Richard Leblanc
Professor
Corporate Governance, Law & Ethics
Graduate Program Director, MFAc Program
Office: Atkinson College, 202A
Phone: 416-736-2100 Ext: 33744
Email: rleblanc@yorku.ca
Primary website: Dr Leblanc's York University website
Media Requests Welcome
Dr. Richard Leblanc is a leading expert on corporate governance and accountability. He was awarded Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario; Academic Fellow of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes; and a 2021 Modern Governance 100 recipient, a community of the world’s top governance, IT, risk and compliance professionals. Dr. Leblanc is an award-winning teacher, researcher, lawyer, public speaker, consultant and specialist on boards of directors. He has taught at leading universities including Harvard University. He is a member of Canadian Who’s Who.
Dr. Leblanc brings to business and professional audiences a depth of information from his extensive research and work with over 250 organizations; and from his training, assessment and development of over 1,500 directors and managers. He is engaging, dynamic and personable. Because of his work with leading companies and current research, Professor Leblanc is always on the cutting edge of emerging global governance developments.
Dr. Leblanc is Editor of “The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not-for-Profit Board Members,” 2nd Ed. (Wiley, 2020). His first edition has sold 7,000 copies worldwide and the seminal “Inside The Boardroom” has sold over 6,500 copies. Dr. Leblanc’s work has been described by various faculty at Harvard, Yale, London Business School and elsewhere as “great & much needed,” “wonderful and pragmatic,” “thorough” and “nothing short of remarkable,” as well as by Fortune 500, NYSE, FTSE and other company leaders as “leading edge,” “ground-breaking,” “valuable guidance,” “indispensable,” “compelling” and “exceptional.”
Dr. Leblanc has authored over 200 publications and reports, delivered over 550 invited speeches and training sessions, and sat for over 500 media appearances.
Dr. Leblanc’s insight has guided leaders of organizations through his teaching, research and direct consultation to national and multi-national corporations and government regulators. He has provided extensive service as an external advisor to boards of directors that have won national awards and peer endorsement for their governance practices. His applied research has been used by, and he has advised, financial and securities regulators, investors, and board and committee chairs. He has been retained to advise on under-performing boards to implement governance and shareholder accountability reforms. He has advised boards, board committees, committee chairs and CEOs, and has advised on CEO performance and director and CEO succession planning and removal, consistent with shareholder value creation and stakeholder accountability.
Dr. Leblanc is frequently consulted by stakeholders – such as companies, investors, associations, partnerships, not-for-profit organizations, Crown organizations, the media and regulators – for the latest developments and trends, and customizes his speaking engagements and consultations to suit all types of audiences.
Degrees
PhD, Schulich/York UniversityJD, University of Detroit Mercy
LLM, Osgoode/York University
LLB, University of Windsor
MBA, University of Toronto
Professional Leadership
Member, Academic Advisory Board, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, October 2013 – present.
Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 2012 – present.
Active on social media: LinkedIn® Group, “Board Advisors,” has 20,000+ members; academic blog; and Twitter (@drrleblanc).
Special Issue Co-Editor, Enhancing the Effectiveness of the 21st Century Board of Directors, International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, forthcoming 2012 – 2013.
Columnist & Blogger, Canadian Business, 2011 – 2014; and Huffington Post Canada, 2012 – 2016.
Instructor & advisor, Canadian Board Diversity Council, 2010 – 2017.
Contributor, “Governance Trends Around the World,” Director Journal, Institute of Corporate Directors, 2009 –2013.
Member, Executive Editorial Board, International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, 2008 – present.
Regular community outreach (workshops and speaking) to academic, accounting, compensation, consulting, corporate secretarial, director, diversity, governmental, internal audit, legal and risk management associations, 2001 – present.
Past/current member of: Academy of Management (AoM), American Bar Association (ABA) (Corporate Governance subgroup), Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CAMC), Canadian Bar Association (CBA), Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Institute of Company Directors (ICD), International Association of Business and Society (IABS), International Bar Association (IBA), National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and York University Faculty Association (YUFA).
Activities include advising (CAMC, CBDC (Canadian Board Diversity Council), FGS); collective bargaining (YUFA); editing (OHA, Conference Board of Canada); marking (CAMC); teaching/speaking (AoM, AICD, CBA, CBDC, CICA (Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants), CAMC, IABS, IIA, ICD, OHA (Ontario Hospital Association), NZ IoD (New Zealand Institute of Directors)); and writing (ICD, Conference Board US).
Expert witness work, governance best practices includes Research in Motion (maker of Blackberry®), Biovail, Nortel; work cited in judicial decisions.
Regular external professional consultations to domestic and international boards (ASX, LSE, Nasdaq, NYSE, LSE, TSX), including boards of directors who have received national awards and peer recognition for their governance standards and practices, 2004 – present.
Consulted by government regulators, sector associations and institutional shareholders in respect of governance guidelines, policies, assessment, etc., applicable to Canadian companies, e.g., the Canadian Public Accountability Board, Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Industry Canada, Office of Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Ontario Securities Commission, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, Toronto Stock Exchange, and other various departments and associations, 2003 – present.
Community Contributions
Community Service
Member, Women in Business Steering Committee, Removing Barriers Preventing Women from Attaining Top Leadership Positions, June 7, 2016 - present.
Leblanc, Richard, commentary and editing in response to Draft Proxy Access Policy, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, dated September 18, 2014, September 29, 2014.
Asked to assist the National Association of Corporate Directors in a social media pod at their annual Board Leadership Conference, October 11-13, 2013, and Oct 12-14, 2014, to expose directors in a more in-depth and hands on way to social media.
Leblanc, Richard, comment in response to “OSC Staff Consultation Paper 58-401Disclosure Requirements Regarding Women On Boards And In Senior Management,” Ontario Securities Commission (October 4, 2013). See commentary here.
Reviewed “OSC Staff Issuer Guide for Companies Operating in Emerging Markets” for the Ontario Securities Commission (Lisa Enright) and provided oral feedback, October 22, 2012.
Leblanc, Richard, comment in response to “Potential Regulation of Proxy Advisory Firms: CSA Consultation Paper 25-401,” (August 24, 2012).
Research Fellow and Advisory Board Member, Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, University of Texas at Dallas, Naveen Jindal School of Management, May 2012 - present.
Public policy reform, including advising banking and securities regulators on corporate governance issues and best practices, ranging from comprehensive reports, speaking to confidential groupings of regulators, editing proposed legislation, and creating and editing frameworks and documents for the assessment of regualtee boards; work has been used and/or cited by the following regulators: CIC, CSA, FSCO, Industry Canada, OSFI, OSC, SEC and the Senate of Canada.
Public commentary submissions: EU proposals (led group of eight, 2011); Remuneration Consultants Group (2011); Canadian Senate (2010), Canadian Securities Administrators (2009), NASDAQ (2009), SEC (2009), Financial Reporting Council (UK), 2009.
International governance community service includes direct collaboration with stakeholders (scholars, regulators and industry associations) in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, promoting mutual understanding, the Canadian experience and examples, and communication between stakeholders of international best practices.
Probono service to not-for-profit organization boards overseeing beneficiaries such as children, patients and students.
University Service
Presentation, “Governance Best Practices,” York University Board of Governors, 27 February 2018 (forthcoming).
Director, Master in Financial Accountability Program, York University, December 2015 – Present.
Course Coordinator (Corporate Governance and Law), School of Administrative Studies, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, July 2013 – present.
Bankes, John F. and Leblanc, Richard, “York University: Selection of a Chair, Board of Governors,” paper submitted (January 2012).
Public Lecture, York University, Trends and Issue in Corporate Governance After the Global Financial Crisis, October 12, 2010.
