Bill Downe

William Arthur Downe (born 1952) is a Canadian banker who was chief executive officer (CEO) of Bank of Montreal (also known as BMO Financial Group) from 2007 to 2017.

Early life Downe earned a bachelor's degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toronto.

In 2003, Downe was granted the Rotman Distinguished Business Alumni Award from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Career Downe joined Bank of Montreal in 1983

In December 2016, Downe was named a Member of the Order of Canada.

In April 2017, it was announced that Downe would retire as CEO effective October 2017. He was to be succeeded by current COO Darryl White, who was previously group head of BMO Capital Markets.

Board memberships and philanthropy Downe is the only Canadian member of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Mayor of Beijing, and a member of the International Advisory Council of Guanghua School of Management at Peking University. He is a director of Catalyst, and a member of Catalyst's Canadian board of advisors.

Downe has previously served as chair of St. Michael's Hospital.