Anthony Richard Graham is a Canadian businessman based in Toronto, Canada. He is presently Vice-Chairman and a Director of Wittington Investments, Limited and President and Chief Executive Officer of Sumarria Inc.
Graham received his early education in the investment business working during summer holidays at his father's brokerage firm Oswald, Drinkwater and Graham Ltd. In 1976, he joined Wood Gundy Ltd., becoming one of the youngest stockbrokers in Canada. In 1979 he moved to London England where he was appointed Resident Manager of Lévesque Beaubien Inc., a firm of Canadian stockbrokers, dealing with U.K. and European portfolio managers investing in the Canadian capital markets. In 1983, he was appointed Managing Director of Lévesque Beaubien Inc. in Toronto with the mandate to grow the firm's presence outside of the Province of Quebec. During this time, Graham served on the boards of The Toronto Stock Exchange and the Canadian Securities Institute. In 1986, Graham led a group of partners to purchase Lévesque, Beaubien Inc. from the then controlling shareholder and proceeded to take the firm public. Following these transactions, Graham became the largest shareholder of the firm. In 1989, following the deregulation of the Canadian financial service industry the National Bank of Canada purchased 75% of the firm and in 1999, the firm purchased First Marathon Securities, Inc. and was then taken completely private by the bank and changed its name to National Bank Financial. In June 2000, Graham became President of Wittington Investments, Limited, the principal holding company of the Weston/Loblaw Group. During his time at Wittington, he has served in various different capacities including Director of George Weston Limited, Loblaw Companies, Chairman of President's Choice Bank, President of Selfridges Group and Chairman of Choice Properties REIT. Graham is also the Chairman, President and CEO of Sumarria Inc., which is the largest shareholder of Graymont Limited. Graymont has production and distribution facilities for chemical lime, stone and precipitated calcium carbonate in Canada, the United States and New Zealand as well as a significant investment in the largest lime producer in Mexico. Graham has been a Director of Graymont since 1987 to the present and served as Chairman from 2003 to 2008. Graham has also served on the Board of Power Corporation of Canada and Power Financial Corporation since 2001. He is a former director of Brown Thomas & Company Limited, Garbell Holdings Limited, Gardiner Group Capital, Holt Renfrew & Co. Limited, Scott's Hospitality Inc., Scott's Restaurants Inc., Sulconam Inc. and Victoria Square Ventures Inc.
Community involvement
The Arts
Since 2008, Graham has served as the Chairman of The Ontario Arts Foundation and has been Vice-Chairman of the Council for Business and the Arts in Canada since 2002. Graham was a Board Member of The Shaw Festival from 1993 - 1998, serving as Chairman in 1995 – 1996. He has been the Founding Chairman of The Shaw Festival Theatre Endowment Foundation since 2002. Graham has been a Trustee of the Art Gallery of Ontario since 1993, a Founding Board Member of Luminato since 2006 and is a past Board Member of Massey Hall/Roy Thomson Hall.
Health, education and research
Graham is the Chairman of the Charter for Business of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards in Canada. He has served on the Board of St. Michael's Hospital since 2009 and has served on the Board of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research since 2002. He served on the Board of Branksome Hall School from 1989 – 2001, serving as Chairman from 1997 – 2001. He served as Chairman of the Branksome Hall Foundation from 2002 – 2013. During this time he also served on the Board of the Canadian Education Standards Institute.
In 2007, Graham was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Brock University. In 1990, he was awarded the Government of Ontario Volunteer Services award. In 1995, he was recognized by the Financial Post as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. In 2012 was presented the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Graham is a member of the Business Council of Canada, Chief Executives Organization and the World Presidents Organization. He is a member and past president of the Toronto Club.