Steward, York University Faculty Association (YUFA) representing School of Administrative Studies, March – June, 2010.
Member, York University Faculty Association (YUFA) Bargaining Team, 2009.
Member, Teaching Award Winners’ Committee, York University, circa 2008 – 2009.
Atkinson Senator, York University, 2007 – 2010.
Member, Senate Appeals Committee, York University, 2007 – 2010.
Area Coordinator (Corporate Governance, Law and Ethics) and Member, Co-ordinators and Curriculum Committee, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, January 2005 – July 2009.
Member, Awards Committee, School of Administrative Studies, 2007 – 2009.
Research Interests
- Canadian Who’s Who, 2010. - 2010
- “Theory and Practice Award,” 2006, School of Administrative Studies (“SAS”), Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, York University, recognizing a significant contribution by an SAS faculty member on the academic and practical significance of one piece of work and the extent to which it helps to bridge management theory and practice, for Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, Inside the Boardroom: How Boards Really Work and the Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance (Toronto: Wiley, 2005). 2006 - 2006
- First Annual Emerald Publishing / European Foundation for Management Development Outstanding Doctoral Research Award, “Highly Commended” (Runner up), Management and Governance Category, June 2005. - 2005
- “Top 40 Under 40”™ for Canada, May 3, 2005. Winner of the “Top 40 Under 40 Award”™ in 2005, recognized as one of 40 people under 40 years of age chosen from across Canada based on accomplishments indicating vision, leadership, innovation and achievement. - 2005
- Udayan Rege Best Dissertation Award, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, June 6, 2004. - 2004
- York University Teaching Award, First Place Winner, inaugural Seymour Schulich BBA Award for Teaching Excellence, York University, as selected by students, 1998. - 1998
- Diligent Modern Governance 100 - 2021
- Fellow Certified Management Consultant - 2020
- Academic Fellow - CMC Global - 2021
- Joyce Borden-Reed Distinguished Contribution Award - 2017
Leblanc, Richard, ed., The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not for Profit Board Members, 2nd ed., San Francisco: Wiley (2020).
Leblanc, Richard, ed., The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not for Profit Board Members (San Francisco, CA: John Wiley, 2016).
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, Inside the Boardroom: How Boards Really Work and the Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance (Toronto: Wiley, 2005); and translated into Russian: Inside the Boardroom (Moscow: Wiley, 2006). www.amazon.ca/boardroom.
Leblanc, Richard “Getting the Right Directors on Your Board,” in Conger, Jay, ed., Boardroom Realities: Building Leaders Across Your Board (London: Josey-Bass, March 2009).
Burke, Ron, and Leblanc, Richard, “Women on Corporate Boards: The Canadian Perspective,” in Burke, Ron, Singh, Val, Bilimoria, Diane, and Huse, Morten, Women on Corporate Boards of Directors: Research and Practice (Cheltenham, Glos: Edward Elgar, forthcoming, January 2009).
Leblanc, Richard “Developing Effective Corporate Governance,” in Wesson, Thomas, ed., The New World Economic Order (Toronto: Captus Press, 2007), 260-274. Adapted from the Annual Queen’s Business Law Symposium conference proceedings, infra. See http://www.captus.com/Information/catalogue/book.asp?Book+Number=935 for more information.
Leblanc, Richard, “Assessing the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors and Individual Directors,” in Ali, Paul U., and Gregoriou, Greg N., eds., International Corporate Governance After Sarbanes-Oxley (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006), 485-524. Adapted from Leblanc, 20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Assessments, infra.
Please see full and most recent publications here: http://www.yorku.ca/rleblanc/html/spc.html
Leblanc, Richard, “20 Questions Directors of Not-For-Profit Organizations Should Ask about Recruiting, Developing and Renewing Directors” (Toronto: Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, 2019).
Leblanc, Richard, “Why Governance Evaluations Fail,” The Corporate Board (September / October 2015), pp. 6-10.
Leblanc, Richard, “Corporate Governance Trends, Pressures, and Responses,” Stewardship Review: Insights for the Boardroom Summer 2015, Conference Board of Canada (Toronto: 2015). Click here for the article.
Leblanc, Richard, “What a Board Expects from Management and What Management Expects from A Board,” Boards, Ontario Hospital Association (Toronto: February, 2013), at 9-11.
Leblanc, Richard, “Director removal: a five-point plan” Corporate Governance Quarterly, ICSA Chartered Secretaries Canada (Toronto: Winter, 2012) 4-5. Reproduced with permission from Listed: The Magazine for Canadian Listed Companies, below.
Leblanc, Richard, “Forty Proposals to Strengthen: the Public Company Board of Director’s Role in Value Creation; Management Accountability to the Board; and Board Accountability to Shareholders," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2013) 1-16. See article here.
Leblanc, Richard, Special Editor, “Editorial: Enhancing the effectiveness of the 21st century board of directors,’” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2013) 10:2, 93-97.
Leblanc, Richard, “Aligning Pay to Value Creation and Performance: 12 compensation opportunities that boards and committees should consider,” ICD Director, Institute of Corporate Directors (Toronto: forthcoming, 2012).
Leblanc, Richard, et al., “General Commentary on European Union Corporate Governance Proposals,’” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (October 2011) 9:1, 1-35.
Leblanc, Richard “The Walker Review Proposes ‘The Toughest Governance Regime in the World,’” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2010) 7:1, 20-27. Please see here. Adapted and modified from “The Walker Review in the UK Proposes Tough New Regulatory Requirements”, supra. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in International Journal of Disclosure and Governance. The definitive publisher-authenticated version International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2010) 7:1, 20-27 is available online: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jdg/index.html
Leblanc, Richard, and Schwartz, Mark, “Effective Boards of Directors: An Examination of Director Behavioural-Types,” Corporate Ownership & Control (Winter 2008) 5:2, 154-167.
Leblanc, Richard “Recruitment, training and assessment (and removal) of directors post SOX,” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (February 2008) 5:1 at 8-14.
Leblanc, Richard, “Risk Management Oversight: Is Your Board at Risk?” Directors Monthly, National Association of Corporate Directors, (Washington, D.C.: June 2008), 17-18. Reprinted within program “The Board’s Role in Risk Assessment, Mitigation and Disclosure,” American Bar Association (ABA) Corporate Governance Committee and Corporate Compliance and Corporate Counsel Committee, New York City, August 9, 2008.
Leblanc, Richard, “Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness 2.0,” International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics (2007) 3:2, 106-112.
Bury, Sophie, and Leblanc, Richard, “Corporate Governance Research on the Free Web: A Selected Annotated Guide,” Reference Services Review (2007) 35:3, 497-514.
Leblanc, Richard “Effective Risk Oversight by Boards in 2007: What are the Key Areas,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2007) 7:1, 18-20.
Leblanc, Richard “External Disclosure of Leading Governance Assessment Practices: What Shareholders Should be Asking and Companies Should be Disclosing,” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (August 2007), 167-180.
Smith, Mark, and Leblanc, Richard, “Nose In, Fingers Out: The Role of Outside Directors in Assessing Insurance Company Strategy” Canadian Insurance (Toronto: March 2007), 36-41.
Leblanc, Richard, “Ten Ways to Enhance the Effectiveness of the Audit Committee,” Ivey Business Journal [Online] (September-October 2007).
Leblanc, Richard, and Schwartz, Mark, “The Black Box of Board Process: Gaining Access to a Difficult Subject,” Corporate Governance: An International Review (September 2007), 843-851.
Leblanc, Richard “The Eight “Cs: Of Board Performance Assessment” The Corporate Board (May-June 2007), 16-21.
Leblanc, Richard, 20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Assessments (Toronto: Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2006).
