emerging Canadian entrepreneurs and strengthen its industry-leading mentor-matching program. We are very pleased to have Julia on board,” said Risley.

Deans has a remarkable track record of success in the corporate, entrepreneurial, non-profit and public service spaces. She began her career as a lawyer, practicing in both Toronto and Hong Kong, before taking the leap into entrepreneurship. More recently, Deans was CEO of CivicAction – a coalition of thousands of senior leaders tackling major social, economic and environmental challenges through large-scale summits and collaborative projects. In 2012, she chaired Ontario’s Expert Roundtable on Immigration, helping develop the province’s first-ever immigration strategy.

“I’m honoured that the Board has entrusted me to lead this organization, which has helped young and emerging Canadian entrepreneurs to create over 5,200 businesses and 20,800 jobs with financing, mentoring and business resources,” said Deans. “I look forward to working with CYBF’s strategic and community partners, mentors, staff and young entrepreneurs to build on this terrific track record and to help more young Canadians create the economic prosperity Canada needs to create the social outcomes we want.”

Deans is a graduate of Queen’s University (political studies), Columbia University (public administration), and Osgoode Hall Law School. She is qualified to practice law in Ontario, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. She is a board member of the Living City Foundation, a founding board member of the Luminato arts festival and a past advisor to the Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation and the Hague Process on Refugees and Migration. She has been awarded University of Toronto’s Arbor Award and recognized as a Women of Influence 2012 Canadian Diversity Champion.

-30-

Canadian Youth Business Foundation – Canada’s Entrepreneur Gateway
The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to growing Canada’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth, aged 18-39, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring to help them launch and sustain successful entrepreneurial businesses. CYBF is the founder of the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit (G20 YES) and a founding member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (G20 YEA). www.cybf.ca.

For more information please contact:
Lesley Wilmot
Director, Marketing and Communications, CYBF
(416) 408-2923, ext. 2203
lwilmot@cybf.ca