As a senior partner of Toronto law firm Aird & Berlis LLP and leader of its AB Strategy practise, with nearly 40 years’ experience as a lawyer, CPA, public company executive and multi-business owner, Randy Williamson advises private enterprises and their owners/investors (families, family offices and PE firms) on key strategic matters.  He advises on governance and business structures, equity and debt financings, and acquisitions/divestitures, and helps businesses consider key ownership, financing, joint venture, supply and licensing arrangements.  Randy particularly focuses on helping owners answer, “What’s next?” for their businesses and themselves. Randy also helps businesses building valuable solutions in Canada’s sustainability sectors.

Prior to returning to Bay Street in 2005, Randy owned and operated three business services companies, supporting critical operating, marketing/communication, and HR functions of businesses large and small.  Previously, he was a senior financial executive for a multi-billion dollar publicly listed industrial products company, and a partner in another leading Toronto law firm.  Randy was originally trained as a CPA, CA, and holds CPA Canada’s speciality Corporate Finance qualification.

Randy serves as independent Board Chair or director for several family-owned and owner-operated businesses.  He is currently Co-Chair of ACG-Toronto’s Family Office committee.  For all of his adult life, he has helped lead non-profit enterprises, supporting them to build capacity to respond to society’s critical challenges and extraordinary opportunities, including as: Board Chair of York University Development Corporation, former York University Governor and Chair of its Land & Property Committee, Pension Board, Endowment Investment Committee and Alumni Board; past Board Vice-Chair of The Atmospheric Fund and Investment Committee member; past Board Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and founding Board Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters Alumni; past Chair of Toronto’s St. James Cathedral’s Finance and Investment Committee and Governing Council member; past President of Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (now Enactus); and a founding Board member of Ontario’s Promise to Children and Youth. 

For his contributions to Canada Randy was awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, and was twice named Toronto’s Big Brother of the Year.

Randy received his J.D. law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto, his CPA, CA at Ernst & Young LLP in Toronto and his B.Comm. (Hons.) degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.  Randy lives in Toronto, ON and Lac Brome, QC.