Leblanc, Richard “Assessing Individual Directors: An Idea Whose Time Has Come,” Journal on Corporate Governance in Russia and Other Transitional Economies [Online] (October 2006).
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, “Governance 2.0: From Compliance to Strategy: Is Your Board Prepared,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2006) 6:1, 4-6.
Jones, Mark, and Leblanc, Richard, “Human Chemistry and Independent Assessment Drive Boardroom Performance,” Company Director (Australian Institute for Company Directors: July 2006), 50-52.
Jones, Mark, and Leblanc, Richard, “Human ‘Chemistry’: A Key Driver of Future Australian Boardroom Performance,” International Corporate Governance Review (2006), 86-91.
Gillies, James, Bartha, Peter and Leblanc, Richard, “Structure vs. Function and the Evolution of Corporate Governance Regulation and Research in the United States,” Russian Management Journal (2006) 4:1, 147-162.
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, “The Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2006) 5:2, 6-10. (This article is adapted from Chapter 11 from Inside the Boardroom, supra.)
Leblanc, Richard, “The Nomination and Assessment of Individual Directors: Questions Shareholders Should Be Asking: A Case Study,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2006) 6:3, 24-28.
Leblanc, Richard, “Understanding the Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Across the Board: A Newsletter for Australian Directors (February 2006), 8-10.
Leblanc, Richard, “What Gets Measured Gets Managed,” Across the Board: A Newsletter for Australian Directors (December 2006), 8-10. Reprinted in Audit Committee Quarterly, Audit Committee Institute Ireland (February 2008), 9-11.
Leblanc, Richard “Assessing Board Leadership,” Corporate Governance: An International Review (September 2005), 654-666.
Leblanc, Richard, contributor, “Performance Measurement: A Finance and Management Special Report (SR9),” Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (September 2005), 33-34.
Leblanc, Richard, “The Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Australian Chief Executive (May 2006), “adapted from Richard Leblanc’s address Effective Corporate Governance: Measuring and Benchmarking Board and Director Performance, to CEDA Melbourne on 8 November 2005,” 24-27.
Leblanc, Richard, “Preventing Future Hollingers,” Ivey Business Journal (September-October 2004), 1-9.
Leblanc, Richard, and Schwartz, Mark, “The Black Box of Board Process: Lessons in Studying Difficult Subjects,” Academy of Management Meeting (Research Methods Division), New Orleans, August 2004 (accepted but not presented).
Leblanc, Richard “What’s Wrong With Corporate Governance: A Note,” Corporate Governance: An International Review (October 2004), 436-441.
Leblanc, Richard, “Director Education and Orientation Programs,” The Corporate Board (July-August 2003), 23-25.
Light, Dorothy K., and Leblanc, Richard, “Integrating the New and Educating the Current Director,” The Effective Board (National Association for Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C., July 2003), 7-9.
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, “The Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Ivey Business Journal (September-October 2003), 1-11.
Leblanc, Richard, “Assessing Board Performance: 10 Key Factors,” The Corporate Board (January-February 2002), 1-7.
Leblanc, Richard, “Board Assessments” Directors Monthly, Special Issue on Board Evaluation, National Association of Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C., Spring 2002.
Leblanc, Richard, “Research Note on Board Effectiveness,” Director’s Monthly (National Association for Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C., November 2002), 17.
Leblanc, Richard, “Board Assessment: A Top 10 List for Assessing the Effectiveness of Your Board and Individual Directors,” Federated Press Journal of Corporate Governance 2001 (1:4), 38-43.
Leblanc, Richard “Are Global Corporate Governance Practices Converging? A Report to the OECD on Corporate Governance and Lessons from the Asian Currency Crisis,” Global Focus (1999) 11:2, 151-166. (This journal has been merged with Thunderbird International Business Review.)
Leblanc, Richard, and Hebb, Laurence, “Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice,” within a special essay forum in memory of Max Clarkson, Business & Society (March 1999),
Leblanc, Richard, and Hebb, Laurence, “Directors at the Gate,” Professional Administrator, newsletter of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Canada (1999) 23:2, 18-21.
Leblanc, Richard, and Hebb, Laurence, “Directors at the Gate,” Professional Administrator, newsletter of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Canada (1999) 23:2, 18-21.
Hebb, Laurence, and Leblanc, Richard, “Ethics in International Business Transactions,” Canadian International Lawyer (1998) 3:1, 1-7, 27.
Please see full and most recent professional journal articles (refereed and non-refereed) here: http://www.yorku.ca/rleblanc/html/spc.html
Leblanc, Richard, and Lascaris, A. Dimitri, “Shareholder Litigation: An Important Tool for Effecting Corporate Governance Reform,” The Second International Class Action Conference, Westin Hotel, Sydney, Australia, October 25-26, 2007.
Leblanc, Richard, “Improving Board Decision-Making: An Inside View,” Henley Management College, October 2003 and October 2005, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Leblanc, Richard, “Getting Into the Black Box: What Really Matters in Board Decision-Making,” Henley Management College, Oct. 2000, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Conger, Jay, Dalton, Dan, Leblanc, Richard, Liang, Neng, and Useem, Michael, “Boards of Directors,” a Symposium Submission for the Academy of Management Meetings, Chicago, 2009.
Burke, Ronald, and Leblanc, Richard, “Women on Corporate Boards of Directors: Ongoing Challenges,” presentation to “Women on Boards of Directors: Interventional Strategies and Global Action for Board Level Gender Equity” Symposium, Academy of Management Meeting, Atlanta, 2006.
Leblanc, Richard, “The Firm: Developing Effective Governance,” in Anand, Anita I. and Flanagan, William F., eds., “Conflicts of Interest in Capital Market Structures: Papers Presented at the 10th Annual Queen’s Business Law Symposium October 2003” (2004), 1-16. See also Peter Dey, “Thoughts on Richard Leblanc’s Paper, ‘The Firm – Developing Effective Governance,’” ibid., 17-18, and W. F. Flanagan, “Comment on Richard Leblanc’s paper…,” ibid., 19-21.
Presentation, “Plenary Session 9: Board Effectiveness: How to Measure What Really Counts,” GUBERNA, Brussels (December 6, 2010). Submission entitled “Separating the Role of Chair and CEO – More is Needed, Including Leadership Skills and Industry Knowledge” accepted (with Katrina Pick) for presentation at the Corporate Governance & Global financial crisis conference, Wharton School, Philadelphia (September 24, 2010). Submission entitled “Working with part-time faculty to enhance teaching and the curriculum” accepted (with Sandra Scott) for Round-Table Discussion at the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education conference, Toronto (June 24, 2010). Submission entitled “The Movement Towards Independently Assured Board Evaluation: Development of Criteria and Processes and Implications for the Internal Audit Function” accepted to the 8th European Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance, Chios, Greece (2010. Did not attend).
Please see: http://www.yorku.ca/rleblanc/html/spc.html
Approach to Teaching
GRADUATE
Director, Master in Financial Accountability Program, York University, December 2015 – Present. Grew program from a few dozen students to over 200.
Harvard University, Summer Faculty, 26 June – 9 August 2012, 25 June – 8 August 2013, 24 June – 7 August 2014, 13 – 30 July, 2015, 11 – 28 July 2016, 10 – 27 July 2017, and 16 July – 2 August 2018, and 15 July – 1 August 2019.
Member, Faculty of Graduate Studies, York University.
Member, PhD Examining Committee, Solange Charas, Case Western Reserve University, 2013-2014.
Research Fellow and Advisory Board Member, Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, University of Texas at Dallas, Jindal School of Management, 2012 – present.
Adjunct Faculty, Osgoode Hall Law School, January – April 2011.
