Martha Hall Findlay is the recently-retired former Chief Climate Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer for Suncor, one of Canada’s largest companies and the country’s largest integrated energy company. As Chief Climate Officer, she led Suncor’s efforts to address the nexus of climate and energy, including stewarding many of Suncor’s external relationships and strategic collaborations, in support of the company’s ongoing GHG reduction efforts and to build an environment that supports a future for sustainable Canadian energy. 

Martha was instrumental in the development of the multi-company Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero by 2050 initiative. 

As Chief Sustainability Officer, she was also responsible for Suncor’s climate-related efforts plus all other aspect of ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) including Indigenous and other community relations, government and public relations, communications, and Suncor’s award-winning Sustainability and Climate Reports. 

She was named a Canadian Climate Champion in 2021 by the British High Commission and the Canada Climate Law Initiative; she was named as one of Canada’s Clean50 for 2022; she was named by the Energy Council as a top global female oil and gas executive and one of the top 275 women influencers. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023.

Prior to joining Suncor, Martha was the President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation, one of Canada’s most important public policy think tanks.  She has written dozens of essays, articles and op eds for national publications in both official languages, most recently the ‘Energy and Climate Change’ chapter of “The Indo-Pacific – new strategies for Canadian engagement with a critical region” (2022, Fen Osler Hampson, Goldy Hyder and Tina Park, eds). She has frequently appeared as a thought leader in national print and broadcast media.

As a twice-elected Member of the Canadian Parliament, she served in the Official Opposition shadow cabinet for International Trade; Finance; Transport, Infrastructure and Communities; and Public Works and Government Services, and she served on the House of Commons Standing Committees for all of those portfolios. 

She has many years of experience as a corporate lawyer, international trade expert, senior executive and successful entrepreneur, supporting major multinationals as well as start-ups – primarily in wireless telecommunications and mobile payments before diving into energy, both in Canada and in Europe.

Martha’s community engagement has included serving as an advisory council member, board director and executive for a variety of policy, environmental, community and cultural organizations. She is currently a member of the Canadian Minister of International Trade’s Trade Expert Advisory Council; of the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council (ABLAC); the Executive Committee of the Canada-Korea Forum; and the Energy Advisory Board for MaRS.

Martha has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Toronto and an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School. She also holds the Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D designation.