V. Maureen Kempston Darkes

V. Maureen Kempston Darkes

Doctor of Commerce

Maureen Kempston Darkes is the first female President and General Manager of an automotive car giant, General Motors of Canada Limited. She joined General Motors of Canada Limited in 1975 as legal staff, and three years later became Assistant Counsel. In 1991, she was appointed Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and continued to work her way up the corporate ladder until 1 July 1994, when she was named President and General Manager.

Born and raised in the Toronto area, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Victoria College, University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto's School of Law. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1975.

She serves on the boards of Hughes Aircraft of Canada; CAMI Automotive (a joint venture between General Motors of Canada and Suzuki Motor Corporation); Canadian National; the National Quality Institute; and the National Research Council. She is also a committee member of the Business Council on National Issues; the Motor Vehicle Manufacturer's Association; the Natural Resources Canada Minister's Advisory Council on Industrial Energy Efficiency; the Automotive Advisory Committee; and the Ontario Government Education Accountability Board. Mrs. Kempston Darkes was appointed by the federal government to the Free Trade Agreement Automotive Select Panel in 1989 and, in 1994, to the Transportation Equipment Sectoral Advisory Group on International Trade (SAGIT).

She also serves as a Board member for New Directions, a volunteer-based, non-profit charitable community agency; and is Chair for Major Gifts for the Women?s College Hospital fundraising campaign; as well as a member of the Council of Advisory Governors for the YMCA of Greater Toronto.