Member, PhD Examining Committee, “Strengthening the Stakeholder Principle: The Path of Corporate Law,” by P.M. Vasudev, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 28 January 2011.
Member, PhD Examining Committee, “Law, Development and Corporate Law Reform in China: Revealing the Embedded Social Values of the Corporation,” by Gil Lan, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 11 February 2011.
Dean’s Representative, LLM Defence, Victoria Torrie (Supervisor: Stephanie Ben-Ishai), entitled “Analyzing the Canadian Third-Party ABCP Liquidity Crisis and Restructuring Through the Lenses of Securities and Insolvency Law,” Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 15 April 2010.
Courses developed and taught
Assisted in the development and ongoing revision, in conjunction with industry experts, courses in enterprise risk management and strategy, MFAc program, 2012 – present. Developed and taught GS/FACC 6220: “Governance of Executive Compensation and Shareholder Accountability,” Master of Financial Accountability Program (MFAc), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2012 – 2016. See course outline here.
Developed and taught GS/FACC 6460: “Accountability Issues in the Government and Not-for-Profit Sectors,” Master of Financial Accountability Program (MFAc), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2012 – present (with exception of sabbatical). See course outline here.
GS/LAW 6749: Corporate Governance (with Poonam Puri), Part-Time LLM Specializing in Business Law, Osgoode Professional Development Program, York University (30 March - 1 April, 2011).
Developed and taught GS/FACC 6220: “Corporate Governance and Financial Accountability,” Master of Financial Accountability Program (MFAc), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2011 – present (with exception of sabbatical).
LW/LAW 5170: Corporate Governance, LLB Program, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (January - April, 2011). “Boards of Directors,” Joint Schulich-Kellogg EMBA Programs, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.
SMGT 6150: “Boards of Directors,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1999-2002.
MGMT 6200: “Business Administration and the Law,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1997, 2000.
MGMT 5250: “Managing in a Contemporary Context,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1997.
UNDERGRADUATE
Courses developed and taught
ADMS 4692: “Governance of Government Enterprises and Not-for-Profit Organizations,” Bachelor of Administrative Studies Program (BAS), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2014 – present (with exception of sabbatical).
ADMS 4690: “Board Leadership, Effectiveness & Succession Planning,” Bachelor of Administrative Studies Program (BAS), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2012 – present (with exception of sabbatical).
ADMS 2610: “Elements of Law: Part 1,” Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, July 2004 – 2010, 2013.
MGMT 1010: “Environmental Context of Management,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1998-2004.
PLCY 4200: “Business Administration and the Law,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1996-2000.
SGMT 4010: “Strategic Management,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1997-1998.
Guest lectures in other courses
Guest lecture on corporate governance developments, University of Toronto St. George Campus, November 11, 2013.
Guest lecture on synthesizing governance and accountability theory and practice, FACC 6900, York University, September 23, 2013.
Guest lecture on developments in corporate governance, Business Ethics class, Ryerson University, March 9, 2011 (forthcoming).
Joint Law-MBA Seminar, Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business, York University, January 18, 2011; February 9, 2010; February 10, 2009; and January 29, 2008.
“Corporate Governance, Business Law and Technology,” CSE 3000 Professional Practice in Computing, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, York University, September 28, 2010.
“Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility,” School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2009.
“Law of Corporate Management,” Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.
Joint Law-MBA Seminar, Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business, York University; MGMT 5250: “Managing in a Contemporary Context,” Schulich School of Business, York University; and MGT 2015-02: “Management Consulting,” Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
University of Chicago-Wharton-Stanford Directors Consortium, 2005.
EMBA Program – Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, April 2, 2004.
OTHER TEACHING-RELATED ACTIVITIES
Mentoring and Development
Mentoring university colleagues, Teaching Award Winners’ Classroom Observation Scheme, October 2013 - present.
Seminars, workshops presented
Instructor, International Company Directors Course, Australian Institute of Company Directors, 2005.
Guest speaker, “Effective University Teaching And Best Practices,” Briarcliffe College, April 22, 1999, Bethpage, NY.
Guest speaker, “Insights and Dialogue on Schulich Teaching,” by Richard Leblanc, February 3, 1999.
Guest speaker, Schulich School of Business, “Reflections on the Ivey Teaching Workshop,” by Richard Leblanc, November 17, 1998.
Courses Taught At Other Institutions
Instructor, S-5018: “Corporate Governance,” Summer School, Harvard University, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. See course outline here.
Instructor, MGT 2015-08: “Boards of Directors: Governance Principles for Private, Public & Not-For-Profit Corporations,” MBA Program, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Instructor, MGT 2005-08: “Advanced Concepts in Strategic Management,” MBA Program, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Instructor, MGT C59S: “Management Ethics,” BA / BCom Program, University of Toronto at Scarborough.
Course / Curricular Development
Undertook substantive curriculum development and revisions to corporate governance courses: FACC 6620 (Governance of Executive Compensation and Shareholder Accountability), FACC 6900 (Governance and Accountability: Synthesis of Theory and Practice) (in conjunction with Mark Smith) and undergraduate governance and legal courses (ADMS 4691, ADMS 4692), in the MFAc and SAS Programs, respectively, 2012-2013.
Undertook substantive curriculum development and revisions to three proposed and forthcoming corporate governance courses (in progress): FACC 6460, ADMS 4690 and two proposed undergraduate governance and legal courses, in the MFAc and SAS Programs, respectively, 2011-2012.
Undertook substantive curriculum revisions to three corporate governance courses: FACC 6220, LAW 5170 and LAW 6749, in the MFAc, JD and LLM Programs, respectively, 2010-2111.
Undertook substantive curriculum revisions to AK/ADMS 3620 3.00: “Elements of Law: Part 2,” Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, 2007-2009.
Undertook substantive curriculum revisions, in collaboration with the Undergraduate Program Director, School of Administrative Studies, to AK/ADMS 2610 3.00: “Elements of Law: Part 1,” (formerly ADMS 3610), Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, 2007-2009.
Developed two courses for the proposed Masters of Financial Accountability (MFAcc) Program, AK/ADMS 6160 3.00 Corporate Governance and Financial Accountability and AK/ADMS 6120 3.00 Corporate Responsibility and Ethics.
Pedagogical Innovation/Development of Technology-Enhanced Learning
Internet-based course (developed with Randy Hoffman at York University), “Best Practices and Professional Standards in the Management Consulting Profession,” Canadian Association of Management Consultants, CMC Program, 2000 to present.
Publications and Professional Contributions to Teaching
Leblanc, Richard “Enthusiastic Teaching: A Conversation with Friends,” contributor to Chapter 15, in Robert T. Tauber and Cathy Sargent Mester, eds., Acting Lessons for Teachers: Using Performance Skills in the Classroom, 2nd ed. (Westport, CT: Greenwood/Praeger, 2007)
Leblanc, Richard, “Good Teaching: The Top Ten Requirements,” The Teaching Professor (June-July 1998), 1,7 and reprinted in: Insight: Advanced Learning Through Faculty Study, newsletter of the Teaching Excellence Centre, Rutgers University, Camden Campus (Fall 1998), 1, 2; The Point, newsletter of United Faculty of PBCC, (November 1998), 6; Briarcliffe College Faculty Newsletter, Briarcliffe College, Bethpage, NY (January-February 1999), 2; Focus on Teaching, Newsletter of Buffalo State University of New York (Spring 1999), 2; and The Mount Sinai School of Medicine Institute for Medical Education Newsletter, New York, NY (September 2008), 5.
