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GRI Summit 2025 Building Trust within a Rapidly Evolving Landscape

a presenter standing in front of the GRI Summit 2025 screen

Closing Insights from Chair Bill Bonnell

In his first year as GRI Board Chair, Bill Bonnell, Strategic Advisor to the CEO of National Bank of Canada, closed the summit by reflecting on both the day’s key themes and the institute’s evolution, and expressed optimism about working together to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. He emphasized the importance of continuing the day’s discussions through upcoming GRI programs, and noted the enduring role of GRI in fostering collaboration between public and private sectors. Looking back to GRI’s first summit 15 years ago, he underscored how quickly the risk agenda evolves, observing that neither quantum, climate risk nor AI were mentioned back then.

William Bonnell

Chair, Global Risk Institute

William (Bill) Bonnell currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to the CEO of National Bank of Canada. Prior to this role, he was the bank’s Chief Risk Officer from 2012 until 2024, overseeing the management of financial and non-financial risks across the bank.

Since joining National Bank in 2001, Bill has held successive leadership positions in credit risk management, proprietary trading, and market risk management. Before joining the bank, he worked in Toronto, London, and Dublin in a variety of risk management, capital markets, and management roles within the banking industry.

Throughout his career, Bill has been actively engaged in various industry, academic, and non-profit boards. He has served as a member and Chair of the boards of both the International Financial Risk Institute (Geneva) and the Risk Management Association (Philadelphia). He has also served on the board of the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Advisory Board of Rotman’s Master of Financial Risk Management program.

Bill holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, a Bachelor’s Degree from Bishop’s University, and has completed studies at EM Lyon Business School. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and holds the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designation from the Global Association of Risk Professionals.