1945 -
Robert Ellis Brown was born on 8 February 1945 in England where his father was serving with the Canadian Army. He attended school in Ottawa, graduating from Nepean High School where he was awarded the Jack Vogan Memorial Award as the outstanding graduating male athlete.
Brown entered RRMC in 1963 and graduated from RMC in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Following graduation, he was posted to 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group Signals Squadron in Germany and subsequently transferred to the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, as the Battalion Signals Officer. After his service in Germany, Brown was posted to Petawawa and concluded his military service in 1971. He considered that this education and leadership training had a significant impact on his later success in government and business.
Brown then entered the federal public service where he worked for Atomic Energy of Canada, the Public Service Commission, and the Treasury Board.
At the Treasury Board, where he was Executive Assistant to the Secretary and Assistant Secretary to the Board, he gained invaluable knowledge of federal fiscal policy and cabinet-level decision-making. In 1976, he was seconded to the Council of Maritime Premiers in Halifax, where he was responsible for regional policy development.
After returning to Ottawa, Brown held several senior positions in ministries with economic responsibilities from 1978 to 1986. At the Ministry of State for Economic Development, he led federal negotiations for the Northeast Coal Project, a massive infrastructure undertaking involving the Port of Prince Rupert and interior rail lines. Subsequently, as Assistant Deputy Minister and then Associate Deputy Minister in the Department of Regional Economic Expansion he spearheaded the processes to privatize Canadair and de Havilland, and to attract Bell Helicopter to establish a manufacturing base in Quebec. These initiatives were foundational in establishing Canada as a leading global aerospace centre. During this period, he also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard.
Brown left the public service in 1986 to become Vice-President (VP), Corporate Development at Bombardier Inc. Promoted to Senior VP for Corporate Development and Strategic Planning, he led the acquisitions of Short Brothers, Learjet, and de Havilland. In 1990, he became President of Canadair, then President of the Aerospace Group, North America, and finally President and Chief Operating Officer of Bombardier Aerospace.
During Brown’s nine years leading Bombardier Aerospace, a new aircraft model was launched every year. Especially noteworthy was the innovation of the Regional Jet concept and its global implementation which significantly changed airline operations worldwide. Under his leadership, the company became the third-largest civilian aircraft manufacturer in the world and the global leader in the regional and business aircraft segments.
In 1999, Brown became President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bombardier Inc. where he oversaw not only the global success of the aerospace and rail divisions but also the return of the Recreational Products business to profitability.
In 2003, Brown was appointed Chairman of the Board of Air Canada as it was entering court-supervised restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. His leadership was instrumental in the company’s successful emergence from this challenging process.
In late 2004 Brown became President and CEO of CAE Inc. Tasked with revitalizing a company facing significant geopolitical and economic headwinds, he launched a comprehensive restructuring plan including the largest research and development investment in CAE’s history and the integration of ten strategic acquisitions. By diversifying revenues and expanding CAE’s global footprint to 20 countries, he established the firm as the world’s pre-eminent flight simulation and training provider before his retirement in 2010.
During his career, Brown also served as a Director of Bombardier Inc., CAE Inc., Air Canada, ACE Aviation Holdings Inc., Aeroplan Inc., Nortel Networks Corporation, Rio Tinto (London) PLC, Bell Canada Enterprises, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, and the Business Council on National Issues.
Beyond his professional achievements, Brown was a pillar of the Montreal community. He co-chaired major fundraising campaigns for Centraide (United Way) and the Université de Montréal, significantly exceeding targets for both. His stewardship extended to the arts (the Ballets Jazz de Montréal) and healthcare ( the Canadian Cancer Society), among others.
In recognition of his contributions to the aerospace industry and his extensive community service, Robert Ellis Brown was appointed an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec in 2007 and a Member of the Order of Canada in 2008. He was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
Plaque inscription:
Visionary Leader, Pillar of Canadian Aerospace, Community Steward