Current Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | GS/FACC6500 3.0 | A | Corporate Governance | ONLN |
Upcoming Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 2024 | GS/DMGM5080 1.5 | N | Law and Corporate Governance | ONLN |
Dr. Richard Leblanc is a leading expert on corporate governance and accountability. He was awarded Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario; Academic Fellow of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes; and a 2021 Modern Governance 100 recipient, a community of the world’s top governance, IT, risk and compliance professionals. Dr. Leblanc is an award-winning teacher, researcher, lawyer, public speaker, consultant and specialist on boards of directors. He has taught at leading universities including Harvard University. He is a member of Canadian Who’s Who.
Dr. Leblanc brings to business and professional audiences a depth of information from his extensive research and work with over 250 organizations; and from his training, assessment and development of over 1,500 directors and managers. He is engaging, dynamic and personable. Because of his work with leading companies and current research, Professor Leblanc is always on the cutting edge of emerging global governance developments.
Dr. Leblanc is Editor of “The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not-for-Profit Board Members,” 2nd Ed. (Wiley, 2020). His first edition has sold 7,000 copies worldwide and the seminal “Inside The Boardroom” has sold over 6,500 copies. Dr. Leblanc’s work has been described by various faculty at Harvard, Yale, London Business School and elsewhere as “great & much needed,” “wonderful and pragmatic,” “thorough” and “nothing short of remarkable,” as well as by Fortune 500, NYSE, FTSE and other company leaders as “leading edge,” “ground-breaking,” “valuable guidance,” “indispensable,” “compelling” and “exceptional.”
Dr. Leblanc has authored over 200 publications and reports, delivered over 550 invited speeches and training sessions, and sat for over 500 media appearances.
Dr. Leblanc’s insight has guided leaders of organizations through his teaching, research and direct consultation to national and multi-national corporations and government regulators. He has provided extensive service as an external advisor to boards of directors that have won national awards and peer endorsement for their governance practices. His applied research has been used by, and he has advised, financial and securities regulators, investors, and board and committee chairs. He has been retained to advise on under-performing boards to implement governance and shareholder accountability reforms. He has advised boards, board committees, committee chairs and CEOs, and has advised on CEO performance and director and CEO succession planning and removal, consistent with shareholder value creation and stakeholder accountability.
Dr. Leblanc is frequently consulted by stakeholders – such as companies, investors, associations, partnerships, not-for-profit organizations, Crown organizations, the media and regulators – for the latest developments and trends, and customizes his speaking engagements and consultations to suit all types of audiences.
Degrees
PhD, Schulich/York UniversityJD, University of Detroit Mercy
LLM, Osgoode/York University
LLB, University of Windsor
MBA, University of Toronto
Professional Leadership
Member, Academic Advisory Board, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, October 2013 – present.
Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 2012 – present.
Active on social media: LinkedIn® Group, “Board Advisors,” has 20,000+ members; academic blog; and Twitter (@drrleblanc).
Special Issue Co-Editor, Enhancing the Effectiveness of the 21st Century Board of Directors, International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, forthcoming 2012 – 2013.
Columnist & Blogger, Canadian Business, 2011 – 2014; and Huffington Post Canada, 2012 – 2016.
Instructor & advisor, Canadian Board Diversity Council, 2010 – 2017.
Contributor, “Governance Trends Around the World,” Director Journal, Institute of Corporate Directors, 2009 –2013.
Member, Executive Editorial Board, International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, 2008 – present.
Regular community outreach (workshops and speaking) to academic, accounting, compensation, consulting, corporate secretarial, director, diversity, governmental, internal audit, legal and risk management associations, 2001 – present.
Past/current member of: Academy of Management (AoM), American Bar Association (ABA) (Corporate Governance subgroup), Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CAMC), Canadian Bar Association (CBA), Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Institute of Company Directors (ICD), International Association of Business and Society (IABS), International Bar Association (IBA), National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and York University Faculty Association (YUFA).
Activities include advising (CAMC, CBDC (Canadian Board Diversity Council), FGS); collective bargaining (YUFA); editing (OHA, Conference Board of Canada); marking (CAMC); teaching/speaking (AoM, AICD, CBA, CBDC, CICA (Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants), CAMC, IABS, IIA, ICD, OHA (Ontario Hospital Association), NZ IoD (New Zealand Institute of Directors)); and writing (ICD, Conference Board US).
Expert witness work, governance best practices includes Research in Motion (maker of Blackberry®), Biovail, Nortel; work cited in judicial decisions.
Regular external professional consultations to domestic and international boards (ASX, LSE, Nasdaq, NYSE, LSE, TSX), including boards of directors who have received national awards and peer recognition for their governance standards and practices, 2004 – present.
Consulted by government regulators, sector associations and institutional shareholders in respect of governance guidelines, policies, assessment, etc., applicable to Canadian companies, e.g., the Canadian Public Accountability Board, Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Industry Canada, Office of Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Ontario Securities Commission, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, Toronto Stock Exchange, and other various departments and associations, 2003 – present.
Community Contributions
Community Service
Member, Women in Business Steering Committee, Removing Barriers Preventing Women from Attaining Top Leadership Positions, June 7, 2016 - present.
Leblanc, Richard, commentary and editing in response to Draft Proxy Access Policy, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, dated September 18, 2014, September 29, 2014.
Asked to assist the National Association of Corporate Directors in a social media pod at their annual Board Leadership Conference, October 11-13, 2013, and Oct 12-14, 2014, to expose directors in a more in-depth and hands on way to social media.
Leblanc, Richard, comment in response to “OSC Staff Consultation Paper 58-401Disclosure Requirements Regarding Women On Boards And In Senior Management,” Ontario Securities Commission (October 4, 2013). See commentary here.
Reviewed “OSC Staff Issuer Guide for Companies Operating in Emerging Markets” for the Ontario Securities Commission (Lisa Enright) and provided oral feedback, October 22, 2012.
Leblanc, Richard, comment in response to “Potential Regulation of Proxy Advisory Firms: CSA Consultation Paper 25-401,” (August 24, 2012).
Research Fellow and Advisory Board Member, Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, University of Texas at Dallas, Naveen Jindal School of Management, May 2012 - present.
Public policy reform, including advising banking and securities regulators on corporate governance issues and best practices, ranging from comprehensive reports, speaking to confidential groupings of regulators, editing proposed legislation, and creating and editing frameworks and documents for the assessment of regualtee boards; work has been used and/or cited by the following regulators: CIC, CSA, FSCO, Industry Canada, OSFI, OSC, SEC and the Senate of Canada.
Public commentary submissions: EU proposals (led group of eight, 2011); Remuneration Consultants Group (2011); Canadian Senate (2010), Canadian Securities Administrators (2009), NASDAQ (2009), SEC (2009), Financial Reporting Council (UK), 2009.
International governance community service includes direct collaboration with stakeholders (scholars, regulators and industry associations) in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, promoting mutual understanding, the Canadian experience and examples, and communication between stakeholders of international best practices.
Probono service to not-for-profit organization boards overseeing beneficiaries such as children, patients and students.
University Service
Presentation, “Governance Best Practices,” York University Board of Governors, 27 February 2018 (forthcoming).
Director, Master in Financial Accountability Program, York University, December 2015 – Present.
Course Coordinator (Corporate Governance and Law), School of Administrative Studies, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, July 2013 – present.
Bankes, John F. and Leblanc, Richard, “York University: Selection of a Chair, Board of Governors,” paper submitted (January 2012).
Public Lecture, York University, Trends and Issue in Corporate Governance After the Global Financial Crisis, October 12, 2010.
Steward, York University Faculty Association (YUFA) representing School of Administrative Studies, March – June, 2010.
Member, York University Faculty Association (YUFA) Bargaining Team, 2009.
Member, Teaching Award Winners’ Committee, York University, circa 2008 – 2009.
