Bryan Held brings more than 30 years of corporate leadership and extensive board experience, offering a seasoned perspective on enterprise stewardship and leadership at scale. His work centers on supporting senior executives as they navigate complex decisions, expand their influence, and lead with clarity in high-stakes environments.
Bryan is an accomplished public company leader with financial, operations, human resources, and international management expertise in the retail, manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive sectors. After retiring, he served as Interim CEO of Vicwest Income Fund, Canada’s leading manufacturer of metal building products. Prior to this, Bryan was President and CEO of SMK Speedy International Inc., overseeing 4,000 employees and 1,100 stores.
His additional executive roles have included Senior Vice President and CFO of Derlan Industries Limited, CFO and Interim CEO of Tip Top Tailors, and Vice President of Finance and Administration for Spar Aerospace Limited. Bryan is a chartered accountant (FCPA, FCA) and started his career at Arthur Andersen & Co., where he later became a Partner.
Over the past 25 years, Bryan has also served on numerous public, private, and not-for-profit boards, including his most recent roles as Trustee and Compensation, Governance and Nominating Committee and Audit Committee Chair for BSR Real Estate Investment Trust. He also served on the boards of Second Cup Coffee Co., Vicwest Income Fund, Stephenson’s Rental Services Income Fund, William Osler Health Centre, the Automotive Industries Association, and the Ontario Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Bryan is an Institute-certified Director and holds a BComm from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He has lectured on various topics for diverse audiences throughout South Africa and Canada. Bryan and his wife, Barbara, live in Ontario, Canada, and have three adult children.
