Douglas Goold

Senior Fellow, Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History, University of Toronto

Douglas Goold was trained as an academic and has extensive experience with NGOs and a deep understanding of public policy, Doug has a PhD in the history of international relations from Cambridge. He is the co-author of Peace Without Promise: Britain and the Peace Conferences, 1919-23, and taught modern history at UBC, Alberta and Victoria.

He has significant media experience including Editor of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. He was a reporter in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Doug was the President of the former Canadian Institute of International Affairs, where he oversaw (and redesigned) the International Journal, and was the first president of the Canadian International Council.

He worked with Robert Greenhill on his influential report, Making a Difference? External Views on Canada’s International Impact. From 2011 to 2014, Doug created and directed of the National Conversation on Asia at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and was the founder of the Toronto office. Foundation CEO Stewart Beck described the Conversation, the aim of which was to get Asia on the radar screen of Canadians, as “One of the most ambitious and successful initiatives in the 30 year history of the Foundation.”The Conversation held events, including student events, in eight provinces, partnered with 30 Canadian NGOs (including the Asian Institute), and met with key policy-makers including Premiers.

Doug published two major studies on India as well as articles on trade and Taiwan. From 2015-20, Doug led a team of policy-makers at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, one of the largest Chambers in North America. He was responsible for 40 policy files, including trade, transportation, infrastructure and smart cities. He chaired over 100 events with key business and political figures, including many cabinet ministers. He was also in charge of the board’s partnership with Brookings Institution on its Global Cities Initiative.