Atkinson Senator, York University, 2007 – 2010.
Member, Senate Appeals Committee, York University, 2007 – 2010.
Area Coordinator (Corporate Governance, Law and Ethics) and Member, Co-ordinators and Curriculum Committee, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, January 2005 – July 2009.
Member, Awards Committee, School of Administrative Studies, 2007 – 2009.
Research Interests
Awards
- Canadian Who’s Who, 2010. - 2010
- “Theory and Practice Award,” 2006, School of Administrative Studies (“SAS”), Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, York University, recognizing a significant contribution by an SAS faculty member on the academic and practical significance of one piece of work and the extent to which it helps to bridge management theory and practice, for Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, Inside the Boardroom: How Boards Really Work and the Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance (Toronto: Wiley, 2005). 2006 - 2006
- First Annual Emerald Publishing / European Foundation for Management Development Outstanding Doctoral Research Award, “Highly Commended” (Runner up), Management and Governance Category, June 2005. - 2005
- “Top 40 Under 40”™ for Canada, May 3, 2005. Winner of the “Top 40 Under 40 Award”™ in 2005, recognized as one of 40 people under 40 years of age chosen from across Canada based on accomplishments indicating vision, leadership, innovation and achievement. - 2005
- Udayan Rege Best Dissertation Award, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, June 6, 2004. - 2004
- York University Teaching Award, First Place Winner, inaugural Seymour Schulich BBA Award for Teaching Excellence, York University, as selected by students, 1998. - 1998
- Diligent Modern Governance 100 - 2021
- Fellow Certified Management Consultant - 2020
- Academic Fellow - CMC Global - 2021
- Joyce Borden-Reed Distinguished Contribution Award - 2017
All Publications
Leblanc, Richard “Getting the Right Directors on Your Board,” in Conger, Jay, ed., Boardroom Realities: Building Leaders Across Your Board (London: Josey-Bass, March 2009).
Burke, Ron, and Leblanc, Richard, “Women on Corporate Boards: The Canadian Perspective,” in Burke, Ron, Singh, Val, Bilimoria, Diane, and Huse, Morten, Women on Corporate Boards of Directors: Research and Practice (Cheltenham, Glos: Edward Elgar, forthcoming, January 2009).
Leblanc, Richard “Developing Effective Corporate Governance,” in Wesson, Thomas, ed., The New World Economic Order (Toronto: Captus Press, 2007), 260-274. Adapted from the Annual Queen’s Business Law Symposium conference proceedings, infra. See http://www.captus.com/Information/catalogue/book.asp?Book+Number=935 for more information.
Leblanc, Richard, “Assessing the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors and Individual Directors,” in Ali, Paul U., and Gregoriou, Greg N., eds., International Corporate Governance After Sarbanes-Oxley (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006), 485-524. Adapted from Leblanc, 20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Assessments, infra.
Leblanc, Richard, ed., The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not for Profit Board Members, 2nd ed., San Francisco: Wiley (2020).
Leblanc, Richard, ed., The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not for Profit Board Members (San Francisco, CA: John Wiley, 2016).
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, Inside the Boardroom: How Boards Really Work and the Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance (Toronto: Wiley, 2005); and translated into Russian: Inside the Boardroom (Moscow: Wiley, 2006). www.amazon.ca/boardroom.
Please see full and most recent publications here: http://www.yorku.ca/rleblanc/html/spc.html
Leblanc, Richard, “20 Questions Directors of Not-For-Profit Organizations Should Ask about Recruiting, Developing and Renewing Directors” (Toronto: Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, 2019).
Leblanc, Richard, “Why Governance Evaluations Fail,” The Corporate Board (September / October 2015), pp. 6-10.
Leblanc, Richard, “Corporate Governance Trends, Pressures, and Responses,” Stewardship Review: Insights for the Boardroom Summer 2015, Conference Board of Canada (Toronto: 2015). Click here for the article.
Leblanc, Richard, “What a Board Expects from Management and What Management Expects from A Board,” Boards, Ontario Hospital Association (Toronto: February, 2013), at 9-11.
Leblanc, Richard, “Director removal: a five-point plan” Corporate Governance Quarterly, ICSA Chartered Secretaries Canada (Toronto: Winter, 2012) 4-5. Reproduced with permission from Listed: The Magazine for Canadian Listed Companies, below.
Leblanc, Richard, “Forty Proposals to Strengthen: the Public Company Board of Director’s Role in Value Creation; Management Accountability to the Board; and Board Accountability to Shareholders," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2013) 1-16. See article here.
Leblanc, Richard, Special Editor, “Editorial: Enhancing the effectiveness of the 21st century board of directors,’” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2013) 10:2, 93-97.
Leblanc, Richard, “Aligning Pay to Value Creation and Performance: 12 compensation opportunities that boards and committees should consider,” ICD Director, Institute of Corporate Directors (Toronto: forthcoming, 2012).
Leblanc, Richard, et al., “General Commentary on European Union Corporate Governance Proposals,’” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (October 2011) 9:1, 1-35.
Leblanc, Richard “The Walker Review Proposes ‘The Toughest Governance Regime in the World,’” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2010) 7:1, 20-27. Please see here. Adapted and modified from “The Walker Review in the UK Proposes Tough New Regulatory Requirements”, supra. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in International Journal of Disclosure and Governance. The definitive publisher-authenticated version International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (2010) 7:1, 20-27 is available online: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jdg/index.html
Leblanc, Richard, and Schwartz, Mark, “Effective Boards of Directors: An Examination of Director Behavioural-Types,” Corporate Ownership & Control (Winter 2008) 5:2, 154-167.
Leblanc, Richard “Recruitment, training and assessment (and removal) of directors post SOX,” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (February 2008) 5:1 at 8-14.
Leblanc, Richard, “Risk Management Oversight: Is Your Board at Risk?” Directors Monthly, National Association of Corporate Directors, (Washington, D.C.: June 2008), 17-18. Reprinted within program “The Board’s Role in Risk Assessment, Mitigation and Disclosure,” American Bar Association (ABA) Corporate Governance Committee and Corporate Compliance and Corporate Counsel Committee, New York City, August 9, 2008.
Leblanc, Richard, “Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness 2.0,” International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics (2007) 3:2, 106-112.
Bury, Sophie, and Leblanc, Richard, “Corporate Governance Research on the Free Web: A Selected Annotated Guide,” Reference Services Review (2007) 35:3, 497-514.
Leblanc, Richard “Effective Risk Oversight by Boards in 2007: What are the Key Areas,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2007) 7:1, 18-20.
Leblanc, Richard “External Disclosure of Leading Governance Assessment Practices: What Shareholders Should be Asking and Companies Should be Disclosing,” International Journal of Disclosure and Governance (August 2007), 167-180.
Smith, Mark, and Leblanc, Richard, “Nose In, Fingers Out: The Role of Outside Directors in Assessing Insurance Company Strategy” Canadian Insurance (Toronto: March 2007), 36-41.
Leblanc, Richard, “Ten Ways to Enhance the Effectiveness of the Audit Committee,” Ivey Business Journal [Online] (September-October 2007).
Leblanc, Richard, and Schwartz, Mark, “The Black Box of Board Process: Gaining Access to a Difficult Subject,” Corporate Governance: An International Review (September 2007), 843-851.
Leblanc, Richard “The Eight “Cs: Of Board Performance Assessment” The Corporate Board (May-June 2007), 16-21.
Leblanc, Richard, 20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Assessments (Toronto: Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2006).
Leblanc, Richard “Assessing Individual Directors: An Idea Whose Time Has Come,” Journal on Corporate Governance in Russia and Other Transitional Economies [Online] (October 2006).
