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Success may be measured by how well you play the long game — and it looks as though Ian Telfer is winning. The renowned entrepreneur and mining exec is chairman of the board at Goldcorp Inc., one of the leading gold producers. If there is a lesson to be learned from...
Success may be measured by how well you play the long game — and it looks as though Ian Telfer is winning.
The renowned entrepreneur and mining exec is chairman of the board at Goldcorp Inc., one of the leading gold producers. If there is a lesson to be learned from someone such as Telfer, it seems to be that no matter where you start, you can get to where you’d like to be. For Telfer, that is being the driving force behind mining companies that are now valued in the billions.
Not bad for someone who says he squeaked into the University of Ottawa’s MBA program at the last minute — and with lacklustre undergraduate marks. What Telfer did was make the most of what he had, and his ability to build and lead successful companies is well known throughout the industry.
Telfer once said his experience has made him conscious of trying to be open-minded — he doesn’t go into business situations with any assumption that he has the answer and that another person doesn’t. And that strategy has served him well.
Originally from Oxford, England, Telfer and his family moved to Ontario when he was a boy. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto and, after spending some time in the workforce, completed his MBA.
Telfer moved on to the international resource sector to establish and lead successful mining companies, including TVX Gold, Wheaton River, Silver Wheaton, Terrane Minerals and Uranium One.
In 2009, Telfer was appointed the chairmanship of the World Gold Council, a position he served in until 2013.
In his current capacity of chairman at Goldcorp, Telfer manages and guides the company’s national and international projects and acquisitions. Both the company and Telfer are dedicated to sustained and meaningful growth.
Outside of Goldcorp, Telfer is also a Fellow in the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
In 2015, Telfer’s mining career was celebrated with his induction into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. In the spring of 2016, he was inducted into the Business Laureates of British Columbia (BLBC) Hall of Fame for his many business accomplishments and philanthropic endeavours.
In addition to his longstanding career in the mining sector, Telfer is well known for his $25-million donation to the University of Ottawa. This is considered one of the largest single donations to a school of business in Canadian history, showcasing Ian’s deep philanthropic spirit.
Additionally, Telfer is a regular sponsor and supporter of The Special Olympics, The Vancouver Aquarium and the Simon Fraser Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. He is also a long-term supporter of British Columbia’s Lions Gate Hospital Foundation.
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