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, “Governance 2.0: From Compliance to Strategy: Is Your Board Prepared,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2006) 6:1, 4-6.
Jones, Mark, and Leblanc, Richard, “Human Chemistry and Independent Assessment Drive Boardroom Performance,” Company Director (Australian Institute for Company Directors: July 2006), 50-52.
Jones, Mark, and Leblanc, Richard, “Human ‘Chemistry’: A Key Driver of Future Australian Boardroom Performance,” International Corporate Governance Review (2006), 86-91.
Gillies, James, Bartha, Peter and Leblanc, Richard, “Structure vs. Function and the Evolution of Corporate Governance Regulation and Research in the United States,” Russian Management Journal (2006) 4:1, 147-162.
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, “The Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2006) 5:2, 6-10. (This article is adapted from Chapter 11 from Inside the Boardroom, supra.)
Leblanc, Richard, “The Nomination and Assessment of Individual Directors: Questions Shareholders Should Be Asking: A Case Study,” Corporate Governance: International Journal for Enhancing Board Performance (2006) 6:3, 24-28.
Leblanc, Richard, “Understanding the Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Across the Board: A Newsletter for Australian Directors (February 2006), 8-10.
Leblanc, Richard, “What Gets Measured Gets Managed,” Across the Board: A Newsletter for Australian Directors (December 2006), 8-10. Reprinted in Audit Committee Quarterly, Audit Committee Institute Ireland (February 2008), 9-11.
Leblanc, Richard “Assessing Board Leadership,” Corporate Governance: An International Review (September 2005), 654-666.
Leblanc, Richard, contributor, “Performance Measurement: A Finance and Management Special Report (SR9),” Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (September 2005), 33-34.
Leblanc, Richard, “The Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Australian Chief Executive (May 2006), “adapted from Richard Leblanc’s address Effective Corporate Governance: Measuring and Benchmarking Board and Director Performance, to CEDA Melbourne on 8 November 2005,” 24-27.
Leblanc, Richard, “Preventing Future Hollingers,” Ivey Business Journal (September-October 2004), 1-9.
Leblanc, Richard, and Schwartz, Mark, “The Black Box of Board Process: Lessons in Studying Difficult Subjects,” Academy of Management Meeting (Research Methods Division), New Orleans, August 2004 (accepted but not presented).
Leblanc, Richard “What’s Wrong With Corporate Governance: A Note,” Corporate Governance: An International Review (October 2004), 436-441.
Leblanc, Richard, “Director Education and Orientation Programs,” The Corporate Board (July-August 2003), 23-25.
Light, Dorothy K., and Leblanc, Richard, “Integrating the New and Educating the Current Director,” The Effective Board (National Association for Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C., July 2003), 7-9.
Leblanc, Richard, and Gillies, James, “The Coming Revolution in Corporate Governance,” Ivey Business Journal (September-October 2003), 1-11.
Leblanc, Richard, “Assessing Board Performance: 10 Key Factors,” The Corporate Board (January-February 2002), 1-7.
Leblanc, Richard, “Board Assessments” Directors Monthly, Special Issue on Board Evaluation, National Association of Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C., Spring 2002.
Leblanc, Richard, “Research Note on Board Effectiveness,” Director’s Monthly (National Association for Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C., November 2002), 17.
Leblanc, Richard, “Board Assessment: A Top 10 List for Assessing the Effectiveness of Your Board and Individual Directors,” Federated Press Journal of Corporate Governance 2001 (1:4), 38-43.
Leblanc, Richard “Are Global Corporate Governance Practices Converging? A Report to the OECD on Corporate Governance and Lessons from the Asian Currency Crisis,” Global Focus (1999) 11:2, 151-166. (This journal has been merged with Thunderbird International Business Review.)
Leblanc, Richard, and Hebb, Laurence, “Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice,” within a special essay forum in memory of Max Clarkson, Business & Society (March 1999),
Leblanc, Richard, and Hebb, Laurence, “Directors at the Gate,” Professional Administrator, newsletter of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Canada (1999) 23:2, 18-21.
Leblanc, Richard, and Hebb, Laurence, “Directors at the Gate,” Professional Administrator, newsletter of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Canada (1999) 23:2, 18-21.
Hebb, Laurence, and Leblanc, Richard, “Ethics in International Business Transactions,” Canadian International Lawyer (1998) 3:1, 1-7, 27.
Please see full and most recent professional journal articles (refereed and non-refereed) here: http://www.yorku.ca/rleblanc/html/spc.html
Leblanc, Richard, and Lascaris, A. Dimitri, “Shareholder Litigation: An Important Tool for Effecting Corporate Governance Reform,” The Second International Class Action Conference, Westin Hotel, Sydney, Australia, October 25-26, 2007.
Leblanc, Richard, “Improving Board Decision-Making: An Inside View,” Henley Management College, October 2003 and October 2005, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Leblanc, Richard, “Getting Into the Black Box: What Really Matters in Board Decision-Making,” Henley Management College, Oct. 2000, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Conger, Jay, Dalton, Dan, Leblanc, Richard, Liang, Neng, and Useem, Michael, “Boards of Directors,” a Symposium Submission for the Academy of Management Meetings, Chicago, 2009.
Burke, Ronald, and Leblanc, Richard, “Women on Corporate Boards of Directors: Ongoing Challenges,” presentation to “Women on Boards of Directors: Interventional Strategies and Global Action for Board Level Gender Equity” Symposium, Academy of Management Meeting, Atlanta, 2006.
Leblanc, Richard, “The Firm: Developing Effective Governance,” in Anand, Anita I. and Flanagan, William F., eds., “Conflicts of Interest in Capital Market Structures: Papers Presented at the 10th Annual Queen’s Business Law Symposium October 2003” (2004), 1-16. See also Peter Dey, “Thoughts on Richard Leblanc’s Paper, ‘The Firm – Developing Effective Governance,’” ibid., 17-18, and W. F. Flanagan, “Comment on Richard Leblanc’s paper…,” ibid., 19-21.
Presentation, “Plenary Session 9: Board Effectiveness: How to Measure What Really Counts,” GUBERNA, Brussels (December 6, 2010). Submission entitled “Separating the Role of Chair and CEO – More is Needed, Including Leadership Skills and Industry Knowledge” accepted (with Katrina Pick) for presentation at the Corporate Governance & Global financial crisis conference, Wharton School, Philadelphia (September 24, 2010). Submission entitled “Working with part-time faculty to enhance teaching and the curriculum” accepted (with Sandra Scott) for Round-Table Discussion at the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education conference, Toronto (June 24, 2010). Submission entitled “The Movement Towards Independently Assured Board Evaluation: Development of Criteria and Processes and Implications for the Internal Audit Function” accepted to the 8th European Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance, Chios, Greece (2010. Did not attend).
Please see: http://www.yorku.ca/rleblanc/html/spc.html
Approach to Teaching
GRADUATE
Director, Master in Financial Accountability Program, York University, December 2015 – Present. Grew program from a few dozen students to over 200.
Harvard University, Summer Faculty, 26 June – 9 August 2012, 25 June – 8 August 2013, 24 June – 7 August 2014, 13 – 30 July, 2015, 11 – 28 July 2016, 10 – 27 July 2017, and 16 July – 2 August 2018, and 15 July – 1 August 2019.
Member, Faculty of Graduate Studies, York University.
Member, PhD Examining Committee, Solange Charas, Case Western Reserve University, 2013-2014.
Research Fellow and Advisory Board Member, Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, University of Texas at Dallas, Jindal School of Management, 2012 – present.
Adjunct Faculty, Osgoode Hall Law School, January – April 2011.
Member, PhD Examining Committee, “Strengthening the Stakeholder Principle: The Path of Corporate Law,” by P.M. Vasudev, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 28 January 2011.
Member, PhD Examining Committee, “Law, Development and Corporate Law Reform in China: Revealing the Embedded Social Values of the Corporation,” by Gil Lan, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 11 February 2011.
Dean’s Representative, LLM Defence, Victoria Torrie (Supervisor: Stephanie Ben-Ishai), entitled “Analyzing the Canadian Third-Party ABCP Liquidity Crisis and Restructuring Through the Lenses of Securities and Insolvency Law,” Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 15 April 2010.
Courses developed and taught
Assisted in the development and ongoing revision, in conjunction with industry experts, courses in enterprise risk management and strategy, MFAc program, 2012 – present. Developed and taught GS/FACC 6220: “Governance of Executive Compensation and Shareholder Accountability,” Master of Financial Accountability Program (MFAc), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2012 – 2016. See course outline here.
Developed and taught GS/FACC 6460: “Accountability Issues in the Government and Not-for-Profit Sectors,” Master of Financial Accountability Program (MFAc), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2012 – present (with exception of sabbatical). See course outline here.
GS/LAW 6749: Corporate Governance (with Poonam Puri), Part-Time LLM Specializing in Business Law, Osgoode Professional Development Program, York University (30 March - 1 April, 2011).
Developed and taught GS/FACC 6220: “Corporate Governance and Financial Accountability,” Master of Financial Accountability Program (MFAc), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2011 – present (with exception of sabbatical).
LW/LAW 5170: Corporate Governance, LLB Program, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (January - April, 2011). “Boards of Directors,” Joint Schulich-Kellogg EMBA Programs, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.
SMGT 6150: “Boards of Directors,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1999-2002.
MGMT 6200: “Business Administration and the Law,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1997, 2000.
MGMT 5250: “Managing in a Contemporary Context,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1997.
UNDERGRADUATE
Courses developed and taught
ADMS 4692: “Governance of Government Enterprises and Not-for-Profit Organizations,” Bachelor of Administrative Studies Program (BAS), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2014 – present (with exception of sabbatical).
ADMS 4690: “Board Leadership, Effectiveness & Succession Planning,” Bachelor of Administrative Studies Program (BAS), School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2012 – present (with exception of sabbatical).
ADMS 2610: “Elements of Law: Part 1,” Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, July 2004 – 2010, 2013.
MGMT 1010: “Environmental Context of Management,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1998-2004.
PLCY 4200: “Business Administration and the Law,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1996-2000.
SGMT 4010: “Strategic Management,” Schulich School of Business, York University, 1997-1998.
Guest lectures in other courses
Guest lecture on corporate governance developments, University of Toronto St. George Campus, November 11, 2013.
Guest lecture on synthesizing governance and accountability theory and practice, FACC 6900, York University, September 23, 2013.
Guest lecture on developments in corporate governance, Business Ethics class, Ryerson University, March 9, 2011 (forthcoming).
Joint Law-MBA Seminar, Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business, York University, January 18, 2011; February 9, 2010; February 10, 2009; and January 29, 2008.
“Corporate Governance, Business Law and Technology,” CSE 3000 Professional Practice in Computing, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, York University, September 28, 2010.
“Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility,” School of Administrative Studies, York University, 2009.
“Law of Corporate Management,” Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.
Joint Law-MBA Seminar, Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business, York University; MGMT 5250: “Managing in a Contemporary Context,” Schulich School of Business, York University; and MGT 2015-02: “Management Consulting,” Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
University of Chicago-Wharton-Stanford Directors Consortium, 2005.
EMBA Program – Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, April 2, 2004.
OTHER TEACHING-RELATED ACTIVITIES
Mentoring and Development
Mentoring university colleagues, Teaching Award Winners’ Classroom Observation Scheme, October 2013 - present.
Seminars, workshops presented
Instructor, International Company Directors Course, Australian Institute of Company Directors, 2005.
Guest speaker, “Effective University Teaching And Best Practices,” Briarcliffe College, April 22, 1999, Bethpage, NY.
Guest speaker, “Insights and Dialogue on Schulich Teaching,” by Richard Leblanc, February 3, 1999.
Guest speaker, Schulich School of Business, “Reflections on the Ivey Teaching Workshop,” by Richard Leblanc, November 17, 1998.
Courses Taught At Other Institutions
Instructor, S-5018: “Corporate Governance,” Summer School, Harvard University, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. See course outline here.
Instructor, MGT 2015-08: “Boards of Directors: Governance Principles for Private, Public & Not-For-Profit Corporations,” MBA Program, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Instructor, MGT 2005-08: “Advanced Concepts in Strategic Management,” MBA Program, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Instructor, MGT C59S: “Management Ethics,” BA / BCom Program, University of Toronto at Scarborough.
Course / Curricular Development
Undertook substantive curriculum development and revisions to corporate governance courses: FACC 6620 (Governance of Executive Compensation and Shareholder Accountability), FACC 6900 (Governance and Accountability: Synthesis of Theory and Practice) (in conjunction with Mark Smith) and undergraduate governance and legal courses (ADMS 4691, ADMS 4692), in the MFAc and SAS Programs, respectively, 2012-2013.
Undertook substantive curriculum development and revisions to three proposed and forthcoming corporate governance courses (in progress): FACC 6460, ADMS 4690 and two proposed undergraduate governance and legal courses, in the MFAc and SAS Programs, respectively, 2011-2012.
Undertook substantive curriculum revisions to three corporate governance courses: FACC 6220, LAW 5170 and LAW 6749, in the MFAc, JD and LLM Programs, respectively, 2010-2111.
Undertook substantive curriculum revisions to AK/ADMS 3620 3.00: “Elements of Law: Part 2,” Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, 2007-2009.
Undertook substantive curriculum revisions, in collaboration with the Undergraduate Program Director, School of Administrative Studies, to AK/ADMS 2610 3.00: “Elements of Law: Part 1,” (formerly ADMS 3610), Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, 2007-2009.
Developed two courses for the proposed Masters of Financial Accountability (MFAcc) Program, AK/ADMS 6160 3.00 Corporate Governance and Financial Accountability and AK/ADMS 6120 3.00 Corporate Responsibility and Ethics.
Pedagogical Innovation/Development of Technology-Enhanced Learning
Internet-based course (developed with Randy Hoffman at York University), “Best Practices and Professional Standards in the Management Consulting Profession,” Canadian Association of Management Consultants, CMC Program, 2000 to present.
Publications and Professional Contributions to Teaching
Leblanc, Richard “Enthusiastic Teaching: A Conversation with Friends,” contributor to Chapter 15, in Robert T. Tauber and Cathy Sargent Mester, eds., Acting Lessons for Teachers: Using Performance Skills in the Classroom, 2nd ed. (Westport, CT: Greenwood/Praeger, 2007)
Leblanc, Richard, “Good Teaching: The Top Ten Requirements,” The Teaching Professor (June-July 1998), 1,7 and reprinted in: Insight: Advanced Learning Through Faculty Study, newsletter of the Teaching Excellence Centre, Rutgers University, Camden Campus (Fall 1998), 1, 2; The Point, newsletter of United Faculty of PBCC, (November 1998), 6; Briarcliffe College Faculty Newsletter, Briarcliffe College, Bethpage, NY (January-February 1999), 2; Focus on Teaching, Newsletter of Buffalo State University of New York (Spring 1999), 2; and The Mount Sinai School of Medicine Institute for Medical Education Newsletter, New York, NY (September 2008), 5.
Current Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | GS/FACC6500 3.0 | A | Corporate Governance | ONLN |
Upcoming Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 2024 | GS/DMGM5080 1.5 | N | Law and Corporate Governance | ONLN |
